Mauritius Travel Guide: The Most Beautiful Places on the Island

Mauritius Attractions on a Map

We’ve organized the highlights by region so you can quickly figure out which sights to combine on a day trip.

The attractions in the north of the island are marked in gray on the map, the attractions in the south and southwest are marked in turquoise, and those in the east are marked in red.

Attractions in the North of Mauritius

Let’s start in the north of the island, which has some genuinely exciting places to visit.

Cap Malheureux

Cap Malheureux is a small village at the very northern tip of Mauritius — and home to one of the most photographed spots on the island: the Notre Dame Auxiliatrice chapel with its striking red roof.

Cap Malheureux, by the way, roughly translates to “Cape of Misfortune.” The exact origin of the name isn’t entirely clear, but the most likely theory is that the French named it after being defeated by the British there in battle.

Maheswarnath Mandir Temple

About half of the Mauritian population is Hindu, which is why there are so many colorful Hindu temples to discover across the island.

The largest and oldest of these is located in the northwest, in the town of Triolet. Even though it was one of our personal highlights, we had the place completely to ourselves — tourists rarely seem to find their way there. It’s absolutely worth the detour, though. The temple is truly beautiful and makes for a fantastic photo subject.

Pamplemousses Botanical Garden

In the town of Pamplemousses you’ll find one of the most important and most-visited points of interest in Mauritius: the Botanical Garden. Its full name is the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden, but most people just call it the Pamplemousses Botanical Garden.

Particularly impressive is the pond filled with giant water lilies, plus the neighboring pond full of lotus flowers. The garden is also home to a population of giant tortoises.

Port Louis

In the northeast of the island you’ll also find the capital, Port Louis — which of course can’t be left off any Mauritius travel guide.

Since there’s quite a lot to see there, we cover Port Louis’s top sights in its own dedicated section below.

Eureka

Just south of Port Louis lies the colonial villa Eureka. Once the residence of the English nobility, this beautifully preserved house is now a museum that offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the island’s privileged class.

Behind the house, a rocky path leads downhill to a small waterfall — but honestly, it’s not very spectacular, so feel free to skip that part.

Extra Tip: Day Trip through the North of Mauritius

These three attractions can easily be combined in a single day by rental car. You’ll also have time left over to spend a few hours at the beautiful beach of Trou aux Biches, which is right near the Hindu temple.

If you’d rather not drive yourself, you can explore the north on a private day tour with a driver. This covers not only the northern highlights but also includes the capital, Port Louis — and since it’s a private tour, you can adjust the itinerary to suit your preferences.

Book a private day tour through the north of Mauritius

Attractions in the Capital Port Louis

Port Louis is the capital of Mauritius. At first glance it may not seem particularly impressive — only a few historic buildings have survived — but dig a little deeper and you’ll find some genuinely interesting things to see.

Aapravasi Ghat

The Aapravasi Ghat is, alongside Le Morne Brabant, one of only two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Mauritius — and it’s more closely tied to the country’s history than almost any other place on the island.

Between 1849 and 1923, more than half a million workers arrived here to labor on the English sugar plantations. A large portion of the Mauritian population are descendants of these workers, who came largely from India and often lived and worked under deeply difficult conditions.

Of the once-sprawling harbor complex, only a few foundation walls remain today. But the exhibition telling the story of these workers is genuinely moving and well worth your time.

Central Market of Port Louis

The Central Market in Port Louis is the trading hub of the entire country. Across several market halls, you’ll find everything the local population needs: fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, and textiles.

A visit is absolutely worth it — just be aware that the meat halls can be a bit confronting if you’re not used to that kind of market.

Fort Adelaide

Fort Adelaide was built by the British and still sits atop a hill overlooking Port Louis today.

The building itself is relatively unremarkable — only a few cannons remain as reminders of its former purpose. But the climb is totally worth it for the panorama that stretches across the entire city from the top.

The walk up takes about 15 to 20 minutes on foot. At midday during peak season, that can be pretty exhausting in the heat, so try to go early.

Champ de Mars Racecourse

Champ de Mars is the second-oldest horse racing track in the world — races have been held here since 1812. The track is 1,300 meters long and looks impressive even on non-race days.

Things really come alive every Saturday from May to November, when thousands of locals flock here to try their luck at betting. Eight races are held on each race day, with the first starting at 12:30 PM and the last at 5:00 PM.

Caudan Waterfront & Blue Penny Museum

The Caudan Waterfront is Port Louis’s modern shopping district. That might sound a bit uninspiring, but it’s actually a really pleasant area. Opened in 1996, it sits right on the water — as the name suggests — and it’s a great spot to stroll around, grab a bite, and have a drink.

The Caudan Waterfront is also home to the Blue Penny Museum. The exhibition covers the history of the island, but most visitors come for what is arguably the world’s most famous postage stamp: the Blue Mauritius!

Both the Blue Mauritius (Blue Penny) and the hardly less valuable Red Mauritius (Red Penny) are on display here.

Temples, Churches, and Mosques in Port Louis

As the capital, Port Louis is also the cultural and religious heart of the country. You’ll find houses of worship representing a wide range of faiths scattered throughout the city.

