The island of Mauritius is a somewhat a well-known destination in Europe, but it’s not frequented by too many Americans or Canadians. It is located 2,000 miles off the southeast coast of Africa, so it can be quite a trek for those traveling from the United States or Canada. (It took us about thirty to thirty-five hours to travel from San Diego to Mauritius). That’s not to say this destination is not worth the long hours in the air. Mauritius is an entire nation of immigrants, many of which are from India. The official language of the island is English, however, more people speak French and Mauritian Creole. The fact that almost all of the locals speak English makes this an ideal destination for English-speaking travellers. Creole is the informal language and is spoken in homes and between friends. This language was created by the slaves in the 18th century because they needed a language to communicate with other slaves and with their French masters.

A good portion of the island is surrounded by an outer reef, which creates calm and piercingly-blue lagoons for swimming and water sports. This also creates a safety net for water sport enthusiasts who have a fear of sharks.