The sea is never too far away in Mauritius. The moment you step out of the airport, you smell the sea. And as you turn onto the M2, which is Mauritius? only motorway that runs from the airport in the south to the capital, Port Louis, in the north, the rear view mirror captured the sea in its intense blue colour.

Everyone seemed to be in relaxed mode in Mauritius, and you drive in the slow lane, taking your time to soak in the languid air. The next morning, you would be in the sea- rather, below the surface- making eye contact with schools of colourful fish. The diving spots are just 10 to 15 minutes by boat from the beach, and it takes you less than two hours to get back to the shore after the underwater action.

On your third day in Mauritius, head south from Flic en Flac and drive through the Black River Gorges National Park. Next up is Chamarel, a village famous for its coloured earths. Experts attribute this wonder to the unequal cooling of volcanic rock.

Next head to the Grand Bassin. Also known as the Ganga Talao, this is a pilgrimage for the island's large Hindu population. A myth says that a few drops of the Ganga, which fell from Lord Shiva's dreadlocks, led to the the creation of this gigantic lake. This explains why a giant statue of the Hindu god dominates the entrance to the Talao.

Make your way back to Flick en Flac via the road that runs along the south coast. This is one road that every visitor must do- especially the stretch from Souillac to Baie du Cap. At places the road comes to close to the sea that you could park your car, take three steps and be on the beach. Take another five steps and you will be standing knee deep in the India Ocean. You just cannot escape this when you come here.

Though Mauritius? claim to fame are its beaches, I would recommend that you hire a car and spend a day at the wheel, exploring towns and places. Take the opportunity to check out a few hotels.

If you're there with someone special, you could check into the Taj Exotica Resort and Spa.

For a lovely time under the water with a friendly bunch of divers, visit www.pierre-szalay.com

Did you find this article useful? For more useful tips, hints, guide and points to ponder pertaining to traveling, do please browse at our websites.