The ABCs of Mauritius

By Jack Poorman
For CNN

WHERE: Located in the Indian Ocean, Mauritius is bordered by Africa to the west, India to the north and Australia to the east. When searching for it online, say for a weather map, it is frequently listed under both Africa and Asia.

WEATHER: There are only two seasons on the island: winter (June to October) and summer (November to May). ACCESS: Most flights from America route through Paris (some fly through Johannesburg, South Africa). Air France and partner Air Mauritius make frequent flights there. Most other U.S. carriers code share with these two airlines. Once you get to Paris, it's an 11 hour and 50 minute flight.

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Mauritius: An exotic slice of paradise

HISTORY: Mauritius was first mapped by the Arabs in the tenth century and was colonized and ruled in succession by the Portuguese and Dutch, French and British, declaring its independence in 1968. It became a republic in 1992.

FAVORITE DRINKS: Phoenix Beer (brewed locally) and Mojito (a Brazilian drink popular with the French who vacation here, as well as with the locals).

FAVORITE FOOD: All Creole cooking (with seafood of course).

FAVORITE NIGHTCLUBS: For the "local" experience, try the Banana Café and Zansibar in the heart of Grand Baie. The Banana Café is a casual local watering hole frequented by tourists and locals and a great place to meet singles and new friends. The lounge is open-air near the street, with toe-scrunching sand on the floor. Zansibar features a hip local and tourist clientele -- and plenty of disco, local sega music and techno. Both Zansibar and Banana café are best visited on Friday or Saturday nights.

For a different experience, try Club Med (Pte Aux Canon). One of the jewels of the Club Med chain, it offers the requisite organized dance contests and sing along shows. The underwater disco is small but top notch. The clientele is mostly French but like the rest of the island, English is easily spoken here. Admission is 450 Mauritian rupees ($15) and includes drink coupons (downside: it can take a long time to get a drink with the coupon counting system and you will probably have to buy additional booklets if you stay there longer than a few rounds).