Port Louis
Mauritius, Mauritius
The bustling capital, of a colourful central market, Chinatown, the waterfront Caudan area and colonial history. The island's cultural and commercial hub.
Places in Port Louis
- Port Louis street food (dholl puri, gateaux piments) The capital's market and street stalls serve the national street foods — dholl puri (split-pea flatbread), gateaux piments, boulettes — the true taste of Mauritius. Essential eating.
- Caudan Waterfront cafés (Port Louis) The capital's waterfront cafés serve coffee and snacks by the harbour, handy for a break from the market. Central and pleasant.
Practical notes for Mauritius
- Best time to visit
- May to December for cooler, drier, sunnier weather (the island's 'winter'). January to April is hotter and can bring cyclones. The west and north coasts are calmer; the east and south windier and wilder.
- Getting around
- A hire car is the best way to explore the compact island freely; taxis and the cheap bus network are alternatives, and a modern Metro Express runs through the centre. Distances are short, but roads are busy. Many stay put at a resort and take day trips.
- Currency
- Mauritian Rupee (Rs)
- Language
- English and French (official); Mauritian Creole spoken daily.
- Timezone
- MUT (UTC+4)
- Current trends
- A wave of design-led and family luxury resorts alongside the classics; a rising farm-to-table and street-food-elevated dining scene; the island's rum (Chamarel, St Aubin) gaining renown; and eco- and adventure tourism in the interior growing.
Other neighborhoods in Mauritius
- Grand Baie & the North — The island's liveliest resort area, with beaches, shopping, restaurants and nightlife around Grand Baie. The busy, sociable coast.
- Flic en Flac & the West — The west coast of long sandy beaches, calm sunset-facing lagoons, and access to the Black River Gorges and dolphin swims. The relaxed, scenic coast.
- Belle Mare & the East — The east coast of the island's finest, longest beaches and the grandest resorts, cooler and breezier. The luxury coast.
- Chamarel & the interior — The volcanic uplands of the Seven Coloured Earths, waterfalls, rum distilleries and the Black River Gorges forest. The island's green, adventurous heart.
Read the full Mauritius guide