A beautiful Island in Africa is home to numerous stunning beaches and is ranked as one of the continent’s safest countries, according to a report. Mauritius, officially known as the Republic of Mauritius, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean, located approximately 2,000 kilometres off the eastern coast of Africa.

The country comprises the main island, also known as Mauritius, as well as Rodrigues, Agaléga, St. Brandon (Cargados Carajos Shoals), and the Chagos Archipelago. Throughout its history, the country had been under Dutch, French and British control before becoming independent in the late 1960s, and a republic in the early 1990s.

Mauritius, which has a population of around 1.2million, has a rich religious and cultural diversity, with a unique culture that blends Indian, African and European influences.

It has also become a popular tourist destination, with 1,382,177 tourist arrivals recorded in 2024, according to the country’s Ministry of Tourism.

One of its major attractions is the number of sun-swept beaches and lagoons it boasts. The likes of Le Morne, Ile aux Cerfs, Flic en Flac, Blue Bay, and Belle Mare Plage are among the best, according to The Times.

In addition to the wealth of white sand beaches and azure waters for lovers of watersports to carve up, there’s also plenty of natural beauty to enjoy, such as the famous sand dunes of Chamarel. It’s known as the “seven-colored Earth” for its striking range of hues.

The Global Peace Index (GPI), a report published annually by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP) which ranks 163 “independent states and territories according to their level of peacefulness”, found Mauritius to remain at the top in the continent for 2025, as it has been in previous years.

With a score of 1.586, Mauritius also ranks 26th globally. The IEP says it uses “23 qualitative and quantitative indicators from highly respected sources, and measures the state of peace across three domains: the level of Societal Safety and Security; the extent of Ongoing Domestic and International Conflict; and the degree of Militarisation”.

According to Expatriate Group, an insurance provider that offers plans for expats living and working abroad, Mauritius has a low crime rate and violent crime there is “extremely rare”.

However, it notes that petty crime like pickpocketing can happen, and scams can be “quite prevalent” in popular tourist areas.

“Mauritius is generally safe for women, but common sense should be used, as in any location,” it adds on its website.

It flags natural disasters as one of the primary risks. The cyclone season takes place from November to May and can unleash destruction on property and bring danger to life. It therefore urges visitors to follow warnings and advice in the event of severe weather.

According to the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office’s latest travel advice for the country, most crime is “non-violent, such as burglaries from tourist villas or theft of unattended bags”.

“Petty crime is common, particularly in tourist areas such as Port Louis, Grand Baie and Flic en Flac. There have been some reports of sexual assaults on tourists.”

You can find the latest guidance in full here.