The town of Grand Gaube can be found in northern Mauritius in the Rivière du Rempart District, a sleepy fishing village that oozes both charm and history. The rugged coast offers small bays and rock headlands, and the whole area exudes a very colonial atmosphere, alive with traditional Mauritian folklore. Visit some of the many beautiful islands that lie off the Mauritius’ north coast, like the Ile Ambre, which can be reached by a guided kayak trip, where you can paddle through the mangroves in the island’s calm lagoon, before enjoying a picnic lunch on the beach. Why not venture a little inland to the Chateau de Labourdonnais, where history meets gourmet cuisine in an elegant 18th-centurey plantation mansion. Here you can sample colonial life on the island and dine in one of the best restaurants for Franco-Mauritian food. Try inspired dishes such as pan-fried dorado on steamed local vegetables, Crème Brulé made with Tahitian vanilla grown on the estate and the Chateau’s very own rum, infused by fruits from their orchards.