A Guide to Mauritius: What to Do and Where to Stay

Picture the perfect castaway island and there’s a good chance your mental image will resemble Mauritius. Not only is the country’s coastline blessed with dazzling white sands and shallows in a rainbow of gemstone shades, but its interior is lush and beautiful, bursting with tropical woodlands, wildlife and waterfalls. Culturally, the nation is vibrant, with influences from India, China, Africa, France and Britain revealed in its food, languages, places of worship and colourful festivals.

The best places to visit in Mauritius

Mauritian tea plantation

Port Louis

The capital of Mauritius, Port Louis (pronounced ‘por-louie’) showcases the nation’s multicultural riches via its eclectic museums and well-preserved architecture. The city – particularly the area around the Central Market – is where to go for Mauritian street food favourites like dhal puri and gateaux piments. Spotting these authentic snacks among the hustle and bustle of the capital is one of the most fun things to do in Mauritius. Gateaux piments are delicious falafel-like morsels deep-fried and flecked with spring onion and chilli. As a street food, dhal puri (see below) often comes as a doughy pancake rolled round a paste of yellow split peas, some simple curry sauce and dried coconut.

Pamplemousses

The Pamplemousses area is one of the best places to stay

Just north of Port Louis, the Pamplemousses area is one of the best places to stay. Famed for its beautiful coastline and the lush splendour of Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Gardens (named after the nation’s first Prime Minister) it is also home to two exquisite hotels: The Westin Turtle Bay Resort & Spa, Mauritius and Le Méridien Ile Maurice. The former overlooks a protected marine park, which you can explore on scuba and snorkelling excursions via the on-site dive centre, getting up-close with turtles, stingrays, reef sharks and more. The latter, a few minutes to the north, boasts a 1km-long stretch of pristine white sand, and a luxurious array of sea-view suites and lodgings. The popular tourist areas of Mont Choisy, Trou aux Biches and Grand Baie are just a short drive away.

Le Morne

The wild peninsula of Le Morne

This wild peninsula is perfect for adventurous travellers and luxury seekers alike. While the beaches and woodlands are glorious, it’s Le Morne Brabant – a 550m monolith at the tip of the landmass – which really grabs the attention, with incredible sea views from its summit. This is where to go for hiking and rock-climbing, while the nearby lagoon offers ideal conditions for windsurfing and kitesurfing. The peninsula, the westernmost point of Mauritius, is fringed by a pristine white-sand shore, on which sits JW Marriott Mauritius Resort: a haven of fine dining, lavish spa treatments and sumptuous accommodation. Activities include horse riding on the beach, catamaran trips and surf lessons.

What to eat and drink in Mauritius

Dhal puri

Just like an Indian paratha, this soft flatbread is served everywhere from street food stalls to fine-dining restaurants, ideal for scooping up curried chicken and spicy prawn rougaille (stew), or wrapping around pickles and chutney for a quick snack. Though the recipe has its roots in Mauritius’s Indian heritage, it has been adapted to suit the island’s ingredients, with yellow split peas used to augment the dough. The result is utterly moreish: one dhal puri is never enough. For authentic local flavours, try Zoli Mamzel and Le Manoir Dining Room.

Superlative seafood

Mauritius is blessed with a bounty of seafood

Oysters, lobster, crab, calamari… Mauritius is blessed with a bounty of seafood, and has an endless array of tasty fish dishes to try. Local favourites include cari poisson, a slow-cooked curry of snapper and aubergine, and vindaye, a richly spiced medley of tuna and onions. At Beach Grill, the weekly Fisherman Night features everything from blue marlin steak to barbecue lobster, served with beautiful views of the Indian Ocean.

Rum

Whether you like your rum dark, light, spiced or flavoured, muddled into a mojito, gracing a cocktail – Mauritian rum is wonderful in a Ti’ Punch – or simply served on the rocks, you’ll find your perfect tipple in Mauritius. Mauritian rum is of the prized ‘rhum agricole’ variety, meaning it is distilled directly from the abundant local sugar cane, rather than from molasses. Usually twice-distilled, it also has a deliciously smooth flavour. But what really sets the Mauritian rum tradition apart is the way local producers create infusions of the liquor with other Mauritian ingredients, such as coffee, vanilla and coconut. These heady infusions don’t need to be mixed with anything other than a little ice.

While you’ll find rum in every bar and restaurant on the island, go deeper by visiting the Rhumerie de Chamarel up in the lush highlands: this distillery produces some of the finest Mauritian rums, with a fine-dining restaurant alongside.

Top things to do in Mauritius

The 'Seven Coloured Earth' sand dunes of Mauritius

When you’ve got a flawless beach on your doorstep, and a dreamy array of infinity pools, restaurants and spa treatments to enjoy, it can be tempting to stay at your hotel or resort for the entire trip. But Mauritius has an abundance of fun things to do and its small size makes exploring easy.

Chamarel is an unmissable day trip, with its thrilling tree-canopy walkway in the Ebony Forest, historic rum distillery and the multi-hued dunes of the 7 Coloured Earth park. Nearby, the Black River Gorges National Park is a densely forested sanctuary for endangered echo parakeets and Mauritius kestrels, as well as wild deer, macaque monkeys and the rare tambalacoque (dodo tree). Take your pick from the hiking trails, or brave a waterfall canyoning trip with Vertical World.

The east coast, too, has plenty of interesting things to do such as snorkelling in the Blue Bay marine park, eating street food at Mahébourg’s Monday Market (it’s actually open all week), and climbing Lion Mountain, a half-day hike with spectacular sea views from the summit. Visit the crater lake of Grand Bassin, a sacred Hindu pilgrimage site surrounded by vibrant temples which hosts the largest Maha Shivarati celebrations outside India.

Hidden gems in Mauritius

Mauritius is encircled by tiny islands

Mauritius is encircled by tiny islands, each with their own unique character. Some are colonised by raucous seabirds while others are blessed with soft sands, turquoise shallows and statuesque palm trees. Happily, many of the latter can be reached on short cruises from the mainland (by catamaran or sailboat) with stop-offs for barbecue lunches and snorkelling. Each island has its own alternative things to do, such as scuba diving on Ilot Gabriel’s pristine coral reef, or exploring the crumbling colonial ruins of Île de la Passe. To spend the day with giant tortoises and rare pink pigeons, head to Île aux Aigrettes, an island nature reserve off the south-east coast. It’s full of unique things to do, with tours by the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation specialising in photography, wildlife watching and more.

Go deeper

Thanks to its rich tapestry of religions, cultures and traditions, Mauritius celebrates a new festival almost every month and visitors are welcomed with open arms. In January Lunar New Year is marked with red decorations and firecrackers galore (Port Louis is the epicentre) while April brings Tamil New Year, with dancing and feasts across the nation. Other highlights include Holi (the Hindu festival of colours in March), Père Laval Day (a Catholic commemoration of a beloved French missionary in September), and Divali (the festival of light which takes place in either October or November depending on the year). Hotels and restaurants often host themed events to coincide with festivities, or you could ask your concierge to arrange a guided tour of the local celebrations.

Published: July 26, 2022