Mauritius offers more to do than many tropical islands, with trekking, mountain climbing and ecotourism playgrounds. And with its signature sunny days, the world`s third largest coral reef surrounding a turquoise lagoon and silky, blonde, sandy beaches, this island certainly comes close to paradise. Off major shipping routes, Mauritius remained uninhabited until the 16th century, allowing it to develop into one of the world`s biodiversity hotspots. It was favoured by pirates and occupied briefly by the Dutch before the French brought African slaves to work the sugar plantations. Captured by the British in 1810, Mauritius achieved independence in 1968. Its diversification into textiles, tourism and, of late, financial services, telecommunications and cyber services has been an Indian Ocean economic success story. So too has its stable multicultural society.