Surrounded by 150 km of lagoons and coral formations, Mauritius has long been the holiday "Mecca" of the western Indian Ocean. Its golden beaches are perfect for relaxing sea, sun and sand holidays and in the verdant interior, scenery features endless sugar cane fields punctuated by quaint towns and villages. Naturalists must visit the forested Black River Gorges National Park to see some of the world's rarest birds. The island's hotels are top notch and offer any conceivable watersports activities. Hospitality, cuisine and entertainment are all first class.