Mauritius
Mauritius bowls you over with its beaches of white sand and sapphire water, tropical forests and myriad flowers, the ghost of the extinct Dodo still alive in souvenirs, and a history that has resulted in the synthesis of many cultures. The Dutch, French, English and even pirates traversed this African island on the Indian Ocean. This is good news for gourmands who can get their fill of African, Chinese, French and Indian cuisine.If a vision of crystal clear water, white beaches and palms spring to mind when you hear about this island, you are right. There are many beautiful beaches and the islands, Ile Aux Cerfs and Rodrigues, are also quite close.But Mauritius is more than that. The duty-free shopping scene is splendid with t-shirts, Vanilla Tea and ship models being great find. The food is delightful. The cultures of all those who came by the island makes up the cuisine. There's Dhol Puri, Bacon and Eggs, Rougaille and Biryani. Sugarcane Rum is the drink of choice and some of the local brands of beers are pretty good.Dubai
The glamorous shining star of the middle-eastern desert, Dubai speaks of the good life. But recently, it's been in the news more for building glitzy towers - like the Burj, and islands - like the Palm Jumeirah and the World (under construction) than the things it was previously known for - oil and Dubai shopping festival, better known as the DSF.For being a nation that used to earn a major part of its revenue selling crude oil to becoming a nation that made use of its capabilities and resources to bring the world together to its doors with full wallets and topped up credit cards only to make it spend in a hurry, Dubai has come a long way.Dream of something and we'll make it come true' is the attitude that the leader of this glamorous metropolis, Sheikh Muhammad lives by but beneath the garb of all the glitter & glam, there's a Dubai which takes pride in its traditional values while respecting traditions which foreign visitor bring along. They sing, dance, fast in the month of Ramadan and urge everyone to maintain the sanctity of the Emirate. The nation lives as a closely knit group and urges visitors to do the same. Welcome to Dubai!Snorkelling, scuba diving around the coral reef, quad biking, trekking volcanoes, zip lining, sky diving are but a few sports on offer. Walk underwater and walk with the lions, both unique experiences to be had in Mauritius.Temples, churches and mosques engage you with their architecture and history, while a sega performance will have you grooving to its measured rhythms. Clap along with the musicians as the local women sway to it in fabulous flowing skirts.25-0431-05