Towns and cities
Flic en Flac
Situated in the west of Mauritius, Flic en Flac is a popular destination among tourists. Locals also enjoy the 8 km long beach at weekends, having their picnics in the shade of the trees. Different restaurants along the beach offer all kinds of food at different price levels.
Delicious Italian food is served at “Chez Pépé”. This family-run restaurant opened in 2003 and can be found on the Coastal Road. Its speciality is pizza from the wood-fired oven.
Business hours: Wednesday to Monday 11:30 am – 3 pm and 5:30 – 9:30 pm; closed on Tuesday
Tel: +230 453 9383
Website: chezpepe.mu
Google Maps: Chez Pépé
For a sweet break, try “Gelato Heaven” at the corner of Balisage Road and Avenue des Kestrels, close to the beach. It serves creamy gelato, fruity sorbets and cakes.
Opening hours: every day 12 noon – 11 pm
Google Maps: Gelato Heaven
If you would like to spend your holiday in Flic en Flac, an apartment is a good choice: these apartment houses are often maintained to a high standard and tastefully decorated. If you want more luxury, go further south to Wolmar. Flic en Flac and Wolmar have “grown together”, so you can hardly speak of two different places. Several luxury hotels have settled here and promise an extravagant holiday.
Shopping: There is a Carrefour City supermarket in the Pasadena shopping centre on the Coastal Road. Along this road, several souvenir shops sell textiles, postcards and more.
Carrefour City, Pasadena
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 8 am – 8 pm, Friday and Saturday 8 am – 9 pm, Sunday 8 am – 8 pm
Google Maps: Carrefour City
Bank: You will find an MCB (Mauritius Commercial Bank) at Pasadena Village on the Coastal Road. The current opening hours and all other MCB locations are listed on mcb.mu.
Recommended restaurant
Dining in a wonderful atmosphere is possible at Domaine Anna. The fine-dining restaurant has been welcoming guests since December 2002. You can sit in the main restaurant, on the veranda or in the garden, in little kiosks above the ponds. On Friday and Saturday evenings local artists play live music.
Open Tuesday to Sunday: 11:30 am – 2:30 pm and 6:30 pm – 10:30 pm; closed on Monday
Tel: +230 453 9650
Google Maps: Domaine Anna
Port Louis
Port Louis is the capital of Mauritius and at the same time its economic centre.
With approximately 106,000 inhabitants, Port Louis is the island’s biggest city. Many Mauritians from the suburbs and surrounding villages come to work in the capital every day, which explains the heavy traffic. Port Louis is not a classically “beautiful” city with a lot of sights, but it is still worth a visit to get to know Mauritian culture and the daily life of many Mauritians.
A special attraction in Port Louis is the race-course of the Mauritius Turf Club at the Champ de Mars. Founded in 1812, the club is believed to be the oldest horse racing club in the Southern Hemisphere, and its race days attract numerous locals as well as tourists. The season runs from April until early December, with races on Saturdays and some Sundays.
While some people drink sparkling wine in elegant suits and dresses in the lounges (the Members’ Lounge is only for the guests of members), most visitors look for a place in the general stands or the inner field of the race-course. A ticket for the general stand costs Rs 300 for men on a normal race day and Rs 500 on a classic race day; women pay nothing (Rs 200 on classic days) and children get in free. As soon as the jockeys come into view, the atmosphere gets tense, and after the starting signal people jump around, cheering and shouting, depending on how their horse is doing. If you get hungry or thirsty during the races, you will find all sorts of snacks in the inner field of the race-course. It almost feels like a fair.
Most visitors to Port Louis are drawn to the Waterfront, where a huge, elegant shopping centre (Caudan Waterfront) was built right at the water. Fancy designer boutiques as well as hip surf shops sell their goods in a very western environment, and various cafés and restaurants offer a view of the harbour. By the way, a drawing of the waterfront is printed on the 50-rupee banknote.
Walk a few metres towards the centre and you will experience the total contrast: the Central Market is full of activity. In a heritage-protected hall, many different vegetables and fruits are sold, and next to it are more halls with meat and poultry. Just watch your bags, because pickpockets like this place too.
Central Market
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 5 am – 4:30 pm, Sunday 5 am – 11:30 am
Google Maps: Central Market
Going further into the city centre, in the direction of Chinatown, you are surrounded by contrasts: huge buildings like the Air Mauritius Centre on the one side, small semi-derelict houses on the other. Still, Port Louis has its own charm. You will always find someone who patiently explains the way (often better than trying to find your bearings with confusing or wrong maps) or helps you out of a small car park. The Mauritian readiness to help is really impressive.
