The Delights of Dodo Island

It is ironic that Mauritius is best known for the dodo, a rather stupid-looking bird which became extinct three centuries ago, because the atmosphere on the island nowadays is one of regeneration and growth - of its environment, economy and culture. Mauritius may have suffered at the hands of the early colonialists, but the present population recognize the value of this tropical gem in the southwest of the Indian Ocean. In fact, the rich cultural mix of its people is one of the island's main attractions, along with its inviting beaches and mountain views.

Being so small (just 45 by 55 km) and so far from anywhere else, the island was all but ignored by sea traders like the Arabs, Portuguese and Dutch. Though the Dutch occupied only the southeast corner on and off for a hundred years (from 1600-1700), they played a great part in shaping its history. They named it Mauritius after Prince Maurice de Nassau, and introduced sugar cane, which still covers the island like a deep-pile emerald carpet. At the time the dodo had lost its power of flight since it had no natural predators, but the arrival of monkeys and dogs with the Dutch led to its annihilation.

The Dutch were followed by the French and then the British, and though the country has been independent since 1968, the changes of colonial powers have left a confusion about language that may still baffle visitors. Though English is the official language of the country, most of the population seem more comfortable talking in French or Creole, a kind of pidgin French. Many of the population speak all these three fluently, as well as the tongue of their forefathers, such as Hindi or Cantonese. Indians who were brought to work the sugar fields after the abolition of slavery constitute over half the current population, the rest being formed of Creole, Franco-Mauritians and Chinese. The different groups live in a harmony that would be the envy of many nations.

For most visitors, however, it is the island's beaches and water sports that hold more interest than its history, and for such a small island, the range of choices is vast. The island is almost entirely ringed by a coral reef, creating safe lagoons that are ideal for observing fish and corals, though some are too shallow to enjoy swimming. Some of the best bays are situated along the north and east coasts, where many of the main hotels are also wisely located. Grand Baie, Trou Aux Biches (north) and Ile Aux Cerfs (east) all look out over limpid waters of a turquoise tint, with expensive yachts and glass-bottom boats adding a splash of white to the scene.

While many holidaymakers are content to let the day trickle by as they toast themselves on the powder-soft beaches, others seek more action, and are well-catered to on Mauritius. Pedalos, kayaks, sailboats and catamarans offer peaceful alternatives; jetskis and speedboats towing waterskiers or paragliders offer thrills and spills; snorkelling and diving open the door to a colourful world of brilliant-coloured fish and corals. The island even has novel attractions like 'Big Banana' rides, which involves clinging on to an inflated plastic cylinder behind a speedboat, and an 'Undersea Walk' - a simple helmet and airline which enables everyone, even those for whom scuba diving is too much trouble, to discover the magical world below the waves.

With such a variety of beach and water activities, it's not surprising that some visitors never get to see the interior of the island. Yet this is a shame, since it is the distinctive landscapes and laid-back villages that give the island its special feel. Though its highest point is only 827 metres (Piton de la Petite Riviere Noire in the southwest), chains of rugged mountains are visible all round the island, some with dramatic features, such as Pieter Both mountain, the country's second-highest at 823 metres, near Port Louis, which has a huge boulder balancing precariously on its peak.

Volcanic earth is extremely fertile, and apart from the mountain peaks and a few protected forest areas, the rest of the island is intensely cultivated, with sugar cane occupying over 90% of the available planting space, and tea, pineapples, tomatoes and corn filling in a few corners. Huge piles of black boulders sit in the middle, or round the edge of sugar fields, some looking like Mayan temples, and all testifying to the backbreaking work of clearing the fields for planting. When in flower (June/July), the sugar cane plant displays a delicate beauty, especially at dawn and dusk when the sun shimmers through its silvery tufts.

Away from the plantations, many of the region's species of flora are on view in the Pamplemousses Botanical Gardens, which tempt visitors to stray into shady arbours and settle by tranquil ponds instead of rushing through in an hour. The centrepiece is a pond of Victoria amazonica lilies, whose huge pads (about a metre wide) with upturned edges provide a great waterbed for pigeons and other birds to rest on. There are also avenues of stately palms and the scents of cinnamon, eucalyptus and sandalwood waft across the paths. Just opposite the entrance to the gardens is the Church of St Francois d'Assises, the oldest church on the island, with some artfully-hewn stained glass panels that spread rich colours over the lines of pews.

The southwest corner of the island is the best place to explore the island's protected forests. First stop is often Chamarel, with one of the island's prettiest waterfalls, which slips over a ledge and falls 100 metres into a narrow gorge. Nearby is an unusual area of multicoloured earth; in the midst of dense growth, a small barren area of dusty slopes is tinged red and purple, ochre and orange, saffron and pink. Further uphill, well-appointed restaurants with sweeping views down over the coast make a welcome break before driving on up to a viewpoint over the Gorges de la Riviere Noire and Maccabe Forest. Hawks and elegant tropic birds float on currents above the dense woodland, while wild pigs and monkeys keep out of sight beneath the forest canopy....

Mauritius has over a million inhabitants, and with recent expansion of industries such as textiles, which has brought full employment to its citizens, the pressures on the environment are great. Yet the Mauritian Wildlife Appeal Fund has been working for over a decade to save endangered species such as the Mauritian kestrel and pink pigeon. On the Ile Aux Aigrettes (Egret Island) off the southeast coast near Mahebourg, a group of volunteers is battling to clear alien plants and restore the environment to its former state. Things do not always work out ideally; when the volunteers recently released groups of pigeons and kestrels on the island, the kestrels either took off to the mainland or made a bee line for the pigeon's eggs. For the moment the kestrels have been banished, leaving the remarkably tame pigeons in peace.

The aspect of Creole culture most likely to be witnessed by visitors is sega dancing, which is featured in most big hotels every week. The dancers dress up in bright tops and wide skirts, then let the music, similar to calypso with its strong African beat, take over their actions. The dance is believed to have its origin among sugar planters who partied on the beach after work. Since fancy footwork was impossible on the soft sand, they made up for this with swaying hip movements, which are still a main feature of the dance today. Visitors are often invited to try the dance themselves at the end of a show, and great fun can be had watching the somewhat rigid bodies of Europeans and Asians trying to seem as flexible as the locals, who politely stifle their giggles.

When it comes to looking for a souvenir of Mauritius to take home, models of ships which took part in the sea battles in the colonial era are extremely popular. These models require infinite patience and may take up to 400 hours to make. They are also very fragile and must be carefully packaged and preferably carried as hand luggage if taking them home. Other colourful and distinctive mementoes are shells, coral jewelery, Indian fabrics and stamps.Yet though these souvenirs are bright, cheap and will please the folks back home, it is more likely to be the memories of restful beaches, moody mountains and the broad smiles of Mauritians that remain in the mind long after leaving this tranquil jewel in the Indian Ocean.

If you are interested in publishing this article please contact info@cpamedia.com (or use this page) for pricing and additional images. Should you wish simply to quote from the article or to use it for strictly non-commercial purposes please be sure to acknowledge CPAmedia copyright together with a link to our website at www.cpamedia.com.