Mauritius, the paradise island in Africa. With bright white beaches, an azure sea and beautiful mountains scattered throughout the island, it is a fantastic vacation destination. Whether you want to soak up the sun on the beach, go on an adventure while snorkeling along the reef or climb mountains, it’s all possible. Below you can read our tips for the things to do in Mauritius with the 16 best activities.
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The highlights of Mauritius
1. Bucket list experience in Mauritius: fly in a helicopter over an underwater waterfall
The number one activity in Mauritius is definitely this helicopter flight. To see the beautiful island from above and at the same time witness one of the most extraordinary natural spectacles is fantastic. In fact, the underwater waterfall is an optical illusion: due to the formation of the reef and the underwater currents that move the sand, it looks like a waterfall but this is not really so.
Nevertheless, it is a beautiful picture to look at and a helicopter or seaplane flight is well worth it. The hope is that you have good weather, though: only in rainstorms or high winds are the helicopters cancelled.
2. Black River Gorges National Park
When talking about the things to do in Mauritius, a visit to the Black River Gorges National Park should not be missed. The beautiful flora and fauna, insane viewpoints and wonderful hikes make it a must do activity in Mauritius. There is an awful lot to see and do in the Black River Gorges National Park so be sure to set aside a day for it.
The most fun is to rent a scooter and spend a day cruising around through the forests and over the mountains. Not a hero on a scooter? Then you can also rent a car, or book a tour that takes you by cab to all the beautiful places. You will then have a little less freedom to stop anywhere for as long as you like. We have written an extensive blog with much more information about the Black River Gorges National Park.
Stops for viewing in Black River Gorges National Park:
- Sophie Nature Walk
- Tamarin Falls
- 7 colored hills
- Alexandra Falls
- Cascade 500 Pieds
- Gorges Viewpoint
- Ganga Talao (Hindu temple)
3. Admire the beautiful underwater world of Mauritius
The clear blue sea already looks inviting from the plane. As far as we are concerned, you should take a boat trip at least once during your vacation in Mauritius to enjoy all its beauty. You snorkel in the most beautiful places where you will see reefs, fish and with some luck even turtles. You dock at small uninhabited islands where the sand is snow white and you feel like you are in paradise.
From anywhere in Mauritius you can do and book these boat tours. We ourselves went on boat tours from Le Morne, Flic en Flac and Grand Baie and every tour was beautiful and had something nice to offer. The one we liked the most was the ecological private tour where you could snorkel with dolphins.
You sometimes need to book the boat tours 2 or 3 days in advance during the high season. Keep this in mind in your planning. We found it convenient to book the boat tours through GetYourGuide so you can clearly see the schedule of the tour and read reviews from other travelers. This way you can better choose which tour and organization you want to go for than if you just walk in somewhere. The price was also the same, as far as we could tell, both online through GetYourGuide and at the tour operators themselves.
4. On adventure in Mauritius, climb Mount Le Morne Brabant
One of the top things to do in Mauritius? Climb a mountain! Mount Le Morne Brabant in southwestern Mauritius is not to be missed. The hike to the top is tough, very tough. But the view at the top makes up for a lot.
Until viewpoint 1 (this takes about an hour) you are already hiking quite tiring and you feel the heat because of the humidity. After viewpoint 1 you climb with your hands and feet and it gets more and more technical. This section is only recommended if you have experience with technical, difficult hikes, because you can’t hold on to anything. In the extensive blog on hiking Le Morne Brabant, we show you the whole route, what to bring and why this is such a cool hike in Mauritius.
5. Activities in Chamarel, Mauritius
In the southwest of Mauritius is Chamarel, a nature reserve known for the 7 colored earth and several fun activities. It is recommended that you set aside a half-day for the activities in Chamarel, which we describe further below.
6. Chamarel 7 coloured Earth
A real tourist attraction is the 7 colored earth environment in Chamarel, in southwest Mauritius. A chemical weathering of volcanic rock has caused the earth here to split into all sorts of different unusual colors.
We had very low expectations for this place beforehand but in the end we thought it was a lot of fun to have seen. This was also because of the giant land turtles that are kept in the park, which is really special if you have never seen this before. Admission to the Chamarel 7 coloured Earth costs 650 Mauritian rupees (€13) and with this you can also visit the Chamarel waterfall. You can buy a ticket in advance online or directly before entering the park.
7. The Chamarel Waterfall
What also makes the park special is the beautiful Chamarel waterfall located near the 7 coloured earth. It is a spectacle to watch this 100-meter high waterfall drop a constant stream of water. There are also a few signs at the lookout points to inform you about the origin of the waterfall and some interesting facts.
