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Mauritius
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Must-include attractions sorted by popularity
Most popular attractions in Mauritius
1. Le Morne Brabant
Quick facts: Jagged basalt cliffs thrust from the sea, rewarding a steep climb with sweeping ocean panoramas and a thrilling sense of wild solitude. Quiet memorials and local stories honor runaway slaves who sought refuge on the summit, giving the place a poignant, unforgettable atmosphere that contrasts with its tropical vistas.
Highlights: A jagged basalt crown that rises 556 meters from the turquoise lagoon was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008, yet locals often point to its carved names and tiny shrines as the truer, whispered history of runaway communities. At dawn you can smell cane smoke and hear low sega chants as elders climb narrow gullies to leave woven palm crosses and flowers at a cleft, a ritual they say once doubled as a map to safety.
2. Black River Gorges National Park
Quick facts: Misty ridgelines hide dramatic waterfalls and pockets of native forest, where delicate endemic orchids perfume the air and rare birds like the pink pigeon and echo parakeet call from the canopy. Hiking trails thread steep gorges to surprise viewpoints over sweeping valleys, offering chances to spot dozens of endemic plants and feel the humid, fern-scented breeze on your face.
Highlights: You can scramble along about 67.5 square kilometers of ragged ridgelines and mist-soaked gullies where conservationists famously pulled the Mauritius kestrel back from a wild population of just four birds in the 1970s, and the canopy hides vivid endemic orchids that perfume the damp air. At dawn the smell of resin from ebony and takamaka trees is almost sweet, and long-serving rangers still keep a handwritten sighting ledger from 1994 where visitors add notes about rare birds like the echo parakeet.
3. Île aux Cerfs
Quick facts: Powdery white sand gives way to waist-deep lagoons that shift through electrifying shades of turquoise, and snorkelers commonly spot stingrays, turtles and vibrant reef fish within minutes of wading in. Day-tripper boats unload sunbathers for beachside barbecues and water sports, while a tiny nine-hole golf course across a narrow channel offers golfers postcard-worthy fairway views.
Highlights: Take a 15-minute boat ride and you land on a narrow spit of powder-white sand backed by a shallow turquoise lagoon where water is so clear you can count the dark parrotfish below and feel warm volcanic sand sift between your toes. At sunset small groups of Sega drummers and fishermen gather on the north side, grilling bright red snapper over coconut husk fires while the whole bay smells of char and lime.
4. Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth (Chamarel Geopark)
Chamarel Geopark
Quick facts: A vivid palette of sand shimmers in bands of red, brown, violet, green, blue and yellow, formed when volcanic ash separated into mineral layers that settled differently. Visitors on the viewing platforms watch the colors shift with light and angle, often surprised to see seven distinct hues ripple even as a breeze nudges the grains.
Highlights: Walk along the rainbow-hued dunes and you can see seven clearly different bands: red, brown, violet, blue, green, purple and yellow, the colors coming from iron and aluminium oxides in volcanic ash. Local guides say that if you scoop a handful and shake it, the grains will surprisingly re-stratify within minutes, the sand feeling like soft talc and glinting under sunlight.
5. Grand Bassin (Ganga Talao)
Ganga Talao
Quick facts: A crater lake tucked into volcanic hills offers a serene pilgrimage site where towering statues and reflected lamps transform the water into a living tapestry. Visitors who rise before sunrise are rewarded with chanting priests, incense-scented air, and tens of thousands of devotees converging during the main festival for a breathtaking display of color and devotion.
Highlights: At dawn the whole crater fills with the sweet, cloying smoke of incense and the metallic ring of hundreds of brass bells, while tiny clay lamps glow like faint stars on the mirror-like water. Every year during Maha Shivaratri thousands of barefoot pilgrims arrive, some carrying strings of 108 beads or clay pots of milk, others drumming and chanting to honor Lord Shiva, and the atmosphere feels like a centuries-old ritual caught in slow motion.
6. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden (Pamplemousses Botanical Garden)
Pamplemousses Botanical Garden
Quick facts: Strolling beneath a canopy of exotic trees, visitors often gape at giant Victoria water lilies whose saucer-like leaves can span over two metres and occasionally support a child's weight. A rarer thrill is spotting a talipot palm in bloom, a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle that happens only every 60 to 80 years when it sends up a towering flower stalk and then dies.
Highlights: Step into the lily ponds and you'll see Victoria amazonica waterlilies with pads up to two meters across, their night-blooming flowers opening white the first night and turning a startling pink on the second night, a sight that floats like pale moons among spoon-shaped leaves. Nearby you can spot the grave of 18th-century horticulturalist Pierre Poivre and towering talipot palms that bloom only once every 60 to 80 years, their fan-like leaves crackling underfoot and smelling faintly of coconut when the sun hits them.
7. Trou aux Cerfs
Quick facts: Stepping up to the rim rewards you with a dramatic, perfectly circular crater and a surprisingly lush green floor that feels almost otherworldly. A gentle breeze often carries a faint scent of earth and spice, while the well-kept paths make a quick but memorable climb for sweeping views.
Highlights: The crater is a near-perfect circular bowl about 300 meters across and roughly 85 meters deep; its inner slope falls to a jade-green pool ringed by ferns and eucalyptus that give off a sweet, slightly medicinal scent. On calm mornings a low mist settles into the hollow like cotton, hawks wheel above the rim, and locals linger with thermoses of tea to watch the light wash the inner walls from pale ochre to deep rust.
