Port Louis
The Capital and main port of Mauritius, the city was founded by the French Governor, Mahé de Labordonnais, in 1735. The harbor is sheltered by a semicircle of mountains.
The city has plenty of character and, in some quarters, signs of its past elegance are still evident. Off the main square, the palm-lined Place d’Armes, there are some particularly fine French colonial buildings, especially Government House (built in 1738) and the Municipal Theater, built around the same time. There are two cathedrals, one Protestant and one Catholic, a fine Supreme Court Building,
some 18th-century barracks and the Natural History Museum (exhibiting Mauritius’s most famous bird, the extinct Dodo). On the outskirts of the city, at the foot of the mountains, is the Champ de Mars, originally laid out by the French for military parades, and now a racecourse.
The splendid Edward VII Avenue and Fort Adelaide, a citadel fortified in the time of William IV, offer the best views of the racecourse, city and harbor. South of Port Louis is Le Réduit, the French colonial residence of the President of Mauritius, set in magnificent gardens. Other places of interest include the Jummah Mosque in Royal Street and the Chinese Pagoda.
Excursions
The Domaine Les Pailles nature park nestling at the foot of the Moka mountain range covers an area of 3000 acres. Among the attractions are a natural spring, a spice garden, a replica of a sugar mill and an old rum distillery. Trips through the park in 4-wheel-drive vehicles, horse-drawn carriages or trains are also possible.
Northern and Western Mauritius
To the north of Port Louis are the Pamplemousses Gardens. These, created at the end of the 18th century, are known to naturalists throughout the world for their large collection of indigenous and exotic plants, including the giant Victoria regia water lilies and many species of palm trees. Of particular interest is the talipot palm, which is said to flower once, after 60 years, and then die. There are also tortoises here, some of them over 100 years old.
Facing the calm water of the lagoon between Pointe aux Piments and Trou aux Biches is the Aquarium populated by 200 species of fish, invertebrates, live coral and sponges, all originating from the waters around the island. An open-circuit seawater cycle of one million liters runs through the 36 tanks every day. The Aquarium offers a unique opportunity to admire the colorful treasures of the Indian Ocean.
The island’s main residential town in the west of the country, Curepipe, provides good shops and restaurants. Between Curepipe and Floreal lies Trou aux Cerfs, a dramatic, extinct crater 85m (280ft) deep and more than 180m (600ft) wide, which offers extensive views of the island from its rim.
Open daily, Casela Bird Park is set in the district of the Rivière Noire, stretches over 20 acres of land and contains more than 140 varieties, amounting to 2500 birds. Specimens from the five continents may be seen there, but the main attraction is the Mauritian Pink Pigeon, which is one of the rarest birds in the world. Other attractions are the fish ponds, tortoises, monkeys and orchids (seasonal). Trees, streams and small cascades all add to the remarkably peaceful atmosphere.
Rodrigues Island
Situated 550km (340 miles) northeast of Mauritius, this tiny, rugged, volcanic island is a beautiful and relaxing refuge for travelers. The island is covered in coconut palms, casuarina trees and pink-flowered bushes known as vieilles filles (spinsters). The capital, Port Mathurin is the main port of entry and the ‘Mauritius Pride’ sails regularly to and from Mauritius.
Southern Mauritius
Domaine des Grands Bois covers over 2000 acres of magnificent parkland, rich in lush and exotic fauna. Ebony, eucalyptus, palm trees and wild orchids provide the backdrop for stags, deer, monkeys and other wildlife.
Near Souillac, in the wild south, La Vanille Crocodile Park breeds Nile crocodiles imported from Madagascar. The site offers a vast park with a nature walk through luxuriant forest studded with freshwater springs. A small zoo of animals found in the wild in Mauritius is also located here.
Situated nearby, the Rochester Falls can be reached by a road which crosses a sugar plantation that is open to visitors.
