Mauritius

Small in landmass, but mighty in history, Mauritius has been home to everyone from Dutch seafarers to Chinese merchants, and Arab spice traders to British colonialists. As a result, the country is a fascinating cultural catch-all, where you'll find French haute cuisine next to Indian curries, and where Diwali, Eid and Christmas are celebrated with equal gusto. It's a beauty too; the island drips with the sort of greenery you’d expect of somewhere lying just north of the Tropic of Capricorn, and its white-sand beaches and azure waters, which swell over the coral reefs that completely encircle the island, have long attracted the newly wedded and heavy-walleted.