This is the Mauritius chapter from Lonely Planet’s Mauritius, Reunion & Seychelles guidebook.

Mauritius is rightly famed for its sapphire waters, powder-white beaches and luxury resorts. But there’s so much more attraction to Mauritius than the beach, and it’s the kind of place that rewards even the smallest attempts at exploration.

• hike through forested gorges and past waterfalls in Black River Gorges National Park
• maps
• pause for lunch and rum in the foodie mountain village of Chamarel
• transport
• discover how Mauritius once looked in Île aux Aigrettes
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Port Louis, Central Plateau, Moka, Curepipe, Balaclava to Pointe aux Piments, Trou Aux Biches & Mont Choisy, Grand Baie, Pereybère, Cap Malheureux, Grand Gaube, Pamplemousses, The West, Flic en Flac, Tamarin & Black River, Chamarel, Black River Gorges National Park, La Gaulette, Le Morne Peninsula, The Southeast, Mahébourg, Pointe d’Esny & Blue Bay, Vieux Grand Port, South Coast, Souillac, Bel Ombre, South Coast, The East, Trou d’Eau Douce, Belle Mare & Palmar, Poste de Flacq & Roches Noires, Understand Mauritius, Mauritius Today, History, Culture, People of Mauritius, Religion, Arts, Architecture, Food & Drink, Environment, Survival Guide.

This chapter contains the Welcome to Mauritius, Réunion & Seychelles, Mauritius, Réunion & Seychelles’ Top 17, Need to Know, Accommodation, If You Like..., Month by Month, Itineraries, Diving, Hiking in Réunion, and Islands at a Glance chapters from Lonely Planet’s Mauritius, Reunion & Seychelles guidebook.

Your journey to Mauritius, Reunion & Seychelles starts here. You’ll find the tools to plan your adventure: where to go and when, how much to budget, plus in-depth info on diving.

• tailor-made itineraries, arranged by region, themes and events
• list of highlights and best experiences
• everything you need to know about hiking in Réunion
• user-friendly country overview ensures you won’t miss a thing

Coverage includes: Welcome to Mauritius, Réunion & Seychelles, Mauritius, Réunion & Seychelles’ Top 17, Need to Know, Accommodation, If You Like: Beaches, Hiking, Wildlife, Spectacular Landscapes, Romantic Getaways, Month by Month, Itineraries, Diving, Hiking in Réunion, and Islands at a Glance.

This is the Réunion chapter from Lonely Planet’s Mauritius, Reunion & Seychelles guidebook.

Réunion is a scenically magical island that enjoys an astonishing diversity of landscapes. Expect awesome mountains, emerald forests, tumbling waterfalls, soul-stirring panoramas, energetic coastal cities and a sprinkling of beaches – not to mention the formidable Piton de la Four-naise.

• climb up to the crater rim of Piton de la Fournaise and stare down into the abyss
• maps
• hike one of the Indian Ocean’s greatest multi-day trails, the Cirque de Mafate
• transport
• canyon within the island’s most grandiose scenery on the Cirque de Cilaos
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: St-Denis, The West, St-Paul, Dos d’Ane, Les Hauts de St-Paul, Le Maïdo, Boucan Canot, St-Gilles-les-Bains, L’Hermitage-les-Bains, La Sa-line-les-Bains, St-Leu, Les Hauts de St-Leu, Étang-Salé-les-Bains, Entre-Deux, Les Makes, The Cirques, Cirque de Cilaos, Cirque de Salazie, Cirque de Mafate, Les Hautes Plaines & the Volcano, Plaine-des-Cafres, Grand Bassin, Piton de la Fournaise (The Volcano), Plaine-des-Palmistes, The Wild South, St-Pierre & Around, St-Joseph & Around, Les Hauts de St-Joseph, Grand Coude & Around, St-Philippe & Around, Le Grand Brûlé, The East, Ste-Suzanne, St-André, Bras-Panon, St-Benoît, Ste-Anne, Ste-Rose, Understand Réunion, Réunion Today, History, Culture, Arts, Architecture, Food & Drink, Environment, Survival Guide.

This is the Rodrigues chapter from Lonely Planet’s Mauritius, Reunion & Seychelles guidebook.

Blissfully isolated more than 600km northeast of the mainland, this tiny volcanic outcrop surrounded by a massive turquoise lagoon is a stunning mountainous gem that barely feels connected to its big sister, Mauritius, let alone the wider world.

• take a boat ride out to the seabird colonies of the Île aux Cocos – a small, uninhabited slice of paradise
• maps
• cavort with hundreds of curious giant tortoises in a lovely François Leguat Reserve
• transport
• get up early in Port Mathurin and immerse yourself in the island’s busy Saturday Market
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Port Mathurin, Around Rodrigues, Understand Rodrigues, Survival Guide.

This is the Seychelles chapter from Lonely Planet’s Mauritius, Reunion & Seychelles guidebook.

Mother Nature was unbelievably generous with the Seychelles, a fabled paradise whose is-lands lie scattered across the Indian Ocean. Spellbinding beaches are the main attraction – ex-quisite ribbons of sand lapped by turquoise waters and backed by lush hills, palm trees and Da-li-esque boulders.

• dive and snorkel among the dense varieties of marine life off Mahé island
• maps
• embrace nature on gorgeous, tropical Bird Island
• transport
• laze on one of the world’s most alluring beaches, Anse Lazio
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Mahé, Victoria, Eden Island, Ste Anne Marine National Park, Beau Vallon & the North Coast, Morne Seychellois National Park, East Coast, West Coast, Praslin, La Digue, Silhouette, North Island, Denis, Bird Island, Frégate, Félicité, Alphonse Island, Desroches, Understand Seychelles, Seychelles Today, History, Culture, Arts, Food & Drink, Environment, Survival Guide.