Standouts include the Chinese Nam Sun Tin How Temple right next to the racecourse, the Jummah Mosque near the Central Market, and the Cathedral of Port Louis, located roughly halfway between the two.

Extra Tip: Day Trip through Port Louis

We visited all the sights in Port Louis in a single day — and we strongly recommend not driving into the city with a rental car. Parking is hard to find and navigating by car isn’t much fun.

You can reach Port Louis easily from any part of the island by bus. The city has two main bus terminals: buses heading north depart from Immigration Square right next to the Central Market, while buses heading south depart from Victoria Square about 800 meters further west.

Once you’re there, everything is easily walkable.

The guided tour of the north recommended above also takes in the most important spots in Port Louis, if you’d rather explore the city with a guide.

Attractions in the South & Southwest of Mauritius

The southwest of Mauritius has arguably the greatest concentration of must-sees on the entire island.

Seven Colored Earth & Chamarel Waterfall

The Seven Colored Earth is a truly unique natural phenomenon. The undulating ground shimmers in a range of colors and is a seriously popular photo subject. The colors are especially striking in the late afternoon, when the sun sits lower in the sky.

On your way there, you’ll also pass the Chamarel Waterfall. It’s fairly narrow, but plunges more than 90 meters into the depths below.

An entrance fee covers the entire Chamarel site.

Black River Gorges National Park

Just beyond Chamarel lies the green lung of Mauritius: Black River Gorges National Park.

The park offers various marked hiking trails where you can experience a real contrast to the beach — lush forests, wild monkeys, numerous waterfalls, and breathtaking vistas at every turn.

We’re not big hikers and had limited time, so we simply drove through the park by car. Honestly, that’s still worth it, since some of the most beautiful viewpoints are accessible by road too.

Ganga Talao (Grand Bassin)

Ganga Talao, also known as Grand Bassin, sits at the eastern end of Black River Gorges National Park. Numerous Hindu statues surround the lake, and Ganga Talao is in fact the most important Hindu pilgrimage site outside of India.

A four-lane road leads to Ganga Talao — which feels completely oversized for the location. When we visited, there were only a handful of pilgrims besides us.

Those wide roads do serve a purpose, though: every year in late February or early March, the Maha Shivaratri Festival draws more than 500,000 Hindus dressed entirely in white to the lake. Quite a sight.

Bois Cheri Tea Plantation & Tea Route

A few kilometers east of Ganga Talao lies the Bois Cheri tea plantation. We’d only ever seen tea plantations in Sri Lanka before, so finding one in Mauritius was a real surprise.

At Bois Cheri, you can admire the lush green plantations, tour the tea factory, and learn all about the production process. The best views are from the restaurant. There’s a 200 MUR entrance fee to drive up, but it’s refunded against your bill if you eat or drink something there.

Bois Cheri is just one stop on the so-called Tea Route, which runs from Domaine des Aubineaux through Bois Cheri to Saint Aubin.

Trou aux Cerfs

Trou aux Cerfs is a 650-meter-high dormant volcano rising from the interior of Mauritius. A small lake now sits inside the crater, and a wide path circles the rim with stunning views in every direction across the island.

The volcano itself isn’t dramatic, but the panorama alone makes the drive up completely worth it.

Le Morne & Le Morne Brabant

Le Morne Brabant is a 556-meter-high mountain that rises dramatically at the very southwestern tip of the island — and one of Mauritius’s two UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The mountain was once a refuge for escaped slaves who had been forced to work for the French on Mauritius. At its foot, the Slave Route Monument commemorates their suffering.

The mountain is privately owned today and can’t simply be climbed, but viewed from below it’s still incredibly impressive.

The beach at Le Morne is absolutely not to be missed either — it may well be the most beautiful beach on all of Mauritius.

Extra Tip: Day Trip through the Southwest of Mauritius

The southwest is seriously packed with highlights. Trying to squeeze everything into a single day is nearly impossible, so we’d recommend splitting it into two separate day trips.

All the attractions are easy to reach by rental car, or alternatively on guided tours.

Tour Tip: A highly recommended option is the bookable day tour through the wild southwest. With an English-speaking guide, you’ll cover most of the area’s highlights in a single day.

Attractions in the East of Mauritius

Along the east coast you’ll find some of Mauritius’s most beautiful beaches — think the long, sweeping stretch of Belle Mare Beach. And where there are great beaches, luxury hotels follow. Some of the most upscale places to stay in Mauritius are found right here.

Beyond the beaches, the east has a handful of worthwhile stops too.

Market in Centre de Flacq

Centre de Flacq is one of the larger towns on the east coast, strongly shaped by Indian influences. Twice a week, a large market draws mostly local residents into town.

The market runs on Wednesdays and Sundays, with Sunday being the main event. Unfortunately, it was pouring rain during our Wednesday visit, so there was hardly anything going on — try to go on a Sunday if you can.

Vallée de Ferney

The Vallée de Ferney is a large nature reserve in the east of the island, offering guided hikes and boat tours. Extensive sugar cane plantations surround the area, and you can watch as tractors unload the harvest — a surprisingly cool slice of local life.

