Sightseeing in Port Louis - what to see. Complete travel guide

Port Louis is the central city and the capital of Mauritius. This is a well-known settlement with centuries-old history. Port Louis is a true megalopolis for the island country, although any tourist who has visited European capitals will be amazed by the small size of this city. Even if Port Louis is not big, it still has much to offer to its guests. Local museums are full of unique “treasures”, the likes of which are not available in any other country in the world. This is the location of an ancient hippodrome. The last but not the least, Port Louis is home to several nations and different cultures. When walking on the streets of the city, you will see mosques and churches, old estates and modern skyscrapers.

Initially, Port Louis was a mere seaport that was established on the site of the capital in 1635. Soon, that port became internationally famous. When exploring the world, French travelers were deeply impressed by the beauty of this land. In 1735, Port Louis officially became the capital of Mauritius by the order of French authorities. The settlement got its name after the French King Louis XV who was the ruler of France at that moment. After that, the region and the island started developing at a fast pace. The new capital quickly turned into a beautiful city, the population of which was growing year after year.

When the Suez Canal was opened in 1869, the importance of Port Louis significantly declined. The city’s port was not an important terminal point on the sea route between Europe and Asia anymore. Despite the fact that the capital of Mauritius was forgotten on the international level, Port Louis has maintained its status of the island’s center until modern days. Moreover, when the independent Republic of Mauritius formed in 1968, Port Louis remained the capital of the new country. Nowadays, this is a large city on the island, a megalopolis that is the center of the industrial and economic life of the country. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Have you come to Mauritius to swim and sunbathe? There are no beaches in Port Louis, so vacationers need to head to the neighbor settlements for this purpose. Tourists usually visit Port Louis to enjoy the sightseeing and cultural heritage of the island. The first attraction that both citizens and guests of the city enjoy visiting is formed by nature. This is Chamarel Waterfall. The height of this waterfall is several hundred feet. The waterfall got its interesting name after the French officer Charles Antoine who was living on the island. This is the highest waterfall in the region.

Chamarel Waterfall consists of the three water streams that fall into the jungle from the highest point of the plateau with quite a loud noise. The waterfall is situated in the Black River Gorges National Park in the southern part of the island. Nowadays, tourists enjoy visiting the waterfall that looks breathtaking. Lush tropical flora and falling water create an unforgettable view. The air is also incredibly clean here, making you want to return to this place again and again. There are two lakes not far from Chamarel. The water in these lakes is so clean and transparent that it is possible to see the bottom even from above. On a hot day, it is so pleasant to swim in the lakes and sunbathe at their shore.

Besides the waterfall, Port Louis can proudly offer tourists to visit the National Botanical Garden of Mauritius that is open not far from Port Louis in the district of Pamplemousse. This is the third oldest botanical park of this type in the Southern Hemisphere. The French governor of Mauritius opened this garden as a private park in 1770. His initial desire was to create a true world of spices. This is how the garden got tea trees and camphor plants from China, nutmeg, and the fragrant clove tree. Besides them, the cinnamon and different species of magnolia fill the air in the garden with their pleasant scents. Later, different types of Bougainvillea and Araucaria were added to the Pamplemousse Garden.

Today, the park occupies an area of roughly twenty-five hectares. The National Botanical Garden of Mauritius has become home to almost five hundred different species of plants and trees. The collection features eighty different species of palm trees. Some of them look truly spectacular – they resemble a bottle, a fan, or an elephant’s leg. There is an interesting palm tree that blooms only once during its long life. The flowers appear when the tree is from forty to sixty years old. Tiny flowers appear above the tree crown at a height of roughly six meters. These flowers look like small flies that cover the entire tree. When the blossom ends, the tree is very weak and can die.

The international airport of Mauritius is located not far from Mahebourg. The distance to Port Louis is roughly forty-seven kilometers, so it takes around one hour to get to the capital by bus. The main air gate of the island receives many international flights from different parts of the world. The number of flights increases during the tourist season. There are direct flights to Mauritius, but many tourists choose to make connecting flights with a stop in Dubai. The total journey time is approximately twelve hours when flying from Europe. At the airport, tourists can rent a car or call a taxi to get to the capital city.

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City tours, excursions and tickets in Port Louis and surroundings

Reference information

Map of all parks

National and city parks around Port Louis
♥ National Park 'Black River Gorges' , 30 km from the center. On the map Show on the map

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Sights around Port Louis from our guide 'Extreme places on Earth'

Waterfalls Tamarin

From the series “Greatest Waterfalls on Earth”

Check on the map: Waterfalls Tamarin on map

Distance from Port Louis center - 23.9 km.

The total height of the complex is about 300 meters which allows them to be among the highest waterfalls in the world. The area around the waterfalls never stands empty. Excursion groups come here every day and many tourists spend days in these spectacular places. All hiking excursions under the experienced guidance of the locals are also offered to the visitors. So that a walk to the waterfalls will be even more interesting and enriching. … Read further

Sightseeing in Mauritius: things to see

When visits to numerous parks and nature reserves become a bit boring, diversify your travel by exploring Curepipe as nearly every street in this town is an important historic object. The must see destinations include the Royal College, the Municipality building, Town Hall and the local public library. The library keeps some precious manuscripts dedicated to the history and development of the Mascarene Islands. In suburbs of the town one will see beautiful villas that were also built during the colonial period. Fans of shopping will be pleased to spend a day in Rose Hill as in this town they will find numerous shopping centres, markets, boutiques and the biggest food bazaar of the region – Arab Town. … Open

Sightseeing in Port Louis - what to see. Complete travel guide

City tours, excursions and tickets in Port Louis and surroundings

Sights around Port Louis from our guide 'Extreme places on Earth'

Waterfalls Tamarin

Sightseeing in Mauritius: things to see

Search touristic sites on the map of Port Louis

Sightseeing in regions nearby Port Louis