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Port Louis Travel Guide

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Port Louis
Mauritius sailboat
The capital of the island of Mauritius is a town full of character and slightly faded elegance, set prettily within an amphitheatre of mountains at the mid-point of the west coastline. Port Louis is a noisy, bustling town with some rather hectic traffic by day, but is not a hot nightspot. Nightlife in Mauritius tends to focus on the holiday resorts. The Caudan Waterfront, however, does offer some restaurants and bright lights after dark.

Symbolic of its multi-faceted colonial history, the city boasts some fine French buildings dating from the 18th century, an Anglican and a Catholic cathedral, a mosque and a fortified citadel, known as Fort Adelaide. The fort is the best place from which to enjoy a panoramic view of the town, harbour and famous racecourse (which was once a French military parade ground, and became the first racecourse in the southern hemisphere).

It may be the capital, but Port Louis is not home to the vast majority of Mauritians; the main residential areas are in the cooler, wetter highlands inland. However, Port Louis is the gateway to the prime beaches and resorts of the Mauritian coast, including Flic en Flac and Grand Baie. Although the reason most people visit Mauritius is for sun and sea, the capital city has some interesting museums and entertaining excursions to offer for those who choose to make it their base for exploring the rest of the island.




Attractions


Blue Penny Museum

The lively Caudan Waterfront in Port Louis features the Blue Penny Museum, which is primarily devoted to Mauritian art and history, but whose place of pride is given to two of the rarest stamps in the world: the Mauritian 1847 'Post Office' Penny Orange...  see full details



Central Market

The diversity of the Mauritian population is never more obvious than during a visit to the lively, bustling and colourful Central Market, accessed from Farquhar Street, near the harbour in Port Louis. When you enter take note of the ironwork on the gates, erected...  see full details



Chamarel

In the southwest corner of the island a twisting road winds from the village of Case Noyal to an interesting geological attraction, the 'Seven Coloured Earth'. This is an undulating mound of varied coloured sand, swirled with patches of blue, green, red, purple...  see full details



Natural History Museum

Port Louis' Natural History Museum is well visited mainly for one single important exhibit: a replica of the flightless bird, the legendary Dodo, which has been extinct since the end of the 17th century. Researchers believe the Dodo was a member of the...  see full details



Royal Botanical Gardens of Pamplemousses

About seven miles (11km) northeast of Port Louis, and easily reached by regular buses, lies the island’s premier tourist attraction, the Pamplemousses gardens (now officially called the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Gardens in honour of the late Prime Minister, but still colloquially referred to...  see full details



Excursions


Beaches

The beaches of Mauritius are close to perfect, with fine white sand and clear water running to heavenly shades of blue. Some of the island's best beaches on the west coast are easily reached from Port Louis. Flic en Flac is the longest...  see full details

Black River Gorges National Park

Situated in the south-west of the Island, the Black River Gorges National Park is a popular spot for picnics, hiking and scenic drives. The park encompases thick pine forests, gorges and rugged mountains and is a sanctuary for wildlife and fauna. Bird-watchers should look...  see full details

Curepipe

Curepipe, sitting atop the high central plateaux of inland Mauritius 12 miles (20km) from Port Louis, owes its existence to a malaria epidemic in 1867, when thousands fled to the healthy, cooler high ground from Port Louis to escape the mosquitoes. The town is...  see full details

Domaine Les Pailles

A short taxi ride to the south of Port Louis is the Domaine Les Pailles cultural centre and nature park, covering more than 1,500 hectares (3,707 acres) and offering plenty of entertainment for visitors. Activities include horse-drawn carriage and train rides, viewing a working replica of...  see full details

Ile Aux Cerfs

The small island of Ile aux Cerfs (Stag Island) off the east coast of Mauritius is a popular tourist haven, managed by the adjacent Touessrok Hotel, but open to the public. The island, featuring splendid tropical vegetation and encircled by magnificent beaches, can be...  see full details

La Vanille Reserve des Mascareigne

La Vanille Reserve des Mascareigne is nature reserve best known for its thousands of crocodiles and the giant tortoises, which they are helping re-introduce to the island of Rodrigues. Children can sit on the giant tortoises and watch the crocodiles being fed. The shop...  see full details

Moka

Those who enjoy seeking out some culture along with their sunshine holiday should visit the town of Moka, seven miles (12km) south of Port Louis, which is not only Mauritius' academic centre but also blessed with some beautiful scenery and impressive historic manor houses....  see full details

Souillac

This small seaside resort is sited along the rugged coast in the southern Savanne district. The appeal of Souillac lies in its scenery, as it is not a bathing spot. In striking contrast to the soft curves of the northern coastline, the high...  see full details
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