Mauritius Travel Guide

Port Louis

The capital of Mauritius and its largest city, Port Louis is a uniquely Mauritian potpourri of Indian, French and British influences. Make a city tour a part of your Mauritius travel planning with visits to landmarks such as Apravasi Ghat, a World Heritage Site which saw the arrival of indentured labourers from India to Mauritius, the Champs de Mars racecourse, Stamp Museum and St Louis Cathedral. China Town is also worth a visit if you’re in the mood for an authentic Chinese meal or maybe some traditional Chinese medicine. For a taste of the Mauritian high life, head to Le Caudan Waterfront for an afternoon. Once home to warehouses, magazines, and the Indian Ocean’s first observatory; the place has reinvented itself as a waterfront mall with art galleries, cafes, a museum, a marina, cinem

Grand Bassin

Believed to be connected to the holy river Ganges in India, the Grand Bassin Lake is also known as Ganga Talao. The crater lake is located deep in the mountains of southwestern Mauritius and is one of the most revered sites for Hindus on the island. The lake is lined with statues of Hindu gods and goddesses and temples that date back to the lake’s discovery in the late 1800s. We highly recommend the climb up to the lake, heavy with the scent of incense and offerings; a trip that’s sure to be quite unlike anything you would expect for Mauritius.

Île aux Cerfs

A Mauritius travel guide favourite, Ile aux Cerfs is a tiny islet that offers the perfect balance between adrenaline pumping adventures and drink in hand, toes in sand relaxation. Feast your eyes on the vivid turquoise colour of the lagoon, lush green casuarina and mangrove trees and the powdery white sand or take a leisurely stroll on the beach and indulge in exciting water sports such as parasailing, banana ride, tube ride and an undersea walk.

See the Seven Coloured Earths

One of the most spectacular sights in Africa, the Coloured Earths is an unusual geological formation found deep in the jungle of Chamarel in southern Mauritius. The Seven Coloured Earths was created millions of years ago by the flow of lava and is, today, a tourist attraction mentioned in every Mauritius travel guide. A viewing deck lets you witness the dunes of red, blue, orange, brown, violet, yellow and green. Who said mud is always brown?

Tour the Château de Labourdonnais

Any Mauritius travel guide worth its salt would be incomplete without including a guided tour of an authentic Mauritian plantation and it doesn’t get more authentic than the Château de Labourdonnais. A beautifully restored colonial mansion, the Château is surrounded by acres of orchards and plantations with a gift shop and restaurant on site. Enjoy a guided tour of the mansion with its beautifully preserved furniture and artwork and sip on some rum from the Château’s on site distillery. The perfect introduction to the island’s colonial past, a tour of the Château de Labourdonnais should be an essential part of your Mauritius travel planning.

Water Sports at Blue Bay

The highlight of most Mauritius travel guides is the unspoiled beaches and wilderness of Blue Bay. Enjoy crystal clear waters and endless palm fringed beaches in one of the purest parts of the island. Take a snorkeling trip to the corals reefs just off the coast. Exploring the rainbow of corals and tropical fish is a mandatory activity for all holidayers in Mauritius. The Blue Bay Marine Park is a must see in this part of Mauritius. The park is home to over 50 distinct species of corals and rare aquatic life as well as a range of land and water sports including kayaking, windsurfing, volleyball, deep sea fishing and scuba diving. You could also try island hopping on a catamaran or sail boat to some of the more scenic islets surrounding Mauritius.