What to See in Mauritius

By | July 18, 2022

Port Louis is the capital of the country and its main port. The city was founded in 1735 by the French on the northeast coast of the island of Mauritius. On one side of the city lies a picturesque bay, and on the other, mountains rise. There are 4 forts in Port Louis, which were left behind by the European colonizers. The most popular and better preserved of these is Fort Adelaide. It was built by the British in 1835. Nowadays, colorful performances are held here and it is used as an observation deck.

According to Top-mba-universities, the center of Port Louis is Place des Arms, which is surrounded by rows of palm trees. Here are the main buildings of the city, which were built in the colonial style. it Government Palace (1738), Houses of Parliament, City Theater (1822), Catholic and Protestant churches and the National Museum. The city also has an interesting Muslim quarter on Muammar El Hadafi Square and Chinatown on Royal Street. Chinatown is home to the Jumma Mosque, which was built in the late 19th century, and the Pagoda. Be sure to go to the City Market, where you can find a wide variety of souvenirs, as well as exotic fruits and vegetables. Next to the market is the Natural History Museum., where a stuffed animal of the strangest representative of the pigeon species is exhibited – the dodo, which was exterminated by man in the 17th century.

In the northeast of the city is the tomb of Per Laval, who converted about 100,000 Mauritians to Catholicism. At the top of his tomb is a painted plaster statue of him. Pilgrims believe that this statue has a certain power and come here to touch it. In Port Louis, you can stroll along the promenade, along which there are many restaurants, cafes, bars, cinemas, duty-free shops and casinos. The center of the city’s nightlife is considered to be the nearby Le Caudan area. Worth a visit around Port Louis cultural center Domaine le Paille, where the life of the first colonists is reconstructed. It covers an area of 12 sq. km. There is an old sugar factory, an old water treatment plant and an 18th century train, all preserved in their original form. Also in this place you can go horseback riding, you can get acquainted with the technology of rum production and visit the spicy gardens.

11 km northeast of Port Louis in the village of Pamplemousses are the Botanical Gardens with an incredible collection of exotic and rare plants. Also between the city of Point-au-Piments and Trou-au-Beach is the Aquarium, which holds 1 million liters of water. It features over 200 species of native fish, corals, sponges and invertebrates.

12 km south Port Louis is the city of Moka. It is considered the cultural capital of the island. It is home to the University of Mauritius and the Mahatma Gandhi Institute. Among the sights of the city, one can single out the former mansion of the governor of Le Redute with chic gardens and Eurek’s House, which today houses a museum dedicated to music, art, cartography, Chinese and Indian life. The Moka area is popular for hiking.

The city of Curepipe is located in the central elevated part of the island. It was founded during the malaria epidemic, when residents moved from coastal areas to inland. Curepipe’s main street – Elisabeth street. On it stands the restored City House, which is now occupied by the Municipality. Worth a look at King’s College, reminiscent of the architecture of the facade of Buckingham Palace, City Hall and visit the Library, where there are interesting manuscripts related to the history of the Mascarene Islands. Curepipe is good for shopping because there are many souvenir shops and duty free shops.

To the west of the city center are the Curepipe Botanical Gardens, with many hiking trails. To the north of the Botanical Gardens, you can see the crater of the Trou aux Cerfs volcano.. The volcano has not erupted for a long time, its slopes are covered with forest. A few kilometers southwest of Curepipe are waterfalls Tamarin, consisting of 7 streams of water that bring down their waters into a small lake. Not far from here is the largest National Park of the island – Black RiverNational Park.

Maheburg is the second most important port of the island after the capital of the country. It is located on the southeast coast of Mauritius. In the days when the French lived here, Maheburg was the capital of the island.

The Lion Mountain rises above the city bay, the outlines of which really resemble this animal. In Maheburg, the Museum of the History of the Navy is interesting, the building of which was built back in 1771, and the Church of Notre-Dame-des-Anges. Not far from the city, the ruins of ancient European fortifications have been preserved, for example, the remaining ruins of the Dutch fort Frederik Hendrick. From Maheburg you can go to the Crocodile Park, where the Nile crocodiles live, and to the largest sugar factory on the island.

What to See in Mauritius