Alluringly stranded out in the swells of the Indian Ocean, the political and economic kingpin of the Republic of Mauritius exudes all the cosmopolitanism that one would expect of a city stuck on the confluences of so many creeds and cultures.

Amidst its downtown districts – a palimpsest of colonial houses and curious modern architecture – the influences of the Far East can be smelt in the culinary aromas, while the sounds of African drumming remind travellers of this country’s closest continental neighbour. Elsewhere, the British colonial hand can still be seen in the facades and frontispieces, from the dominating citadel of Fort Adelaide, to the sprawling Central Market near the port. Then there are the happening strips of the Caudan Waterfront, laden to the brim with casinos and comely eateries.
Mauritius’ capital is also a great place to see some of the seriously quirky permanent exhibitions on offer at the National Photography Museum and the Mauritius Postal Museum, while there’s also easy access to most all of the island’s other major attractions; from the shimmering beaches of Grand Bay, to the town of Curepipe and the looming peaks of volcanic Trou aux Cerfs.