Mauritius
Mauritius is a volcanic island in the Indian Ocean, ringed by coral reef and turquoise lagoons and crowned with green, jagged mountains.
It is small enough to cross in an afternoon yet wonderfully varied: the basalt hulk of Le Morne Brabant, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and symbol of the island’s fight against slavery, rises above the kitesurf lagoons of the south-west; the rainbow sands and waterfall of Chamarel sit in the hills above; and the forests of Black River Gorges National Park shelter rare birds and long hiking trails. On the west coast, spinner dolphins gather in the bays off Black River and Tamarin, and Casela brings safari drives and big cats to the dry plains below. In the north, the capital Port Louis hums with markets and street food, the botanical garden at Pamplemousses grows giant water lilies, and catamarans sail from Grand Baie to the offshore islets. In the east, the beaches of Trou d’Eau Douce face Ile aux Cerfs, the island’s favourite day out. This guide picks the trips worth booking, the hotels to base yourself in, and how to fit it all together.
Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth Geopark
Rippling dunes of red, ochre, violet and blue volcanic earth in the hills of the south-west, with the Chamarel Waterfall viewpoint and a giant tortoise park on the same entrance ticket.
L’Aventure du Sucre
The island’s best museum, in a former sugar factory at Beau Plan near Pamplemousses, newly refurbished in 2026, with tastings of unrefined sugars and New Grove rums and lunch at Le Fangourin.
Ile aux Cerfs Full-Day Catamaran Cruise
The classic Mauritius day at sea: a shared catamaran from Pointe Jérôme near Mahébourg across the south-east lagoon to Ile aux Cerfs, with snorkelling, a barbecue lunch, drinks and about two hours on the island’s white beaches.
Le Morne Brabant Guided Hike
A guided morning climb up Le Morne Brabant, the UNESCO-listed mountain at the south-west tip of Mauritius, with a steep scramble near the top and one of the finest views in the Indian Ocean over the lagoon below.
The classic Mauritius day at sea: a shared catamaran from Pointe Jérôme near Mahébourg across the south-east lagoon to Ile aux Cerfs, with snorkelling, a barbecue lunch, drinks and about two hours on the island’s white beaches.
A guided morning climb up Le Morne Brabant, the UNESCO-listed mountain at the south-west tip of Mauritius, with a steep scramble near the top and one of the finest views in the Indian Ocean over the lagoon below.
Rippling dunes of red, ochre, violet and blue volcanic earth in the hills of the south-west, with the Chamarel Waterfall viewpoint and a giant tortoise park on the same entrance ticket.
A small-group guided hike into the native forest of Black River Gorges National Park, climbing from the lower Black River entrance to a viewpoint more than 500 metres above the sea.
A three-hour walking and tasting tour of the capital with Taste Buddies, from the Caudan Waterfront through the Company Gardens and Chinatown to the Central Market, tasting dholl puri, roti, sugarcane juice and Chinese sweets.
A big wildlife and adventure park on the west coast near Flic en Flac, with zebras, giraffes and rhinos on the savannah, big cats, an aviary, a children’s play park and add-on safaris, ziplines and animal encounters.
An early-morning speedboat trip from Black River on the west coast with Dolswim, looking for spinner and bottlenose dolphins in the bays and listening for whales offshore, with an optional swim and breakfast and lunch included.
The island’s best museum, in a former sugar factory at Beau Plan near Pamplemousses, newly refurbished in 2026, with tastings of unrefined sugars and New Grove rums and lunch at Le Fangourin.
A guided north-of-the-island day from your hotel: the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden at Pamplemousses with its giant water lilies, the Aventure du Sucre museum, the Citadel above Port Louis, the Odysseo oceanarium and the Caudan Waterfront.
A full-day catamaran sail from Grand Baie to the wild islets off the north coast, Gunner’s Quoin, Flat Island and Ilot Gabriel, with snorkelling, a barbecue lunch on board and open bar.
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
$$$$Trou d’Eau Douce, East Coast
The east coast’s grand resort on the lagoon at Trou d’Eau Douce, facing Ile aux Cerfs, with 189 rooms and suites plus beach villas, its own private islet, Ilot Mangénie, five restaurants, a spa and a kids club.
Rates on Expedia →
$$$$Le Morne, South-West Coast
A stylish five-star resort on the south-west coast at the foot of Le Morne Brabant, with five pools, a beachfront tree house, Japanese omakase and Thai restaurants, the LUX* Me Spa and sunset views over the lagoon.
Rates on Expedia →Grand Baie, North Coast
A friendly four-star beach resort on the bay at Grand Baie, a walk from the village’s restaurants and boats, with a free kids club, free land and water sports, a spa and an optional all-inclusive package.
Rates on Expedia →
$$$Caudan Waterfront, Port Louis
Port Louis’ leading five-star city hotel on the Caudan Waterfront, with 105 rooms and suites, an open-air pool, Asian fusion and brasserie restaurants, a lounge bar and the markets and museums a short walk away.
Rates on Expedia →Tamarin, West Coast
A relaxed, good-value three-star hotel on Tamarin Bay on the west coast, with a surf-town vibe, an adults-only rooftop pool and bar with bay views, live music, a small spa and a kids club.
Rates on Expedia →The practical primer for a first visit to Mauritius: how many days to plan, which coast to base yourself on, what to book ahead, how to get around the island and where the headline sights fit.
Where to stay in Mauritius: the east coast for calm lagoons, the south-west for mountains and sunsets, the north for nightlife and boats, the west for dolphins and value, and Port Louis for the city, with a hotel for each.
