INDIAN OCEAN

Among the islands of the Indian Ocean, the beauty of life underwater matches the delights above the waterline. In the Maldives’ shallows you will see clownfish and manta rays, while on the land, you can rest on paper-white sands in the shade of coconut and lantern trees. The Seychelles, meanwhile, welcomes ambitious big-game fishers and questing ornithologists, as well as more casual wildlife lovers, keen to take in turtles and sooty terns as well as the balmy beach bars. Mauritius is a kitesurfing and diving hotspot where the dragonfish and dolphins are matched by unexpected urban attractions, such as the skilled goldsmiths in Port Louis, the island’s capital.