Mauritius

Mark Twain once wrote that ‘Mauritius was made first and then heaven, heaven being copied after Mauritius’. For the most part, it’s true: Mauritius is rightly famed for its sapphire waters, powder-white beaches and luxury resorts. But there’s so much more attraction to Mauritius than the beach, and it's the kind of place that rewards even the smallest attempts at exploration. There’s hiking in the forested and mountainous interior and world-class diving and snorkelling offshore. There are boat trips to near-perfect islets and excursions to botanical gardens and colonial plantation houses. Mauritius is a fabulous culinary destination with great wildlife watching thrown in. And the real Mauritius away from the beach resorts – a hot curry of different cultures and quiet fishing villages – is never far away.

Explore Mauritius

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Mauritius.

  • Island

    Île aux Aigrettes

    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…

  • Museum

    National History Museum

    This terrific museum is one of Mauritius' best. It contains fascinating early maps of the island and Indian Ocean region, paintings from colonial times,…

  • Wildlife Reserve

    Vallée de Ferney

    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…

  • Museum

    Blue Penny Museum

    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…

  • Historic Building

    Eureka

    If you're only going to visit one attraction related to Mauritius' rich colonial history, choose Eureka. This perfectly preserved Creole mansion was built…

  • Wildlife Reserve

    François Leguat Reserve

    In 1691 François Leguat wrote that there were so many tortoises on Rodrigues that 'one can take more than a hundred steps on their shell without touching…

  • Shrine

    Père Laval's Shrine

    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…

  • Forest

    Ebony Forest of Chamarel

    One of the most exciting conservation initiatives in Mauritius in the last few years, the Ebony Forest seeks to recreate a small pocket of indigenous…

  • Historic Building

    St Aubin

    St Aubin is an elegant plantation house that dates back to 1819; it originally sat alongside the factory but was moved in the 1970s so that its owner…

  • Beach

    Tamarin Beach

    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,…

  • Wildlife Reserve

    Blue Bay Marine Park

    In an effort to protect the area's rich underwater forest of rare corals from encroaching development, the government has given Blue Bay 'marine park'…

  • Market

    Monday Market

    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…

  • Historic Building

    Château Labourdonnais

    One of the loveliest examples of colonial architecture on the island, restored Château Labourdonnais was completed in 1859. Built in teak and sporting an…

  • Museum

    Rhumerie de Chamarel

    Set among the vast hillside plantations of Chamarel, the rhumerie is a working distillery that doubles as a museum showcasing the rum-making process. The…

  • Museum

    Curious Corner of Chamarel

    This eclectic place is utterly unlike anywhere else on the island. Essentially an interactive gallery of illusions and art, it has an upside-down room, a…

  • Gallery

    Victoria 1840

    Worth a look, Victoria 1840 is an old sugar mill that has been lovingly refurbished to house some of the works of Yvette Maniglier, a bewitching French…

  • Market

    Saturday Market

    The Saturday market is as busy as Rodrigues gets and it's the best place on the island to shop for fresh produce and souvenirs. It's open the rest of the…

  • Beach

    Trou d'Argent

    One of the loveliest cove beaches anywhere in the Indian Ocean, this isolated spot, enclosed by low cliffs, is accessible only on foot on the coastal…

  • Market

    Central Market

    Port Louis' rightly famous Central Market, the centre of the local economy since Victorian times, is a good place to get a feel for local life, watch the…

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Mauritius.

  • Activities

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