town (township) on the island of Mauritius, in the western Indian Ocean. It lies in the western highlands region of the country, about 10 miles (16 km) south of Port Louis, the national capital. Vacoas and Phoenix were separate villages until 1963, when they became a single administrative unit; later (1968) the town became independently administered. Major industries include beer brewing, vegetable canning, and the manufacture of cosmetics and garments. The town has well-surfaced roads, and a major highway links it with Port Louis. Sugarcane and vegetables grown in the surrounding region are marketed in the town. Pop. (1983 prelim.) 56,011.