Some 700 miles east of Madagascar, situated on a submarine plateau in the Indian Ocean, sits the island nation of Mauritius, which was formed by volcanic activity some 8 million years ago. The island is the second largest of the Mascarene Islands and is home to some of the world’s rarest plants and animals, as well as approximately 1.2 million people.
A stroll along the southwestern coast will reveal a startling, dramatic site amidst its tropical, turquoise coastal waters. Just offshore, within swimming distance, shallow coral reefs appear to give way to what appears to be an enormous underwater waterfall plunging into the dark blue depths of the ocean.
While the coastal shelf does indeed drop off to a depth of 4,000 meters, this underwater waterfall is an optical illusion caused by erosion. As ocean currents move sand and other sedimentary particles over the edge of the shelf, it creates a streaming effect that looks like water rushing over a cliff’s edge. Underwater waterfalls do, incredibly, exist in other parts of the world, such as the Denmark Strait Cataract, but this is not one of them.
Despite being an optical illusion, the faux waterfall is still stunning. From land, the best vantage point can be found at the top of Le Morne Brabant, a 500-meter peak. The most astounding view is aerial, however, and helicopter sightseeing tours are easy to book.
