Find places in Mauritius

Must-Haves

• Port Louis Central Market (City centre)
  The covered bazaar for tropical fruit, spices, herbal teas, crafts and the best dholl puri queues in town.

Fun for Everyone

• Caudan Craft Market (Caudan Waterfront)
  Local crafts, model ships, textiles and souvenirs under one roof.
• Bagatelle Mall (Moka)
  The island's big modern mall, handy for supplies, cinema and rainy days.

Must-Haves

• Le Caudan Waterfront (Waterfront)
  Shops, cafés, a cinema and harbour views make this the easy, relaxed side of the capital.

Fun for Everyone

• Fort Adelaide (La Citadelle) (Petite Montagne)
  A 19th century British fort with the best panoramic view over the city and harbour.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Chinatown (Royal Road)
  Old shopfronts, temples and dumpling stalls in one of the city's most characterful quarters.

Off the Beaten Path

• Marie Reine de la Paix (Monseigneur Leen Avenue)
  A hillside shrine with gardens and a sweeping view over Port Louis, beloved at sunset.
• Eureka House (Moka)
  A creole manor house with old furniture, gardens and a waterfall walk in the hills.

Must-Haves

• Aapravasi Ghat (Trou Fanfaron)
  The UNESCO-listed immigration depot where indentured labourers from India first landed, told with real care.
• Blue Penny Museum (Caudan Waterfront)
  Home of the rare Mauritius Post Office stamps and a well-told history of the island.
• Jummah Mosque (Royal Road)
  A graceful 19th century mosque with carved teak doors at the edge of Chinatown.

Fun for Everyone

• Natural History Museum (Mauritius Institute) (Company Garden)
  The place to meet the dodo, with a famous reconstructed skeleton and island wildlife.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Saint Louis Cathedral (Place Saint Louis)
  The city's main cathedral on a quiet square near the old administrative quarter.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Jardin de la Compagnie (City centre)
  A shady old garden of banyan trees and statues, perfect for a break between sights.

Off the Beaten Path

• Le Pouce Mountain hike (Moka Range)
  A short, steep climb to the thumb-shaped peak with views across the island.

Must-Haves

• Champ de Mars Racecourse (Champ de Mars)
  One of the oldest racecourses in the southern hemisphere, with Saturday race days in season.
• Père Laval pilgrimage (Sainte Croix)
  Thousands walk overnight to the shrine of Father Laval each September, of all faiths.

Fun for Everyone

• Chinese Spring Festival in Chinatown (Chinatown)
  Lion dances, firecrackers and food fill Chinatown for the lunar new year.

Great for Date Night

• Lambic (Saint Georges Street)
  A beer and food bar in an old colonial house, popular for after-work drinks.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Port Louis street food stalls (Royal Road and Central Market)
  Dholl puri, gateaux piments and farata from stalls are the classic, budget local lunch.

Great for Date Night

• Labourdonnais Waterfront Hotel (Caudan Waterfront)
  A smart harbourside hotel within walking distance of the markets and museums.

Must-Haves

• Le Suffren Hotel and Marina (Caudan Waterfront)
  A contemporary marina hotel with a ferry shuttle across to the waterfront.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Quatre Bornes Market (Quatre Bornes)
  A huge, colourful market for fabrics, clothes and produce on market days.

Must-Haves

• Pereybère Beach (Pereybère)
  A small, sheltered public beach with clear water and snorkelling close to shore.
• Trou aux Biches Beach (Trou aux Biches)
  Calm, shallow water and soft sand make it one of the island's best swimming beaches.
• SSR Botanical Garden Pamplemousses (Pamplemousses)
  The giant water lilies, palms and spice trees of the oldest botanical garden in the region.

Fun for Everyone

• Mont Choisy Beach (Mont Choisy)
  A long curve of white sand and casuarina shade, busy with families on Sundays.

Off the Beaten Path

• Île d'Ambre (North east lagoon)
  Kayak or boat through mangroves to a quiet islet off the northeast coast.

Must-Haves

• Notre Dame Auxiliatrice (Cap Malheureux)
  The little red-roofed church facing Coin de Mire is the north's classic photo stop.

Fun for Everyone

• L'Aventure du Sucre (Pamplemousses)
  A lively museum in an old sugar mill telling the island's sugar story, with tastings.

Great for Date Night

• Château de Labourdonnais (Mapou)
  A restored colonial mansion with orchards, gardens and rum tastings.

Off the Beaten Path

• Maheswarnath Mandir (Triolet)
  The largest Hindu temple complex on the island, colourful and welcoming to respectful visitors.

