Places to visit in Mauritius

Guide

There are a number of places to visit during your stay on the island. Apart from the many beach resorts with their sandy white beaches and blue lagoon, there are other <greener> sites that you might find interesting. The Black River Gorges, Macabee Forest and Yemen are regions, which you might discover on foot or by car. Trou aux Cerfs (an extinct volcanic crater), Chamarel (with its 7 coloured earth), Ile aux Aigrettes (an island of the South East Coast which is a natural reserve) are among the many sites you can experience during your stay in Mauritius.

There are also a number of museums, fortifications, churches, galleries, colonial houses that are opened to the public. These places are a heritage of our rich colonial culture and history. Moreover religious festivals, especially Indian festivals are very colourful. This is a good way to experience Eastern culture without stepping out of Mauritius.

Main towns & villages.

Port Louis

Port-Louis, the administrative and financial capital of Mauritius is situated in the North West of the Island. It is the only commercial port of the island. Founded by Mahé de Labourdonais, it was preferred to Grand Port (South East), because of its geographic location. Protected by a range of mountains on one side and bordered by a calm bay on the other, it was the ideal spot to build a city that could be easily defended if attacked. Mahébourg in the south and Port-Louis are the only historic and colonial towns. Fortifications like Fort Adelaide or La Citadelle as it is commonly known is a great view point to see the whole of Port-Louis. Built by the British in 1835, it is now a venue for shows and concerts. The Central Market is a must-stop for tourist. Our closest comparison to a souk, the central market is a place where you can buy handy crafts as well as eat a dholl puri and have a drink. But you can also buy clothes, fruits and vegetables, spices and even medical plants used by locals to cure every possible ailment.

Champ de Mars is another place to visit especially during the racing season (May to December). It is the oldest race course (1812) in the Indian Ocean and the second oldest in the southern Hemisphere. It is at the centre of all life during weekends when races are held and a thrilling experience to live.

Other witnesses of the colonial past of Port-Louis are its old colonial buildings, its paved roads, the National History Museum, the Government House and the Port-Louis Theatre constructed in 1822. Port-Louis should also be visited for its cathedrals, temples, pagodas and mosques a reflection of the diversity of the island and of Port Louis. More recently built, The Caudan and Port Louis Waterfront shelter a number of restaurants, cafés, bars, cinemas, duty-free shop, craft shops, and a casino. There is also Chinatown, a small village within the city, with its numerous restaurants, shops and other small businesses which immediately transports you to the Far East. Many streets in Port Louis also specialise in the sale of only one type of product. The shops of La Corderie and Desforges Street , for example, sell almost exclusively cloth and fabrics.

But the best way to know Port-Louis is still to walk around the city and see for yourself.

The Inland Towns of Mauritius

Guide, Inland

Curepipe, Quatre-Bornes, Vacoas/Phoenix, Beau Bassin/Rose-Hill.

Most of the big towns apart from Port-Louis are found in the centre of the island. These towns are mostly residential ones but offer the same facilities as elsewhere.

Bassin/Rose-Hill

Most of the big towns apart from Port-Louis are found in the centre of the island. These towns are mostly residential ones but offer the same facilities as elsewhere.

Named the most European of all towns, because of its wet and cold climate, Curepipe has some good shopping addresses. The most interesting feature of Curepipe however, is its extinct volcano, Trou aux Cerfs. This crater, which is 85 metres deep and 200 metres wide, offers a unique panoramic view of the central plateau at its summit. Other interesting aspects of Curepipe are its Botanical Garden and its many distinctively colonial houses. One such example of colonial architecture is the Municipal Hall at the centre of the town.

Rose Hill and Beau-Bassin

Rose-hill is after Port Louis the most commercial of all the towns. It has a number of shopping arcades and shops and its market is quite interesting. An interesting feature of Rose Hill is its theatre, Le Plaza, which has become the most important landmark of the cultural life of the island. Plays, concerts, operas are regularly held within its walls. Next to it is the Max Boullé art gallery where Mauritian artists regularly hold exhibitions.

Beau Bassin is mostly residential and has an unfortunately not very-well-known public garden – Balfour Garden -which offers an extraordinary viewpoint.

Quatre Bornes

Quatre Bornes is a calm and pleasant city (offering everything). It has somehow a number of shops and shopping centres and some hotels. The best known being the Orchard Centre, which has a supermarket, restaurants and many shops offering a whole variety of product. Another very popular shopping attraction in Quatre Bornes is its market, which it is held on every Thursdays and Sundays. It specialises in textile product that are sold at very attractive prices.