8. Lavilleon Adventure Park
The last activity you can do at Chamarel is the Lavilleon Adventure Park. In this adventure park you can zipline, walk a via ferrata, do archery and beautiful hiking. To get to the adventure park you have to drive on the access road for the 7 coloured earth. If you indicate at the entrance that you need to go for the adventure park, you do not need to buy an entrance ticket for the 7 coloured earth. You can then pay at the adventure park for the activities you want to do. More information can be found on the website: https://www.lavilleonadventurepark.com/
9. Relax for a day at a luxury resort
Had enough of all the activities in Mauritius for a while? Then go for a day of ultimate relaxation at a luxury resort. Many resorts in Mauritius offer access for day guests. You pay +/- €70 per person and for that money you can spend the whole afternoon at the resort, lie by the pool and have unlimited drinks and lunch from the buffet. We did this one day at Alma in Belle Mare and this was so much fun!
Through this website you can compare all the resorts, see prices and availability. We ended up not booking through that website, but directly with the resort because it was cheaper there. But it is helpful to get a list of resorts that offer this at all with this website.
10. Hiking at Le Pouce
Near the capital of Mauritius Port Louis you will find Mount Le Pouce. You can hike beautifully here and from the mountain you have an insane view of the city and the sea. Only go hiking at Le Pouce in Mauritius if it is dry (for more than 24 hours). Otherwise it becomes slippery and slippery and this is very dangerous.
11. Tamarind Falls ~ 7 waterfall hike
Another cool hike in Mauritius is the Tamarind Falls hike where you can hike to 7 waterfalls. It is a tough hike with quite a bit of climbing and scrambling through the jungle. Also, the route is not always clear, so keep the Alltrails app handy so you can follow the route on your phone.
When you drive up to the starting point there are many locals standing along the side saying you need a guide. Don’t be fooled because it is not necessary as long as you follow the Alltrails route and see people walking around you. However, it can be a lot more fun and enjoyable if you have a guide with you, who takes nice pictures, tells fun things about the route and Mauritius and makes sure you are always walking correctly. It is best to judge for yourself if you would like a guide during this 2 to 4 hour hike.
12. Visit the capital city of Port Louis
Do you have time to spare in Mauritius? Then it might be interesting to visit the capital Port Louis. It is certainly not a must do as far as we are concerned, but on a less beautiful day it can be fun.
In Port Louis there is a nice daily local market (the Central Market), where it is incredibly busy and you can see the daily life of Mauritians very well. In addition, the Waterfront is a nice place to browse the nice boutique shops. We bought nice (dodo) souvenirs and beautiful jewelry here. Finally, there are a few museums in Port Louis that are interesting to visit and Fort Adelaide is an impressive sight.
13. Don’t go to the Casela Zoo
One thing you should definitely not do in Mauritius is visit the Casela Zoo. On posters you will see the slogan ‘as wild as life gets’ with tourists posing next to drugged lions in the photo. There is of course nothing ‘wild’ about this, this is just incredibly harmful and animal cruelty.
Therefore, do not visit Casela during your trip to Mauritius so that you do not perpetuate this. The animals are confined in incredibly small cages and thus are also drugged so that tourists can take photos with them.
14. Enjoy the beautiful beaches in Mauritius naturally
If you are talking about things to do in Mauritius, of course the beaches cannot be missed. From every spot on the island you can find nice beaches, some more beautiful than others. Our favorite places for beaches in Mauritius are: Le Morne, Grand Baie, Trou Aux Biches and Belle Mare.
15. The food in Mauritius
The food in Mauritius is amazingly delicious. This is due to the surprising combination of French and Indian cuisine. Because of the French influences, you can find many good bakeries with fresh croissants and baguettes. In the supermarket you will also find good French cheeses that taste even better on such a fresh baguette.
So in addition, there are also many Indian influences in Mauritius that make for incredibly delicious dining. In every village or town in Mauritius there is a good Indian with delicious curries, naan and well-spiced dishes.
16. Visit a tea factory and tea fields: Bois Cheri Tea Factory
In Mauritius you will find some tea fields that always look beautiful. Here you can also visit a tea factory, where you can see the whole process about tea making. Especially for tea lovers, this is super interesting.
The absolute highlights of Mauritius: must do on a short stay
To make it easier for you the things you really have to do in Mauritius, we have prepared a 7-day itinerary for you where we describe from day to day what you can do to have a versatile but also relaxing vacation. Hopefully this 7-day itinerary in Mauritius will help you get an even better idea of the island and all the beauty that can be experienced here.
It is also wise to familiarize yourself in advance with some of the customs and habits on the island. That way, you will be well prepared for your trip. That’s why we have written down 13 things you need to know before you go to Mauritius.
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