Located on the far side of the citadel, Plaine Verte is the Muslim quarter of the city and strongly contrasts with the glass towers in central Port Louis. Very little care is given to the area's facades – construction materials (usually concrete) are always left exposed – which gives the neighbourhood a certain dilapidated feel despite the lively bustle. After snooping around some of the alleyways for tucked-away bakeries, make your way to the vibrant fabric shops lining Papillon Street.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
22.9 MILES
This popular ecotourism destination is a 26-hectare nature reserve on an island roughly 800m off the coast. It preserves very rare remnants of the coastal…
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Gardens
5.52 MILES
After London's Kew Gardens, the SSR Gardens is one of the world's best botanical gardens. It's among the most popular tourist attractions in Mauritius and…
18.64 MILES
Protecting a 400-year-old forest, this reserve is an important habitat for the Mauritius kestrel, one of the world's most endangered raptors, and a visit…
1.06 MILES
Although dedicated to the world-famous Mauritian one-penny and two-pence stamps of 1847, the Blue Penny Museum is far more wide-ranging than its name…
4.09 MILES
If you're only going to visit one attraction related to Mauritius' rich colonial history, choose Eureka. This perfectly preserved Creole mansion was built…
1.33 MILES
The shrine of French Catholic priest and missionary Père Jacques-Désiré Laval is something of a Lourdes of the Indian Ocean, with many miracles attributed…
14.44 MILES
Locals like to wax nostalgic about Tamarin Beach and its surfing heyday, and in many ways this sandy cove still feels like a throwback to earlier times,…
21.09 MILES
Don't miss the central foire de Mahébourg, near the waterfront. The initial focus was silks and other textiles, but these days you'll find a busy produce…
Nearby Port Louis attractions
1. SSR Memorial Centre for Culture
0.28 MILES
This simple house museum near the Jardin Plaine Verte was home to Mauritius' father of independence, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, from 1935 until 1968. It's…
0.32 MILES
Fort Adelaide resembles a Moorish fortress. Built by the British, the fort sits high on the crown of a hill, offering splendid views over the city and its…
0.39 MILES
One of Mauritius' premier art institutions, this fine space is designed to increase local exposure to high-quality art, with four temporary exhibitions…
0.48 MILES
The Chinese have traditionally occupied an important position in the life of Port Louis, and the area between the two 'friendship gates' on Royal St forms…
0.56 MILES
The slightly austere St Louis Cathedral dates from 1932 and is popular with the Chinese community.
0.58 MILES
This racecourse was a military training ground until the Mauritius Turf Club was founded in 1812, making it the second-oldest racecourse in the world…
0.58 MILES
The Jummah Mosque, the most important mosque in Mauritius, was built in the 1850s and is a striking blend of Indian, Creole and Islamic architecture – it…
0.63 MILES
This statue of King Edward VII within the grounds of Champ de Mars Racecourse was created by sculptor Prosper d'Épinay.