places of interest in mauritius

During your holiday on the beautiful tropical island of Mauritius we would like to suggest several places of interest to visit…

Of course, you may prefer to simply relax on the beach in the sunshine but if you want to spend some time exploring the island, here are some ideas of where to go and what to do:

Port Louis:

Located on the north west coast, Port Louis is the capital and main port of Mauritius, founded by the French Governor, Mahé de Labourdonnais in 1735.  The town has plenty of character and proudly parades signs of its historical elegance.  There are plenty of choices when it comes to shopping, with the fashionable air conditioned mall or the informal markets.

Musée de la Photographie:

The photographic heritage of Mauritius is on display in this museum, itself housed in an old historic building in Port Louis.

Blue Penny Museum:

A visit to the Blue Penny Museum in Port Louis enables you to retrace the history of Mauritius and to view two of the world’s most precious stamps which are housed here.

Domaine les Pailles:

A few moments from Port Louis lies the Domaine Les Pailles, a nature park spreading over 3,000 acres at the foot of the Moka mountain range.  You can tour the park in a Land Rover, in a horse-drawn carriage or by train, to explore the mountains and watch the Mauritian wildlife.

Mahébourg:

One of the main fishing centres, Mahébourg lies in the bay of Grand Port, near the Shandrani Hotel (on the south east coast).  For a look into the past, visit the age old biscuit factory where traditional family methods are still used.

Pamplemousses Botanical Gardens:

The gardens (about 10km north east of Port Louis, pictured above) are known to naturalists throughout the world for their large collection of indigenous and exotic plants, including the giant Victoria amazonica water lilies and the Talipot palm, said to flower once every 60 years and then die.

Eureka:

This is a unique Creole house built in 1830 in a magnificent garden.  It is surrounded by waterfalls of Moka River, and the Moka Range.  Eureka is about 7km south of Port Louis.

Martello Towers:

The Martello Towers (on the north west coast, just south of Port Louis) are mute reminders of colonial superpower rivalry and symbols of human ingenuity and resilience.  The Martello Towers witnessed a major turning point in Mauritian history, namely the end of slavery and the beginning of Indian immigration.  The five Martello Towers of Mauritius are among the last but the finest of the 220 Martello Towers built around the world and are based on the single prototype located in Northern Corsica.

Chamarel – Coloured Earth:

A twisting metalled road leads from Case Noyale village to the coloured earths at Chamarel in the far south west corner of Mauritius.  This is a mound of undulating land stretching in contrasting layers of colour with patches of blue, green, red and yellow earth which are believed to be the result of weathering. The nearby Chamarel waterfall emerges from the moors and primeval vegetation.

Casela Bird Park:

This park, set in the district of Black River (central west coast), stretches over 20 acres and carries more than 140 varieties of birds from five continents.  The main attraction is the Mauritian Pink Pigeon, one of the rarest birds in the world.

Curepipe:  

This is the islands main urban centre, a pleasant town with good shops and restaurants.  Between Curepipe and Floreal is the spectacular Trou Aux Cerfs (pretty much bang in the middle of the island), an extinct crater 85m deep and more than 200m wide from where one enjoys an extensive view of the island.

Grand Bassin:

Further up La Marie and Mare aux Vacoas (about 8km from the south coast) is one of the island’s two natural lakes.  Grand Bassin rests in the crater of an extinct volcano and is a place of pilgrimage for a large number of Mauritians of Hindu faith, especially on the occasion of Maha Shivaratree.

Le Saint Aubin:

2km inland from the central south coast, discover traditional and typical Mauritius by visiting the tea factory and the museum at Bois Chéri.  You may also visit the vanilla plantations and the anthurium greenhouses.  Finally, enjoy the Mauritian easy-way of life in a Colonial House – Le Saint Aubin – built in 1819.

Le Domaine du Chasseur:

Hidden in the hills at Anse Jonchée near Mahébourg on the South Eastern side of the island is a magnificent park covering nearly 2,000 acres.  On forest clad slopes at an altitude of 300 to 500 meters live stags and deer, monkeys and wild boar in a luxurious vegetation of ebony, eucalyptus, revenala, palm trees and wild orchids.  Rare species of birds such as the kestrel can be seen in the woods.

Black River Gorges National Park:  

This 6,574 hectare park, proclaimed in 1994, protects much of the remaining native forests of Mauritius and provides opportunities for the visitor to enjoy spectacular natural scenery and some of the unique endemic plants and birdlife. The National Park is easily reached from Vacoas or Curepipe, and is about 10km in land from the island’s south west corner.

Vanille Crocodile & Tortoise Park: 

 Near Riviére des Anguilles (about 5km in land from the centre of the south coast) discover a haven of luscious tropical flora with a variety of endemic and exotic plants. In these lush green surroundings where banana and palm trees as well as giant bambous grow, more than a thousand Nile crocodiles are bred.  On a guided tour, you can meet these animals in their breeding ponds. The park is also a home to bats, giant tortoises and other reptiles.  An insectarium presents more than 20,000 species of insect from different regions around the world.

Le Val Nature Park:

This park is situated in the South East of the island at Cluny in the Grand Port District.  Le Val derives its name from the valley that lies between its luxuriant mountains.  It offers attractions like spring water and natural aquatic life like shrimps, eels and carps, anthurium and andreanum green houses, prawn ponds, watercress ponds, deer park, monkeys and birds.

Floréal Square:

Only a few minutes from Curepipe, Floreal Square is a beautiful destination which includes a Textile Museum, a shopping centre and a café.  Duty free boutiques and factory shops welcome you inside for a complete range of products.

Le Domaine de l’Ylang Ylang:

The main resource here is the plantation of Ylang-Ylang from whose fragrant yellow flowers, perfume is distilled.  The domain commands a panoramic view over the bay of Vieux Grand Port and the neighbouring islets on the central east coast.  Hiking possibilities exist for nature-lovers.

Ile aux Cerfs:

Off the east coast, 20 minutes by boat from Pointe Maurice, is the island resort of Ile Aux Cerfs.  Tickets for boat transfers are available on the spot.  The island has two restaurants, a boat-house and stretches of beautiful beach.

Souillac:

Souillac is a small seaside resort lying alongside the rugged coast in the Savanne district, in the centre of the south coast.  The appeal of Souillac lies in its scenery, as it is not a bathing spot.  In striking contrast to the soft curves of the northern coastline, the high cliffs here drop abruptly into the sea.

Valriche:  

Valriche is situated in Bel Ombre, a sugar property in the South-West spread over approximately 3,000 hectares of wide plains, indigenous forest, waterfalls and rivers, and home to many endemic and protected species.  This natural sanctuary can be explored on quad bike or by 4 x 4, by foot or on a mountain bike following forest paths.

If you’re still wondering where to stay for your holiday in Mauritius, please see all our recommended places to stay

Please don’t hesitate to call one of our travel specialists on 020 8968 0501 if you would like to discuss anything or, if you prefer, simply send us an email