It seems that just about everyone was in Mauritius at some point—Arabians in the 10th century, followed by the Malays and then the Portuguese, who named it Ilha do Cerne (“Island of the Swan”) but didn’t stick around. The Dutch colonized it, until that failed and the French moved in and named it Isle de France. After a war, the British had a turn until the country became independent in 1968. And while it doesn’t have an easy past (the colonists imported and enslaved much of the population, then enticed Indians essentially as indentured servants), the result of all that history today is a fascinatingly multicultural island. Everything seems to be a blend of European, African, Asian and Creole influences.

The island is also an exclusive one, says Ashwin Cahoolessur, an officer at the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority. There are no low-cost flights, and some 50 of the island’s 101 hotels have five stars. He continues that unlike other islands in the Indian Ocean, Mauritius isn’t focused on private island resorts—guests are actively encouraged to leave their hotels, explore the island, understand the culture and have adventures. “It’s not just beach, water and food,” he says. There are also plans to launch a digital nomad visa soon. Now everyone has new reasons to go.