If you are looking for a place to take a break and relax, head for the Company Garden (near Government House in the west), a little green oasis amid the noisy, busy traffic. Try one of the numerous snacks that are offered almost everywhere in Mauritius, including near the Company Garden. Don’t miss the delicious samosas, small triangular pastries stuffed with meat or vegetables.
Company Garden
Opening hours: every day 6 am – 5 pm
Google Maps: Company Garden
Parking: There is a car park next to the Waterfront. Unfortunately the signs are very small. If you come from the south on the motorway, you reach a roundabout where you can choose between City Centre, the North and so on; you need to go left to find the car park. The car parks are open from 5 am to midnight. The uncovered ones cost Rs 80 for the first four hours and are free from 5 pm on weekdays, from 12:30 pm on Saturdays and all day on Sundays and public holidays (caudan.com). Bus and Metro Express stations are close to the Waterfront as well.
Bus: You can reach Port Louis from almost every place on the island. The bus terminal is quite central, so the sights are within walking distance. The Metro Express light rail also links Port Louis with Rose Hill, Quatre Bornes and Curepipe.
Quatre Bornes
Quatre Bornes, with a population of about 67,000, is one of the largest towns in Mauritius. It lies inland, about 15 km southwest of the capital Port Louis and 35 km from the airport. The urban centre of the island consists of five towns: Rose Hill, Beau Bassin, Quatre Bornes, Vacoas and Curepipe. Even though they flow into each other, each of them is an individual town with its own flair and history.
Quatre Bornes is especially nicely situated. Surrounded by green mountains, it offers beautiful views, which is probably one reason why it became one of the most affluent residential areas of Mauritius.
Quatre Bornes translates as “the four borders”. It is more often called the “city of flowers”, though, because of its many plants and parks.
The town is situated in such a way that you can hardly avoid passing through it during your stay in Mauritius. If you are in the area anyway, here are a few tips and ideas of what you can do in Quatre Bornes.
The main street of Quatre Bornes is full of shopping opportunities, with one boutique after the other. You can find clothes, shoes, bags, cosmetics, DVDs and books, as well as banks, pharmacies and much more.
There is also the famous market of Quatre Bornes. On Wednesday and Saturday a very nice fruit and vegetable market is set up. On Thursday and Sunday you can discover a huge clothing market with very cheap clothes and especially fabrics, jewellery and accessories, although a lot of junk is on sale there as well. On the remaining days there is a smaller market where articles of all kinds are sold. The marketplace is just opposite the bus station and can’t be missed.
Quatre Bornes Market
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 8 am – 5 pm, closed on Monday
Google Maps: Quatre Bornes Market
About five minutes’ walk away is the shopping centre “Orchard Center”. You will also find many clothes shops there, as well as several electrical shops and a Winners supermarket.
Orchard Center
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 10 am – 6 pm, Sunday 10 am – 1 pm
Google Maps: Orchard Center
If you want to go out for dinner in Quatre Bornes, there are countless possibilities. On the main road you will find a number of different restaurants, fast food shops and snack bars. Here is a tip for a very delicious snack in between: if you walk from the main bus station towards the Orchard Center and pass it, you will find “La Marmite Divine” after 10 minutes on your right-hand side. It is a small shop that serves only vegetarian cuisine, with a variety of excellently prepared Mauritian snacks and sweets. You will recognise it by a large sign with red letters saying “100% Végétarienne cuisine”.
La Marmite Divine
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 7 am – 5 pm, Sunday 7:30 am – 2 pm
Google Maps: La Marmite Divine
Getting there: Quatre Bornes is easy to reach by bus. There are direct buses from Flic en Flac, Tamarin, Port Louis and the surrounding towns, and the Metro Express stops at Quatre Bornes Central.
During rush hour, avoid crossing Quatre Bornes by car or by bus; otherwise you will wait a long time in a traffic jam.
Rose Hill
Rose Hill is a commercial town and the third largest in Mauritius. The Plaza is more or less the centre of this busy town. Most of the shops are around this area, as are the town hall, the library and a theatre.
Rose Hill grew quickly in the 19th century, when a malaria epidemic spread through the capital Port Louis in 1867. Many people moved to the Plaines Wilhems area, where Rose Hill and Beau Bassin are located, because the cooler climate keeps the mosquitoes away. Rose Hill and Beau Bassin have since grown into one big urban complex: the two towns merge into each other and are mostly mentioned together.
Rose Hill is especially known for its good shopping. One of the most famous shopping centres is Les Galeries Evershine in the commercial complex, with several floors of shops. There you can find a wide choice of clothes, shoes, jewellery, decoration, souvenirs and much more.
