Mauritius is a mixture of old and new cultures, white sandy beaches and tropical forests. Average daily temperature is 27 degrees Celsius and rarely below 20 at night time, although November to April is the hottest time of year. The island’s history stems back to the sixteenth century when the Portuguese visited as the first Europeans. It was the Dutch however who settled on the island and named it after Prince Maurice of Nassau. Years later the French occupied the island and this was when the harbour ‘Port Louis’ was built. In the north, Grand Bay is sure to provide a good night out after some shopping.