Fun for Everyone

• Catamaran trip to the northern islets (Grand Baie lagoon)
  A day sail to Coin de Mire, Île Plate and Île Gabriel for snorkelling and a barbecue lunch.
• Blue Safari Submarine (Trou aux Biches)
  A real submarine dive to see reefs and a wreck without getting wet.
• Diving at Grand Baie (Grand Baie)
  The north has gentle dive sites for beginners and wrecks for the experienced.

Must-Haves

• La Croisette (Grand Baie)
  The north's main shopping mall, with restaurants and a cinema.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Grand Baie Bazaar (Grand Baie)
  A small market for pareos, crafts and souvenirs; bargaining is expected.

Fun for Everyone

• Banana Beach Club (Royal Road, Grand Baie)
  The north's long-running bar for live music and a lively evening crowd.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Pereybère roadside snack vans (Pereybère)
  Fried noodles, dholl puri and fresh coconut by the beach, the local way.

Must-Haves

• Royal Palm Beachcomber (Grand Baie)
  One of the island's grand classic beach hotels, at the edge of the bay.

Great for Date Night

• LUX* Grand Baie (Grand Baie)
  A newer, design-led resort with rooftop bar and lagoon views.

Fun for Everyone

• Zilwa Attitude (Calodyne)
  A relaxed, family-friendly resort with a strong focus on local culture and food.

Low Cost and Authentic

• 20 Degrés Sud (Pointe aux Canonniers)
  An intimate boutique hotel with a small beach and personal service.

Fun for Everyone

• Divali in the north (Triolet and Goodlands)
  Homes and temples glow with oil lamps and sweets are shared with neighbours.

Must-Haves

• Le Morne Brabant hike (Le Morne)
  The climb up the UNESCO-listed mountain gives one of the finest views in the Indian Ocean.
• Le Morne public beach (Le Morne)
  A long white beach under the mountain with calm turquoise water.

Fun for Everyone

• Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth (Chamarel)
  Rolling dunes of red, purple and ochre earth in a nature park with tortoises.
• Chamarel Waterfall (Chamarel)
  The island's tallest single-drop waterfall plunging into a green gorge.

Off the Beaten Path

• Ebony Forest Chamarel (Chamarel)
  A forest restoration project with walks, viewpoints and rare native plants.

Must-Haves

• International Slave Route Monument (Le Morne)
  A moving memorial to enslaved people who sought refuge on the mountain.

Great for Date Night

• Rhumerie de Chamarel (Chamarel)
  A distillery tour and tasting of agricultural rum, with a restaurant in the hills.

Off the Beaten Path

• Le Morne Cultural Landscape (Le Morne)
  The UNESCO site as a whole, a symbol of resistance to slavery.

Must-Haves

• Kitesurfing at Le Morne (Le Morne lagoon)
  One of the world's famous kite spots, with schools for beginners on the inner lagoon.

Fun for Everyone

• Dolphin watching at Tamarin Bay (Tamarin)
  Early boat trips to see spinner dolphins; choose an operator that respects the rules.
• Casela Nature Parks (Cascavelle)
  Animals, zip lines and safari drives for a full family day out.

Off the Beaten Path

• Tamarin salt pans (Tamarin)
  Traditional salt flats still worked by hand, striking in the late afternoon light.

Must-Haves

• Dinarobin Beachcomber (Le Morne)
  A spacious all-suite resort on the Le Morne peninsula.

Great for Date Night

• Paradis Beachcomber (Le Morne)
  A classic resort with golf and its own stretch of lagoon.
• LUX* Le Morne (Le Morne)
  An adults-leaning resort by the beach under the mountain.

Fun for Everyone

• The St. Regis Mauritius (Le Morne)
  A grand resort facing the kite lagoon.

Low Cost and Authentic

• La Gaulette snack shops (La Gaulette)
  Small local spots for fried noodles, briani and grilled fish near the coast road.

Fun for Everyone

• Sunset at Flic en Flac (Flic en Flac)
  The beach crowd gathers at dusk for food vans, music and the sun sinking into the sea.

Must-Haves

• Black River Gorges viewpoint (Plaine Champagne)
  The classic view over the gorges, forest and sea, with birds circling below.
• Alexandra Falls (Plaine Champagne)
  An easy viewpoint over waterfalls and the green southern slopes.

Off the Beaten Path

• Macchabée trail (Pétrin)
  A forest trail through native ebony and tambalacoque with gorge views.
• Tamarind Falls (Seven Cascades) (Henrietta)
  A string of seven waterfalls best explored with a guide for canyoning or hikes.