8. Blue Bay Marine Park
Quick facts: Beneath your mask, crystal-clear waters reveal a dazzling array of corals and reef fish, with snorkelers often spotting more than fifty coral species in a single swim. Gentle seagrass beds and sheltered lagoons serve as nurseries for turtles and rare pipefish, so a calm paddle or snorkel often turns into an unexpected wildlife encounter.
Highlights: Float above a coral garden where more than 30 species of hard and soft corals cluster like a neon city, parrotfish scraping the reef and clear water giving 8 to 12 meter visibility so you can spy stingrays gliding below. Local glass-bottom boatmen still rap the hull in a three-beat rhythm to coax shy octopuses and anemonefish into view, a quirky trick passed down by elders named Raj and Marie.
9. Caudan Waterfront
Port Louis
Quick facts: A shimmering waterfront promenade hums with lively Creole music, outdoor sculptures, and cafes where you can watch fishing boats glide past a bright marina. Locals and visitors swarm the night market for street food and handmade crafts, and the complex even includes a popular duty-free mall and a large casino.
Highlights: A tiny museum tucked into the waterfront complex preserves two 1847 'Post Office' stamps, a 1d orange-red and a 2d deep blue, displayed under magnifiers so you can watch Queen Victoria's tiny engraved profile glint like coin metal. On weekend evenings vendors pile dholl puri and samosas into paper cones while sega dancers in sequined skirts whirl to throbbing drums, and the air mixes sweet coconut, fried-spice heat, and briny sea spray.
10. Flic en Flac Beach
Quick facts: Powdery white sand gives way to a shallow, crystal-clear lagoon where snorkelers can spot coral gardens and tropical fish just a few meters from the shore. Golden sunsets paint the sky in flaming oranges while beachfront cafes fill the warm air with steel drums, chilled rum cocktails, and the scent of grilled seafood.
Highlights: At dusk the shallow lagoon lights up with neon-blue plankton that clings to your legs like spilled glow paint, and local night-fishers still chant a three-line Creole rhyme as they wade out knee-deep to check their woven crab traps. On calm mornings you can walk almost 300 meters past the crescent reef to a sandbar that piles up warm, sugar-fine sand underfoot while green turtles bob calmly a few dozen meters offshore, their slow heads popping up like small islands.
Traditional Sweet Dishes
Gâteau Patate
Gâteau Patate is a soft, moist cake made from mashed sweet potatoes, coconut and vanilla, and it was traditionally shaped into small loaves or balls and sold at village markets as a comforting homemade treat.
Napolitaines
Napolitaines are thin sandwich biscuits filled with jam and covered in bright pink icing, and they are so woven into Mauritian life that you will find them at weddings, school parties and family tea time.
Alouda (sweet drink)
Alouda is a milky, rose-scented drink studded with basil seeds and jelly, it came with Indian migrants and became a chilled island favorite for beating the tropical heat.
Traditional Savory Dishes
Dholl Puri
Dholl Puri is a thin flatbread stuffed with spiced, ground yellow split peas, and it is traditionally folded and eaten with chutneys, curry and pickles as an iconic handheld street meal.
Mine Frite
Mine Frite is stir-fried noodles that fuse Chinese wok techniques with Creole and Indian flavors, and vendors pack them with vegetables, meats or seafood for a fragrant, charred street-food favorite.
Boulette
Boulette are soft dumplings made from fish or meat and served in steaming broth, their delicate texture and garlicky, chili-packed soup reflect Chinese dim sum adapted to Mauritian tastes.
Traditional Beverages
Alouda
Alouda is often served in tall glasses with shaved ice and syrupy jelly, it became the quintessential beachside refreshment thanks to its cooling texture and floral aroma.
Rhum arrangé
Rhum arrangé is rum infused with fruits, spices or vanilla for weeks or months, each household keeps secret recipes so the drink carries family stories and festive flavors.
Tamarind juice
Tamarind juice is a tangy, sweet-and-sour refresher made by straining tamarind pulp with sugar and sometimes ginger, it is prized for quenching thirst in Mauritius’s humid climate.
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Day trips
Grand Baie
Popular northern beach town with shops, beaches, and nightlife
Google MapsPamplemousses (Botanical Garden)
Historic gardens with giant water lilies and colonial history
Google MapsChamarel
Seven Colored Earth, waterfalls, and scenic southwest views
Google MapsLe Morne Peninsula
UNESCO heritage promontory with great kitesurfing and beaches
Google MapsMahebourg & Blue Bay
Historic town, coastal lagoon snorkeling at Blue Bay
Google MapsComments (5)
Port Louis market is best early, stalls close by noon. Walk two blocks from the waterfront for local dhal puri and cheaper meals, bring cash.
Local minibuses are chaotic but cheap, flag them down, exact change helps. For longer trips, ask driver if route goes via small villages, saves money.
Loved the Creole food and friendly locals, price is touristy near resorts though. Hit markets for cheaper eats, watch out for sudden rain showers.
Crowded beaches during peak season killed the vibe for me, accommodation pricey and little nightlife. Great for snorkeling though, but not budget friendly.
Beach days are unreal, water like a postcard. Food is spicy and fresh, but island roads are narrow so rent carefully. 5-7 days felt perfect.
Getting there
Airports
Train stations
N/A — use intercity buses, coaches, taxis, and car hire
Pre-book a taxi or shuttle from MRU; public buses and coaches link major towns.
Click to get eSim for Mauritius
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Visa & entry
EU countries, UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and many Commonwealth countries
Some countries (e.g., Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan) typically need a visa; check with consulate
Most visitors are granted up to 90 days visa-free; ensure passport valid 6+ months and check e-visa.