"Backpacking Mauritius" a Mauritius Travel Page by AndreSTGT

Mauritius - Pearl of the Indian ocean!
This is probably what most people think when they hear the name. Beautiful beaches, romantic jungle canyons...etc.
These preconceptions are wrong. The beaches are nothing special (ok, i'm spoilt), deforestation has had a large impact on the island and there's heavy traffic on many roads and streets leading through non-descript towns.
So why is Mauritius still a great and interesting place to visit?
The main reason is the cultural diversity of its inhabitants. A fascinating mix of Indian, Creole, Chinese and European traditions which can be seen and experienced in architecture, food and religion.
And despite some negative aspects that i've stated above, the island is over all very pleasant and there are some real gems to discover, they're just not as easy to find as on other tropical islands.
Another plus is that Mauritius is probably the only island in the region that is affordable to all budgets (if you "go local").
Even though Mauritius is a well known beach destination, most resorts (even Grand Baie, the biggest one) are pleasant and low key, there are no huge condominium blocks or overcrowded beaches and this certainly adds greatly to the appeal of the island.

Highlights :
Tamarin Falls, Black river canyon, Mon Choisy plage, Port Louis

Lowlights :
Central towns (heavy traffic, pollution)

Language :
French and English are both spoken and understood

Tourists :
Predominantly package tourists, mostly French, some Germans, very few Brits and Scandinavians. No backpackers!

Costs :
Budget rooms : 7-10 €
Cigarettes : 1,80 €
Soft drinks : 0.7 € (cheap bar), 1.50€ (expensive bar)
Restaurants : mains 5-15 €
bus tickets : not more than 80c