Fun for Everyone

• Black River Gorges visitor centre (Black River)
  The starting point for the lower trails, with maps and advice.

Must-Haves

• Grand Bassin (Ganga Talao) (Grand Bassin)
  A sacred crater lake ringed by temples and a giant statue of Shiva.

Off the Beaten Path

• Saint Aubin House (Saint Aubin)
  A colonial plantation house with gardens, vanilla and a rum distillery.

Must-Haves

• Maha Shivaratri pilgrimage (Grand Bassin)
  Hundreds of thousands walk to the lake carrying decorated kanwars each year.

Fun for Everyone

• Bois Chéri Tea Estate (Bois Chéri)
  A tea factory tour and tasting with a view over a lake and the south.
• La Vallée des Couleurs Nature Park (Chamouny)
  Coloured earth, waterfalls and zip lines in a southern valley.
• La Vanille Nature Park (Rivière des Anguilles)
  Giant tortoises and crocodiles in a lush park that families love.

Off the Beaten Path

• Heritage Le Telfair (Bel Ombre)
  A colonial-style resort on the south coast near the gorges.

Great for Date Night

• Shanti Maurice (Saint Félix)
  A calm, spa-focused resort on the wild south coast.

Must-Haves

• Mahébourg Monday Market (Mahébourg)
  The south east's big weekly market for produce, fabrics and street food.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Biscuiterie Rault (Ville Noire)
  A family factory still baking the famous manioc biscuits, with tastings.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Mahébourg Waterfront (Mahébourg)
  A seafront promenade with views to Lion Mountain and local fishing boats.

Off the Beaten Path

• Île de la Passe (Grand Port lagoon)
  An old fort islet that guarded the pass during the 1810 naval battle.

Must-Haves

• National History Museum (Mahébourg)
  An old colonial house holding relics of the Battle of Grand Port and early colonists.

Off the Beaten Path

• Vieux Grand Port Frederik Hendrik Museum (Vieux Grand Port)
  The site of the first Dutch settlement on the island.

Must-Haves

• Île aux Aigrettes (Pointe Jérôme)
  A nature reserve islet where guided tours show pink pigeons and giant tortoises.
• Blue Bay Marine Park (Blue Bay)
  Shallow coral gardens and glass-bottom boats in one of the island's best snorkelling spots.

Fun for Everyone

• Blue Bay public beach (Blue Bay)
  A sheltered beach with soft sand and calm water.

Off the Beaten Path

• Lion Mountain hike (Vieux Grand Port)
  A steep ridge walk above the lagoon with outstanding views.
• Ferney Valley (Ferney)
  A protected native forest valley with guided walks.

Fun for Everyone

• Shandrani Beachcomber (Blue Bay)
  An all-inclusive resort with three beaches near the marine park.

Great for Date Night

• Preskil Island Resort (Pointe Jérôme)
  A resort on its own little peninsula facing the lagoon.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Mahébourg waterfront snack stalls (Mahébourg)
  Gateaux piments, samoussas and fresh juice by the sea.

Fun for Everyone

• Cavadee in the south east (Mahébourg area)
  Tamil devotees carry decorated kavadi in colourful processions each summer.

Must-Haves

• Belle Mare public beach (Belle Mare)
  A long, wide beach with fine sand and turquoise water.
• Île aux Cerfs (Trou d'Eau Douce)
  A famous island of sandbars and lagoon for swimming and boat trips.

Fun for Everyone

• Grand River South East waterfall (GRSE)
  A waterfall reached by speedboat on the way to Île aux Cerfs.

Off the Beaten Path

• Bras d'Eau National Park (Poste Lafayette)
  Quiet woodland trails, old ruins and mangroves.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Trou d'Eau Douce village (Trou d'Eau Douce)
  A fishing village where local boats leave for the islands.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Flacq Market (Centre de Flacq)
  One of the island's busiest markets for fruit, vegetables and spices.

Must-Haves

• Constance Prince Maurice (Poste de Flacq)
  An elegant resort built around a lagoon and nature reserve.
• One&Only Le Saint Géran (Poste de Flacq)
  A classic grand resort on a private peninsula.

Great for Date Night

• Shangri-La Le Touessrok (Trou d'Eau Douce)
  A luxury resort with its own islands facing Île aux Cerfs.

Fun for Everyone

• LUX* Belle Mare (Belle Mare)
  A family-friendly resort on the long east coast beach.
• Long Beach (Belle Mare)
  A lively, modern resort on one of the longest beaches.

Great for Date Night

• Sunset drinks on the east coast (Belle Mare)
  Resort beach bars are the main evening scene in the east.