Mauritius
Africa · Port Louis · MU
Mauritius rises from the Indian Ocean as a lush island of volcanic peaks, sugarcane fields and a ring of reef-protected lagoons, lying about two thousand kilometres off the coast of Africa. The capital Port Louis crowds its harbour with markets and colonial buildings, while the beaches of the west and the silent peaks of the interior anchor the island's beauty. Le Morne's dramatic footprint on the southwest coast tells a history of resistance, and Chamarel's coloured earth and waterfalls turn the hill country into a natural spectacle. Tea plantations, rum estates and the gorges of the Black River cut through the green heartland, and the island's multicultural kitchens blend creole, Indian, Chinese and French cooking into a lively whole. Warm, green and genuinely friendly, Mauritius offers beach life, mountain walks and a deep sense of story in a single small island.
Overview
Mauritius is a country in Africa. Its capital is Port Louis and the international dialling code is +230. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include English and French. Local currency is the Mauritian Rupee (MUR). Our guide covers 1 airport, including Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport. We also list 1 city in Mauritius: Port Louis.
The Coral Cliffs of Le Morne and the Tracking of the Foot
Le Morne Brabant is the bold black mountain that stands at the southwestern corner of Mauritius, its steep plateau dropping sheer to the turquoise lagoon beneath. The site became a refuge for escaped people in the colonial era, and the wild caves and precipices that once kept them hidden now draw hikers on a steep, exposed scramble to the summit. The panorama from the top folds the reef line, the islet of Ilot Fourneau and the long expanse of ocean into a single postcard. The historical weight of the place is remembered at the interpretive trail and the stone monument at its base, which speak of the community that lived in the mountain's shadow. The shallow water below the cliffs is one of the island's great kitesurfing grounds, and the lagoon's glass-clear shallows hold rays, turtles and gardens of green algae that shift with the tide.
Coloured Earth and the Dizzy Falls of Chamarel
The hill village of Chamarel keeps two of Mauritius's most photographed spectacles a short drive apart. The Seven Coloured Earths spread a strange patchwork of ochre, red, violet and grey dunes of volcanic clay that refuses to wash together in the rain, fenced off to keep the pastel stripes intact. Down the slope, the Chamarel waterfalls drop a sheer column of white water into a dark enclosure of forest and rock that catches the morning light in sheets of spray. Around both, the green tea fields and pineapple plots climb the same volcanic slopes, their terraces worked by the families who have lived here for generations. A rum distillery nearby turns the local cane into spirits that taste of vanilla, spice and the coastal air. The drive through the Black River gorges to reach Chamarel is half the experience, winding between cliffs, creeper and the dark pools far below.
Port Louis Markets Between the Fort and the Port
Port Louis gathers the island's commerce into a colourful, noisy harbourfront bowl. The central market rises from a dome-roofed colonial building into stalls of spices, street food, fabrics and fresh produce that have traded here for more than a century. Around it the streets of the old town hold the museum of Mauritius, with its dodo skeleton, the fort perched on the hill above the harbour, and the waterfront's new promenades and malls. The evening brings the food streets to life with gato piments, dholl puri and the island's beloved pickled snacks, eaten standing at the stalls. The busy bus station steams with connections across the island, and the fishermen's wharf below the fort lands the morning catch. Port Louis is loud, practical and full of character, and its markets are the honest pulse of the country's daily trade.
Tea Plantations Above the Gorges and the Vanilla Deep
The southern highlands of Mauritius roll away from the coast in rounded green ridges planted with tea since the nineteenth century. The Bois Cheri estate pours its terraced lines of bushes over the red soil and explains the island's tea history in a working factory at the hilltop, tasting room and all. Around the plantations, vanilla vines wind up the shade trees of the smallholdings, and the spice farmers dry their cloves, cinnamon and pepper on mats of woven palm. The Black River Gorges park just beyond shelters the island's last wild forests, with walking trails that drop from the escarpment into the deep valleys of the south. The roads thread the countryside between streams, water wheels and the blue silhouettes of the mountains, and the tea and spice country feels a long way from the beach loungers of the coast.
The Dodo's Island, the Trucks and the Sunday Beach Picnics
Mauritius is the island of the dodo, the vanished flightless bird that has become the country's gentle symbol, and the museums of Port Louis and the natural history of the island keep its story close. The everyday rhythm of the place still runs on the old communal habits: the sugar cane trucks rolling through the villages during harvest, the mosque-shaped houses of the fishing communities along the coast, and the loud, sociable Sunday beach picnics where families spread their curries, cokes and roasted corn across the sand. Buses painted in bright liveries connect the settlements, and the roundabout shrines, the Chinese pagoda at Les Salines and the Hindu temples of the interior mark the island's many roots. Small, proud and wonderfully mixed, Mauritius feels like a miniature world where every cultural thread of the Indian Ocean has found a home.
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- Capital
- Port Louis
- Currency
- Mauritian Rupee (MUR)
- Languages
- English, French
- Calling code
- +230
- Internet TLD
- mu
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter Mauritius.
Which nationalities can enter Mauritius?
Current visa status for tourism for the origins we cover, with links to the detailed requirements.
Airports (1)
All airports →Cities (1)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to visit Mauritius?
For the origins we track, travellers from Australia, Canada, France, Germany and Italy currently enter Mauritius visa-free for tourism, and 3 more origins are visa-free too. Entry rules depend on your passport and the purpose of your trip, so check the current requirements for your own nationality with our entry requirements tool.
What is the capital of Mauritius?
Port Louis is the capital of Mauritius, and the country sits in Africa.
What currency is used in Mauritius?
You pay with Mauritian Rupee (MUR) in Mauritius. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in Mauritius?
The languages we list for Mauritius are English and French. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for Mauritius?
The dialling code for Mauritius is +230 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which airports serve Mauritius?
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) in Port Louis is the airport we cover for Mauritius.
Which cities in Mauritius do you cover?
Our guide lists 1 city for Mauritius: Port Louis (capital).