The South

From the green southwest, where the tendrils of the Black River Gorges National Park run down to Bel Ombre, Mauritius' most developed resort, to the old capital of Mahébourg in the southeast, the south comprises some of the country's most stunning natural and cultural settings. Between the two lies the island's wild and intriguing south coast, where roadside vendors sell pineapples and coconuts close to unmanicured beaches and surf-sculpted basalt cliffs, while outlying islands once frequented by pirates may be seen through the sugar cane. The south has largely escaped the hands of expanding developers due to the break in the reef and lack of swimming beaches; it is the most rural area of the island.The lack of swimming beaches and the break in the reef here have largely protected the south from encroaching developers; it's the most rustic part of the island, with a smattering of hotels and restaurants and Creole fishing villages where the daily catch is still hauled in from wooden pirogues, séga music blasts from wooden houses decorated with lambrequins, and kids jump from jetties into the sea. Snorkeling expeditions in Blue Bay Marine Park, turtle sightings on Île aux Aigrettes, and ecotourism activities in Frederica Nature Reserve are among the natural attractions.