Smiling swimmers on Île aux Cerfs beach are proof of the island's multiracial heritage. Settled in 1598 by the Dutch, Mauritius was taken over in 1715 by the French, who brought in slaves from Madagascar and Mozambique. Following their capture of the island in 1810, the British outlawed slavery but imported thousands of indentured laborers from India. Today, the natural beauty of such unspoiled places as the waterfall in Chamarel, opposite, draws increasing numbers of well-heeled Europeans.
Sacrechien, a local fish, garnished with baby clams and fresh green tomato sauce, is typical of the edgy, inventive food at Spoon des Îles by Alain Ducasse. "I was inspired by all the cuisines on the island—Indian, French, Creole, Chinese," says Spoon's chef, Massimo Luvara. As for tea, it's everywhere. Along the Route du Thé, a spectacular mountain road, you can visit Bois Chéri, the first plantation on the island, dating back to 1892, when the British imported the first tea bushes from Sri Lanka.
A boom in deluxe hotels has turned Mauritius into the Riviera of the Indian Ocean, attracting celebrities galore (Catherine Deneuve, Sharon Stone, Princess Caroline). It's also where Prince Andrew and Fergie honeymooned. (More recently, Prince William popped down with an anonymous blonde.) Meanwhile, an Indonesian statue in the pool at the new Oberoi hotel proves that nothing is too grand for Mauritius, where Americans are trickling in to join the Europeans.
WHERE IT'S HAPPENING ON MAURITIUS
The best times to visit Mauritius are April through June and September through November. Avoid the jacked-up prices and crowds around Christmas and New Year's, as well as the rainy season from January to March.
WHERE TO STAY
Le Saint Géran, at the tip of the Belle Mare Peninsula, offers first-rate service, 60 acres of tropical gardens, a beautiful pool, and a mile and a half of private beach. It's a major magnet for the glitterati. (800-223-6800; saintgeran.com; from $700 with meals)
Le Prince Maurice, also on the northeast coast, gives you elegant colonial décor, a gorgeous beach, and plenty of privacy. Which is why it attracts so many rock stars, actors, and millionaires. (800-735-2478; princemaurice.com; from $500)
Paradise Cove, on the island's north coast, is another Relais & Châteaux, but this one is ideal for families. It's also a terrific place for devotees of water sports—diving, sailing, snorkeling. (800-735-2478; maurinet.com/pch.html; from $460 with meals)
The Oberoi Mauritius, just outside Port Louis, is the place to hole up in a private villa with pool ($1,000). The hotel is an eyeful, but offshore coral reefs make swimming from the beach a challenge. (800-562-3764; oberoihotels.com/mauritius; from $600)
Le Dinarobin is on the island's best beach (Le Morne) and has a thalassotherapy spa. But it's a long drive to anywhere else on the island, and with 172 rooms this hotel is not exactly intimate. (011-44-1483-53-30-08; from $540 with meals)
WHERE TO EAT
There's little restaurant culture on the island outside the hotels, so the local pantry can be limited. The best of it, however, is a reminder that Mauritians have been cooking fusion for centuries. Here's our pick of the top tables.
Spoon des Îles by Alain Ducasse (at Le Saint Géran) is the most creative restaurant on the island. Chef Massimo Luvara (who once worked at Ducasse's Louis XV in Monte Carlo) bases his menu on what's available on the island—local game (the Dutch imported fallow deer to feed their field hands) and fish. The stir-fried Chinese noodles with shellfish are superb. (230-40-11-55-1)
La Goelette (at the Royal Palm hotel) in Grande Baie, on the north coast, is the island's other leading restaurant, also with a fusion menu including grilled freshwater shrimp en brochette with lemongrass and chiles. (209-83-00)
Le Barachois (at Le Prince Maurice) is surrounded by mangroves and is one of the best places for grilled fish. (413-91-00)
La Cocoteraie (at Paradise Cove) has good Franco-tropical dishes—lemongrass-scented fish tartare, freshwater crayfish brochettes. (204-40-00)
Carri Poulé in Port Louis serves Indian-Mauritian food—octopus curry, samosas stuffed with spiced marlin. Place d' Armes (212-12-95)
La Clef des Champs in Floréal is run by Franco-Mauritian Jacqueline Dalais, the doyenne of the island's culinary traditions. Her place is perfect for lunch after shopping in Floréal. Queen Mary Avenue (686-34-58)
Île aux Cerfs The beach shacks on this island specialize in one thing: grilled langouste. (Lunch only; reserve immediately after getting off the boat.) The swimming is great, too.
Mon Choisy Beach is where the locals go to picnic on Sunday and Monday. Pick up lunch at any of the vans that line the beach—salade d'ourites (octopus salad), mines (stir-fried Chinese noodles with vegetables), samosas, fish curry with achar (green mango pickles), Victoria pineapples carved to be eaten like lollipops, and fresh coconuts.
WHAT TO BRING BACK
Mauritius has a thriving garment industry and is especially famous for its knitwear, which is why you'll find the biggest concentration of Ralph Lauren outlet shops in the world, as well as the incongruous sight of Shetland sweaters and cashmere turtlenecks at factory stores tucked behind richly scented frangipani hedges. Though Grande Baie is the local version of Cannes, with lots of name-brand and local boutiques, you'll have much more fun browsing in the busy commercial town of Floréal. Among the best outlet shops are: Shibani (Shibani Centre) and the Floréal Square shopping center (1 Rue John Kennedy). Mauritius also makes excellent rum; the best brand is Cascavalle.
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