Chamarel

The multi-hued soil at Chamarel was initially the biggest tourist draw to the island of Mauritius. promoted as a major tourist attraction back in the 1960s, the shades of the earth here move from red and brown to violet, green, blue, purple and yellow, and are unaffected by even the most adverse climatic conditions. Although the phenomenon leading to this strange development has never fully been understood, it is believed that the soil comprises of mineral-rich volcano ash, and has the innate ability to settle into layers. An interesting way to observe this, is to take a handful of different coloured soils and mix them together in a jar. They will eventually separate and settle into seven different layers, each with a distinct colour. Buy yourself a souvenir on your way out—the beachfront is lined with vendors selling test-tubes containing the colourful soil. Visitors need to pay a small entrance fee.