Les Galeries Evershine
Opening hours: Monday to Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 9 am – 6 pm; Thursday and Sunday 9 am – 2 pm
Google Maps: Les Galeries Evershine
Good to know: all the shops in Rose Hill are open only half days on Thursday.
Rose Hill also has a wonderful fruit and vegetable market as well as a clothing market, close to the main bus stop.
Rose Hill Market
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 6 am – 6 pm, Sunday 6 am – 12 noon
Google Maps: Rose Hill Market
If you want to have a nice suit tailored in Mauritius, which is very cheap on the island, Rose Hill is the right place. You can buy very cheap, high-quality textiles either at the market or in a textile shop like Jetha Tulsidas, a specialist for Indian clothes and saris, on the Royal Road.
Jetha Tulsidas
Opening hours: Monday to Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 9:15 am – 5:30 pm; Thursday 9:15 am – 2:30 pm; Sunday 9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Google Maps: Jetha Tulsidas
Don’t miss spending one day of your holiday in Rose Hill, an interesting and original town where you will dive into the typical city life of Mauritius.
Getting there by car: From Port Louis, you will pass a junction on the main road between Port Louis and Flic en Flac where you have to turn left. Rose Hill is already signposted at the junction. Follow this street until you reach a T-junction, where you turn right. This road leads directly to the centre of Rose Hill.
From Quatre Bornes, follow the highway in the direction of Port Louis. A few minutes after Quatre Bornes you will find a sign to Rose Hill/Beau Bassin.
Getting there by bus: Rose Hill is easy to reach by bus. Different buses run from Port Louis and Quatre Bornes. The Metro Express also stops at Rose Hill Central.
Beau Bassin
Beau Bassin and Rose Hill form one urban complex, and the two commercial towns merge into each other. Rose Hill is more of a shopping paradise, whereas Beau Bassin is better for walking around and exploring a town with some beautiful places. In both Beau Bassin and Rose Hill you can experience the typical city life of Mauritius perfectly.
The name Beau Bassin can be translated as “the beautiful basin” or “the beautiful valley”. After you have visited the gorgeous places of Beau Bassin, you will know where the name comes from. You should definitely visit the View Point Cascadelle, which offers a perfect view over the valley of this area, all the way to the coast. Another nice place that should not be missed is the Balfour Garden, a pleasant public garden.
Balfour Garden
Opening hours: every day 5 am – 8 pm
Google Maps: Balfour Garden
Beau Bassin is very well known for its pleasant climate. A fresh, chilly wind from the direction of Moka mixes with the warm, sunny climate from the west coast. The nice temperatures are one reason for the many flowers and fruits available in the Beau Bassin area.
Getting there by car: Take the same route as to Rose Hill. From Port Louis, you will pass a junction on the main road between Port Louis and Flic en Flac where you have to turn left. Rose Hill/Beau Bassin is already signposted at the junction. Follow this street until you reach a T-junction, where you turn left. This road leads directly to the centre of Beau Bassin.
From Quatre Bornes, follow the highway in the direction of Port Louis. A few minutes after Quatre Bornes you will find a sign to Rose Hill/Beau Bassin.
Getting there by bus: Beau Bassin is easy to reach by bus. Different buses run from Port Louis and Quatre Bornes.
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Curepipe
As the highest of the island’s larger towns, Curepipe has more to offer than the famous volcanic crater Trou aux Cerfs. After some days at the beach it can be very refreshing to spend some time in the highlands, but don’t forget to bring an umbrella, as it rains quite often. Because of the mild climate, many Mauritians who work in Port Louis choose to live in Curepipe.
The historic centre lies between the town hall, the central market and the church of Ste. Thérèse. The Townhall Gardens are situated between the North Bus Station and the South Bus Station. They could be considered a nice but not very special park if it were not for the famous statue of Paul and Virginie. This love drama, which takes place in Mauritius, is comparable to Romeo and Juliet in terms of how famous it is in France and Mauritius. As there are so many statues and stories about the couple, some people seem to think that the drama really happened.
From the park you can see the award-winning building of the central market on one side. On the other side is the town hall, L’Hôtel de Ville, which was built in colonial-Creole style in 1902. The story of its construction is a very special one: Curepipe’s citizens wanted a new house for festivals. As the mayor really liked the house “La Malmaison de Moka”, it was dismantled, brought to Curepipe and rebuilt there piece by piece.
Curepipe Central Market
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 6:30 am – 6 pm, Sunday 6:30 am – 12:30 pm
Google Maps: Curepipe Central Market
A few metres from the town hall, in front of the Carnegie library, you can see the statue of a very famous Mauritian: Sir Gaetan Duval. His face might be familiar to you, as it appears on the 1000-rupee note. On the opposite side of the road you can see the splendid church of Ste. Thérèse d’Avila. Also well worth seeing is the Catholic basilica of Ste. Hélène, at the northern end of the Royal Road. This church combines Celtic, Romanesque and oriental elements.
