Must See

Port Louis

The country's capital and main port bustles as a commercial centre by day, but is rather quiet after sundown. Street names are a mixture of English and French, whilst the city's varied architecture bears testament to the main religious influences and the colonial past.

There are some nice mosques in the Muslim area around Muammar El Khadafi Square, some fine French-colonial buildings such as Government House atop the palm-lined Place d'Armes and a vibrant Chinatown district, full of the flavours and tasty aromas of the Orient.

The Natural History Museum is the place to go to learn about the sad fate of the hapless dodo, Mauritius's most famous bird. Tourists may also visit the Blue Penny Museum to see one of the world's rarest stamps.

Climbing the 812 m (2,664 ft) Le Pouce (The Thumb) can give visitors a spectacular 360-degree view of Port Louis and the north. It is an easy 2-hour climb from the village of La Laura, and takes another 2 hours to walk into Port Louis.

Tamarin

Surf the impressive two-metre waves created by big ocean swells off this coastal spot. Lying in the shadow of the Riviere Noire Mountains, the bathing here is also excellent, mostly besides the lagoon.

Pamplemousses Gardens

Known to naturalists the world over, these enchanting gardens created in the 18th century house an impressive collection of indigenous and exotic plants. One of them, the talipot palm, is said to flower just once every sixty years, and then dies. The gardens are also home to tortoises, some over 100 years old.

Mauritius Aquarium

Located in the north of the island, Mauritius aquarium is home to over 200 species of fish, live coral, invertebrates and sponges originating from the waters around the island. It also has a touch pool for children.

Grand Bassin

Visitors can follow the pilgrimage route to Grand Bassin, a sacred Hindu site and natural crater lake on Plaine Champagne. A 33-metre high Shiva statue stands at the entrance to the temples, which burst with colour, incense and people at festival time.

Mahébourg

The most characterful town on the island, Mahébourg, is located in the southeast of the island. Highlights include the National History Museum, which houses the bell from the shipwreck of Le San Geran that inspired Mauritius' most famous romantic legend, Paul & Virginie, along with rooms dedicated to the Dutch, French and British periods. Visitors can also head to the new waterfront for views across the bay of Grand Port (the site of the famous 1810 naval battle) to Lion Mountain.

The South

The untamed south coast has some very unusual rock formations, such as a natural rock bridge at Pont Naturel, the blowhole at Le Souffleur, and at the wild clifftop of Gris Gris, near Souillac, home to a rock shaped like a witch.

Rodrigues Island

This tiny, rugged, volcanic island, 550 km northeast of Mauritius, offers some superb scuba diving, kitesurfing and deep sea fishing. It's considered a relaxing refuge for travellers, many of whom journey here on the Mauritius Pride. The island is covered in coconut palms and pink-flowered hushes called vielles filles. The capital, Port Mathurin, is only seven streets wide, with a Creole population.