Mauritius Gem

Central Mauritius

Most of the population lives on the central plateau, six hundred metres up, where it is ten degrees cooler and rains more. Port Louis is on the coast below it. This is the part of the island with the history, the markets, the street food and the easy summit walk; it is also the part most visitors never see.

Port Louis, Mauritius
Photo: Sushil Dawka, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The places

  1. Port Louis, Mauritius

    01 · Centre

    Port Louis

    The capital: the Central Market, Chinatown, the Caudan waterfront, the racecourse and a working port. Half a day, on foot, then leave before the traffic.

    When
    May to October, when it is bearable; weekday mornings always
    Time
    Half a day

    Culture & historyMarketsFoodRainy days

  2. Aapravasi Ghat, Mauritius

    02 · Centre

    Aapravasi Ghat

    The immigration depot in Port Louis where half a million indentured labourers from India landed after slavery ended. A UNESCO World Heritage Site with a small, serious museum.

    When
    Any month, weekday mornings
    Time
    One hour

    Culture & historyFreeRainy days

  3. Le Pouce, Mauritius

    03 · Centre

    Le Pouce

    The thumb-shaped peak above Moka: a two-hour walk up a clear path to a summit with Port Louis, the north coast and Pieter Both in one turn of the head.

    When
    May to October, clear mornings
    Time
    Three hours

    HikesViewpointsFreeHidden gems

  4. Trou aux Cerfs, Mauritius

    04 · Centre

    Trou aux Cerfs

    A dormant volcano crater in the middle of Curepipe, with a road around the rim. Drive up, walk the rim, look down into the crater lake and out across the whole plateau.

    When
    Any month, before nine in the morning
    Time
    Thirty minutes

    ViewpointsFreeWith childrenRainy days

Questions people ask

Is Port Louis worth visiting?
For a morning, yes: the market, Chinatown for lunch, Aapravasi Ghat, the waterfront. Go on a weekday, go early, leave by mid-afternoon.