Around the Royal Road there are many little shops, and it can be really fun to look around, because these are the shops for the locals. Instead of a plush dodo, you can buy, for example, special Indian fabrics. A good place for shopping is the Curimjee Arcades, at the corner of Sir Winston Churchill Street and Royal Road. Many little shops there sell small furnishings, Chinese specialities and clothes.
About 5 minutes’ drive from the centre is the Botanical Garden. It cannot be compared to the Botanical Garden in Pamplemousses, because it is more like a municipal park. If you look closely, you might find some banana trees, paper trees and hidden little ponds, and when it is raining you can drive your car through the park.
Grand Baie
Grand Baie is always busy, and its nightlife is worth a try as well. In the north of the island, a lot of shops and boutiques have gathered to make a perfect shopping paradise. At Sunset Boulevard, the shopping mall at the bay, you will find boutiques as well as stylish surf shops offering everything that guarantees a holiday feeling.
Groceries and everything else can be found at Super U. This supermarket is on your right if you enter Grand Baie from the inland. There are also several shops and fast food restaurants around the supermarket.
Super U
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 9 am – 8:30 pm, Sunday 9 am – 3 pm
Google Maps: Super U
Of course, it is the bay that gives Grand Baie its name and its fame. Just have a coffee at Sunset Boulevard and enjoy the view of the boats and catamarans at anchor. If you prefer sports, you can choose between numerous water sports: diving, boat trips, underwater walks, sailing, deep-sea fishing, submarine trips … you are spoilt for choice. Many activities are offered by hotels but are usually available to everyone.
Mahébourg
In the south-east, near the airport, you will find this dreamy town.
The National History Museum is housed in a colonial building right at the beginning of the town, on the left side. It is closed for renovation (since December 2025), so check before you plan a visit. Nearby you can visit the Frederik Hendrik Museum at Vieux Grand Port. It stands on the historic site of the Dutch Fort Frederik Hendrik, where you can see the French lodge, prison, bakery and blacksmith’s workshop that were built on its ruins. Entrance is free.
Frederik Hendrik Museum
Opening hours: Mon, Tue, Thu–Sat 9:00 am – 4:00 pm; Wed 11:00 am – 4:00 pm; Sun 9:00 am – 12:00 noon; closed on public holidays
Tel: +230 634 4319
Google Maps: Frederik Hendrik Museum
Source: Mauritius Museums Council
Following the main road, you will pass a Catholic church on the right. “Notre Dame des Anges” is usually open to visitors, and you can have a look at the colourful stained-glass windows.
If you go further down the main road and turn right, you will head towards the market. People sell vegetables, fruit, garments, snacks and more there. The setting, with a nice view of the Indian Ocean, is beautiful as well. It is better not to come on Thursday afternoons, because then all the shops and stands are closed.
Mahébourg Market
Google Maps: Mahébourg Market
A nice photo opportunity is the Cavendish Bridge at the town limit of Mahébourg.
Trou aux Biches
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Trou aux Biches is situated south of Mon Choisy. Just enjoy nature by taking a long walk on the beach. Of course, you can also go snorkelling or swimming. Despite a few small hotels and apartments, Trou aux Biches has remained a relaxed place. In the centre you will find some restaurants and shops. You can also do all kinds of sports, such as golf, tennis and deep-sea fishing.
Tamarin
Tamarin is located on the west coast of the island, south of Flic en Flac. It is known for its salt production. The place was ideal because rainfall is rare and seawater could be led into shallow basins to evaporate. Salt has been obtained this way since the French colonial era, but the big salt pans along the main road have largely stopped working.
Tamarin Bay (Baie du Tamarin) is especially famous among surfers. Here the waves are not slowed down by a reef. June and July are said to be the best months for surfing, but you can’t really rely on the Indian Ocean: sometimes there are calm periods for weeks.
Golfers will like the Tamarina Golf Club. The 18-hole championship course was inaugurated in 2006 and offers a view of the Rempart Mountain and Tamarin Bay. Tel: +230 401 3006.
Tamarina Golf Club
Opening hours: every day 7 am – 6:30 pm
Google Maps: Tamarina Golf Club
You will probably see the “Montagne du Rempart”. Even though its height is just 545 m, it is called the “Matterhorn of the South” because of its silhouette. The vertical rock face can only be climbed by experienced climbers.
At the foot of the mountain you will find several beautiful villas and apartments.