Water cascades over spectacular rock formations. Spectacular joints have been formed by the contraction of lava due to sudden cooling. Within a short distance of Bois Cheri, Grand Bassin rests in the crater of an extinct volcano, this is one of the island’s two natural lakes. It is a place of pilgrimage for a large number of Mauritians of the Hindu faith.
To the southwest lies Plaine Champagne, the highest part of the central plateau (740m/2430ft), from where there is a superb view of the Rivière Noire Mountains and the sea lining the horizon. The forest-clad slopes contain some fine specimens of indigenous timber and interesting plants peculiar to the island. For the keen birdwatcher, the mountains are the habitat of most of the remaining indigenous species.
A twisting, tarred road leads from Case Noyale village to Chamarel. This is an area of undulating land of seven contrasting layers of colored dunes: blue, green, red and yellow earth, believed to be the result of weathering. The nearby Chamarel Waterfall emerges from the moors and the primeval vegetation and is very beautiful.
Beaches
Tamarin
Lying in the shadow of the Rivière Noire Mountains, Tamarin has a fine lagoon which is split in two by the Rivière Noire estuary. The bathing at this point is a big attraction, and amenities for surfing in the big ocean swells are available.
Grand Baie
The northern coastline beyond Baie du Tombeau has many delightful beaches: Pointe aux Piments, famous for its underwater scenery; Trou aux Biches, with its fringe of filaos (casuarina) and coconut palms and its splendid Hindu temple; further up the coast, Choisy, one of the most popular beaches on the island, offering facilities for safe bathing, sailing, windsurfing and water-skiing; finally, the coastline curves into Grand Baie itself, the main center for yachting, water-skiing, windsurfing and many other sports.
Péreybère
This delightful little cove is midway on the coast road between Grand Baie and Cap Malheureux. The deep, clear water makes it one of the very best bathing places on the whole island.
Cap Malheureux
This is a fishing village in the extreme north, with a magnificent view of Flat Island, Round Island and Gunner’s Quoin, which are islands of volcanic origin, rising from the light-green sea.
Grand Gaube
Further along the coast is another charming fishing village where fishermen have earned a well-deserved reputation for their skill in the making of sailing craft and of deep-sea fishing.
Roches Noires/Poste Lafayette
These are both favored seaside resorts, especially in the hotter months, because of the fresh prevailing winds that blow almost all the year round from the sea.
Belle Mare
A beautiful white sandy beach with fine bathing is found here. The coast, with its white sweep of sands at Palmar and Trou d’Eau Douce, stretches out lazily to Grand Port, a quaint little village by the sea. There, the beach narrows and the road follows the coastline closely to Mahébourg. Pointe d’Esny, the adjoining white sandy beach with its string of bungalows, leads to Blue Bay.
Blue Bay
In a semicircle of filao trees lies one of the finest bathing spots on the island. Situated on the southeast coast, not far from Mahébourg, Blue Bay offers a fine stretch of white sandy beach, and a deep, clear, light-blue bathing pool. There is also scope for yachting and windsurfing.
Mauritius:
Fishing:
Mauritius is a paradise for deep sea fishing. Species include the blue or black marlin, all types of sharks, yellow tuna, the Bonitos, the ‘emperor’, the ‘pélerin’, the ‘bécune’ or the barracuda.
Huge fishes like the Blue Marlin roam our seas and hunt around the island from November to April, and very often until May. The ocean is 70 metres deep one kilometre away from the coast. Mauritius holds several world fishing records (IGFA), including that of the mako shark of 1115 pounds, the blue shark of 400 pounds, a bonito of 41.5 pounds, a white tuna of 224 pounds and a ‘bécune’ of 125 pounds. African records (GFUA) mention a yellow tuna of 212 pounds and a white tuna of 224 pounds. Other specimens recently caught include blue marlins of 1430 and 1355 pounds. Fishing boats can be hired from almost all hotels. The most prestigious deep sea fishing competition is the Marlin World Cup which is hosted in December by La Pirogue Hotel.
