Mauritius travel guide

When slavery was abolished on Mauritius, the sugar plantations were looking for labourers. Contract workers from Asia, mainly Indians, were "invited" in great numbers. Every single one of them went through the Aapravadi Ghat in Port Louis. It is a complex of buildings at the harbour where the immigrants were kept while papers were sorted out. Today these buildings are a UNESCO World Heritage site and have recently been turned into an informative museum.

Alexandra Falls Viewpoint is another impressive waterfall viewpoint on the southern tourist circuit. There are two waterfalls, one right at the main viewpoint partly obscured by the dense vegetation, and one on the far side of the gorge (picture). From the top of a wooden platform you get even more amazing views over the southeastern part of Mauritius.

Another public beach near Grand Baie. Besides the pretty white beach with a view to some islands, there are benches and a large parking lot.

Blue Bay is a popular public beach. On weekends the beach and particularly the shady area under the trees are occupied by picnicking locals.

The viewpoint for this waterfall is included in the entrance to the Seven Coloured Earth. It's actually a very dramatic waterfall that plunges 95 m down a vertical cliff covered in jungle.

Probably the best preserved colonial mansion on Mauritius. It was built in 1830 following special tropical architecture that keeps the interior cool. Today, it is a museum, where most of the rooms are decorated with furniture from that time. Note the marble bathtub and very-modern-at-that-time shower. There is a series of small waterfalls in a beautiful jungle setting a short hike behind the mansion.

The lake at Grand Bassin (Ganga Talao) is considered sacred for Hindus. There are several Hindu temples around the lake and on both sides of the road stand two giant statues of Shiva (33 m) and his wife Parvati (not completed). Every year at the end of February (or beginning of March, depending on the lunar calendar) the site turns into the largest Hindu celebration outside India. More than 400 000 believers go on a pilgrimage (Mahashivratree) to the lake as a sacrifice to the gods. However, at all other times the site is rather quiet with an empty wide boulevard and parking lots that seem out of proportions.

Gorge Viewpoint is a viewpoint with a fantastic 180 degrees panoramic view over some of Black River Gorges National Park. On clear days, the view will stretch all the way to the coast. To the far right of the viewing area, a waterfall drops off the mountain wall and into the dense jungle below.

Grand Baie is a true tourist town at a beautiful wide bay. The main streets are full of restaurants, jewelry shops and questionable fashion brand stores. The city beach is surprisingly quiet with broad views over the yacht-filled bay. If you find the setting too urban, the coastline is blessed with other beaches in both directions.

The population of Mauritius is a mix of mostly Indian, Creole and Chinese descendants and there is a surprisingly large religious tolerance. Churches, mosques and Hindu temples can usually all be found in every large settlement. The graveyard at Pointe Lascars is a fine example of Mauritius' religious melting pot. Christians, Muslims and Hindus have their own lots under the shady branches. At the far end of the graveyard on the shore stands a huge tree with air roots from where religious banners hang. Next to it is a small shrine of some sort. If you find these kind of sights interesting, you won't be disappointed with this graveyard.