Port Louis is the capital of Mauritius and is a city founded in 1735 by French colonists. It is the largest city on Mauritius, although it does not have many places of interest to visit, you will only need half a day to visit the most essential places. Its streets, the port, the market... have a lot of charm, so if you decide to travel to Mauritius, I recommend that you spend a day exploring the city.
Generally, if you are going to travel to Mauritius, you can book the same hotel for your entire stay in the country, since the island is not very large and you can explore it with a rental car.
Parking in the center of Port Louis can be a bit more complicated, however if you go to the new area of the port there are private parking lots.
In this post I tell you everything you can see in Port Louis. Although the capital is not the area chosen by tourists and travelers to stay, if you are interested in staying in this city, you can see accommodation offers from here.
WHAT TO DO IN PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS ISLAND
Get up close to Cauden Waterfront
The Cauden Waterfront is located where the old port of Port Louis once was. Nowadays, it is a very pleasant area to walk and enjoy the surroundings. There are many shops, restaurants, cafes and beautiful views of the port.
Visit Blue Penny Museum
The Blue Penny Museum is located on the Caudan Waterfront. It is a museum where you will find an exhibition with the history of the city with all kinds of texts, photographs and objects. Among the objects that stand out the most you can see the 1 and 2 pence stamps. Only the building where the museum is located is beautiful, it is a restored colonial-style house.
Go see Aapravasi Ghat
This place is classified as a World Heritage Site. This is where the UK started to bring in contract workers from other countries. Mostly workers from India. This fact was managed so as not to have to resort to slavery. And it has become a symbol of equality.
Get up early and get to know the central market
The central market is the most visited place in Port Louis and it is not for less. It is a very large market, divided into two buildings and surrounded by various shops and outdoor markets.
If you would like to see the space dedicated to fresh meat and fish, you will have to get up early. Since from 4am the merchandise begins to arrive from the fishing boats.
The space dedicated to fruits and vegetables is my favorite part of the market. It's full of colors and flavors, its smells... it's amazing to walk the aisles, discuss and haggle prices and end up buying some delicious pineapples or lychees (the best I've ever tried). In the upper part, there is a space for clothes, souvenirs, handicrafts, etc... You can also get a jena mandala tattoo if you wish, they are of Indian origin and are precious.
Get to know the Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum is another interesting museum to visit in Port Louis if you have some time. It is not a very large museum and it stands out because in it, you can see a Dodo skeleton, the bird that became extinct and is a symbol of the country. Currently, the museum has an exhibition with more than 35 thousand specimens that are displayed in its permanent galleries.
Fall in love with the Pamplemousses Garden
This place is a magical garden that you can visit on the outskirts of Port Louis. At the entrance they will offer you to guide you inside the garden, it really is not very big and you can explore it on your own. It's a gorgeous place. You can not lose this!!
The place d'armes
The Place d'Armes is located in the historic center of the city and is the most atmospheric place where you can see the locals and enjoy your free time. This square connects the promenade with the Government House. It is a square with several statues and full of bottle palms.
Take a photo with the Mahé de La Bourdonnais statue
This statue of one of the founding fathers of Mauritius stands at the entrance to the Place d'Armes. It is a symbol and a reminder of our French heritage.
See the Port Louis Theater
The Port Louis Municipal Theater was built in the 19th century and is one of the oldest buildings in the Indian Ocean. It is decorated in the classic London theater style and has a capacity of around 600 spectators.
Tour Fort Adelaide
The fortress is located on a hill where you can see the city and the port. The Port Louis Citadel (Fort Adelaide) is a fort built between 1834 and 1840 to protect the city against riots that occurred during the abolition of slavery. Currently, concerts and local and international artistic events are held there. Thanks to its privileged position, it has incredible views that make it really worth visiting. It is a very well preserved fort, from where you can also get some spectacular shots of the city.
Champ de Mars racecourse
From March to December it is the ideal place to witness the lively horse races on the weekends. A very popular activity in Mauritius. A family event where a varied and friendly crowd celebrates each competition on the race track.
Chinatown
Chinatown is the perfect place to see the shops and restaurants of Mauritanians of Chinese origin. The food festival is held once a year to discover the wonders of Chinese cuisine. It's a great place to get bargains, tasty food and traditional Chinese medicines.
WHERE TO STAY IN PORT LOUIS
I recommend that you stay outside the city of Port Louis, better choose an accommodation option on the beach or close to the beach.
I give you ideas in the following two posts:
PLAN YOUR TRIP STEP BY STEP
I hope you enjoy your trip to Mauritius and that this article has been useful to you. You can continue reading many more related articles on the blog.
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A hug and see you soon!