Mauritius - Coloured Earth

Coloured Earth of Chamarel is the name given to a strange natural phenomenon where the earth separates naturally into 7 different colours. The different colours, including red, yellow, orange, deep purple and blue, are seen most markedly in the glow of the early-morning sun.

The rock seems folded out in thick ripples over a large area at the site, which is cordoned off by the Mauritian tourist authorities. Fascinatingly, the different colours of earth never merge - even when it rains. When the 7 different colours of earth are thoroughly mixed in a test-tube, after a few days they separate into 7 distinct colours again.

The colour bands are believed to result from the uneven rates at which the once-molten rock cooled, but no explanation is forthcoming regarding their consistent separation.

You can buy various trinkets with test-tube creations of the earth at the entrance to the site, or in Port Louis and Curepipe. There's a children's play area and restaurant at the Coloured Sands, and be sure to see the magnificent waterfall close to the sands that falls nearly 90m to the pool below.

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