Activities
MAURITIUS – Sightseeing & Activities
Mauritius’ white-sand Indian Ocean beaches and fabulous watersports may incline you not to travel far from your oceanside resort. Fight that temptation! The island’s lush and often lofty interior, the buzz of its towns and villages and the quality of its many land activities all demand some time.
WHAT TO SEE
Port Louis
Mauritius’ busy little capital, set within an amphitheatre of mountains, is a place of character and slightly faded elegance. Named after the French Louis XV, it boasts some fine 18th century French buildings, two cathedrals, a mosque, museums and the fortified Fort Adelaide citadel with splendid views of the town, harbour and racecourse (yes, really! – it was once a French military parade ground). The swirling Central Market – best visited early – will provide a flavour of the island’s exotic ethnic and cultural pedigree. Another ‘must’ is Le Caudan Waterfront, a popular leisure spot.
Royal Botanical Gardens of Pamplemousses
Not far from Port Louis, the famous Pamplemousses Gardens have a fascinating history going back nearly three centuries. Heavy with the fragrance of fruit and spice trees, their 60 acres contain stately palms, ebony, mahogany, pandanus, a 200-years-old Buddha tree and a pool of beautiful Giant Amazon water lilies.
Chamarel
A twisting road in the south-west of the island takes you to the geological phenomenon of the ‘Seven Coloured Earths’ – an undulating mound of multi-coloured sand, created by the weathering of volcanic rocks. A scenic waterfall located amid jungle vegetation adds to the setting.
Black Gorges National Park
Definitely not to be missed, this beautiful Park fringed by coniferous trees and casuarinas is home to endangered species like the echo parakeet, rare trees like the tambalacoque (dodo) tree – and, of course, many monkeys and deer. Nature-lovers can walk for miles in the Black River Gorge itself. Not far away is Lake Bassin, a volcanic crater and holiest Hindu pilgrimage site on the island.
Casela Bird Park
Casela Bird Park is known to ornithologists around the world, and habitat of the world’s rarest pigeon, the pink pigeon.
Curepipe & Trou aux Cerfs
Curepipe is the place to come if you’re interested in model-ship building and/or shopping! If not, the views of the island from the ancient crater of Trou aux Cerfs are unbeatable and worth the climb. In this area are the Tamarind Falls – seven falls tumbling into a deep, quiet pool ideal for swimming.
Grand Baie
When it’s time to let your hair down and party into the night then the lively north coast beach resort area of Grand Baie is where you’ll want to be. Grand Baie has a host of bars, restaurants and hotels, which between them offer a pretty full programme of entertainment choices.
Moka
Moka lies in the picturesque surroundings of the lush Moka Range Mountains and waterfalls. The 19th century mansions of Le Reduit and Eureka House offer insights into Mauritius’ colonial history – and splendid views.
Mahebourg
A busy commercial centre and former colonial town set on a pretty bay where you can relax and sunbathe. The Naval Museum is a particular attraction, while nearby there are two beautiful nature reserves – the Ile aux Aigrettes and the Domaine du Chasseur.
WHAT TO DO
Sports
Without question Mauritius can offer you some of the Indian Ocean’s finest watersports facilities and conditions. Waterskiing, windsurfing, snorkelling, deep-sea or lagoon diving, surfing, sailing and more – name them and they’re probably here! A number are often included in resort packages. The island’s superb underwater landscapes and variety of fish and sea plants make diving highly popular – as is deep-sea fishing (for which Mauritius offers both high-quality equipment and catches of impressive size and variety). Ashore, sport-lovers can take their pick of most major land activities, including golf, tennis, quad-biking, horse riding and trekking. See also the At a Glance section for more information on scuba-diving and golf.
Bird-Watching
Though the only dodo to be seen in Mauritius these days (and a replica at that!) is in a Port Louis museum, the island offers really rewarding bird-watching, including rare endemic species like the echo parakeet and pink pigeon.
Horse-Racing
Mauritius’ historic Champ de Mars racecourse is one of the oldest race courses in the southern hemisphere. Racing is highly popular here – pulling regular crowds of 30,000 people every Saturday afternoon from May to September.
Shopping
You’ll find both traditional Mauritian Arts and Crafts (look out for those model ships!) products and branded luxury goods in shopping centres in towns and beach resorts alike. A number of attractively priced duty-free shops (for designer clothes, perfumes, jewellery and electronic items) and colourful local markets like those in Port Louis, Grand Baie and Quatre Bornes (where you can practice the national sport of bargaining) provide a complete shopping spectrum. Le Caudan Waterfront’s Arts & Crafts market is well worth a visit. Mauritius is a major textile producer and in factory outlets around the island cashmere sweaters and cardigans are often offered at irresistible prices.
Nightlife
Nightlife tends to focus around the beach resorts (especially the Grand Baie area, which has a host of bars and restaurants) and hotels, which between them offer a pretty full programme of entertainment choices. Mauritius’ traditional and infectious Sega dance features prominently, along with oriental dance performances. Some hotels also have their own casinos. In Port Louis Le Caudan Waterfront offers restaurants, a casino and two cinemas after dark – and you’ll also find casinos at Domaines les Pailles (Port Louis) and in Curepipe.