Mahebourg & Cavendish Bridge

Mahebourg in the southeast is one of the prettiest towns on the island and great for a leisurely stroll. You get a lovely view of the town from the more than 100-year-old Cavendish Bridge.

Day Trip through the East of Mauritius

Since the east doesn’t have the biggest headline attractions, guided tours to this region are fairly limited. We explored the area with our own rental car — and the coastal road is absolutely stunning.

A guided tour is available around the Mahebourg area in combination with a visit to Marine Bay Park: Mahebourg & Unique Nature Reserves.

Book a snorkeling tour in a glass-bottom boat

Small Dream Islands off the Coast of Mauritius

Scattered around Mauritius are several small islands that are often even more dreamy than the main island itself. There usually isn’t much to see besides endless sandy beaches and turquoise water — and honestly, that’s the whole point.

Just stopping by for a quick look almost feels like a waste. The best approach is to spend a full day on one of these islands and simply do nothing. Just relax and let it all sink in.

Ile aux Cerfs

Ile aux Cerfs lies off the east coast and is a true beach paradise. The sandy beaches here are among the most beautiful that Mauritius has to offer.

In the off-season, Ile aux Cerfs is usually quiet. During peak season, though, it can get fairly crowded — especially around the boat dock where two restaurants are located. The island is large enough that you can always find a more secluded spot. Walk a few hundred meters further and the crowds are behind you.

Boats to Ile aux Cerfs depart from Trou d’Eau Douce. There’s no regular ferry — only private charter boats — and it takes some serious negotiating to get a fair price for the crossing. A reasonable fare is around 400 to 500 MUR, though prices of up to 1,000 MUR are often demanded.

The easier, less stressful option is to book the crossing in advance. You’ll be picked up from your hotel, brought to the island, and returned at the end of the day. The day simply gets off to a better start when it doesn’t begin with haggling.

Book the Ile aux Cerfs tour with lunch & drinks

An even cooler experience is a catamaran trip. This option is a bit more exclusive and includes a BBQ on board and drinks.

Book the full-day catamaran trip to Île aux Cerfs

Ile aux Benitiers & Crystal Rock

In the southwest of Mauritius lies Ile aux Benitiers. The island is quite a bit smaller than Ile aux Cerfs, but every bit as paradisiacal.

In front of the long sandy beach, we saw what was probably the most turquoise water we’ve ever laid eyes on. Another great photo opportunity is the so-called Crystal Rock, which juts dramatically out of the sea in front of the island.

Tours to Ile aux Benitiers are usually combined with dolphin watching — we did this too and actually spotted quite a few. That said, many boat operators chase the animals relentlessly, which does put a damper on the experience. One company with a reputation for keeping a respectful distance is Dolswim.

Book the dolphins & Ile aux Benitiers day tour

Ile des Deux Cocos

Ile aux Cerfs and Ile aux Benitiers are no longer under-the-radar picks. Both are still stunning, of course — even if things get busy during peak season.

But Mauritius wouldn’t be Mauritius if there weren’t still some barely visited islands to discover. One of these is Ile des Deux Cocos — a small private island in the southeast that guarantees dreamy hours away from the tourist crowds.

Trips to Ile des Deux Cocos can be booked online and include transfers, food, and drinks, plus a snorkeling tour and a glass-bottom boat ride.

Book the Ile des Deux Cocos tour

How to Explore the Attractions in Mauritius

Despite all there is to see, Mauritius is not very large. Even the longest stretch from the far north to the deep south takes no more than two hours by car.

There are three main ways to get around: by rental car, by public bus, or with a private driver.

Exploring Mauritius by Rental Car

We explored Mauritius with a rental car, and it’s definitely the most flexible option — you get complete freedom in planning your days and can make unplanned stops whenever you feel like it.

Mauritius drives on the left, which can take some getting used to. We’d recommend renting a car with an automatic transmission, so at least you don’t have to shift gears from the wrong side at the same time.

After a short adjustment period, driving on the left becomes pretty natural. By day two, we’d stopped accidentally turning on the windshield wipers when we meant to signal — the indicator stalk is mirrored too, by the way.

Traffic in Mauritius is relatively relaxed, and outside the cities it’s rarely hectic or congested.

You can get a rental car starting from around $30–40 per day. Compare rental car deals on Discovercars to find the best price for your trip.

Exploring Mauritius by Public Bus

Mauritius has an extensive bus network that lets you reach almost all the major sights. Buses are also super cheap — hardly any ride costs more than 30 MUR (about $0.65).

That said, you’ll need to budget significantly more time when traveling by bus, and you’ll naturally have less flexibility than with a car.

Exploring Mauritius with a Private Driver

If you’d rather not drive yourself, hiring a private driver is a great alternative. It’s often not much more expensive than renting a car, and you’ll have someone along who can share all kinds of local knowledge about Mauritius.

Taxi drivers wait in front of every hotel, and you can negotiate the price and route for the day directly on the spot. If you’d prefer to skip the haggling, you can also book your tour online in advance: a driver for a day.

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