Mauritius is a 2,040 km² island in the Indian Ocean that rewards the curious traveller far beyond its beaches. The most interesting places to visit in Mauritius range from the crater lakes of the Black River Gorges to the mercantile streets of Port Louis, each with a distinct character, a specific reason to go, and enough depth to justify a full day or more. Whether you are planning a holiday or weighing a longer stay, the island's geography, culture, and infrastructure make it one of the most layered destinations in the southern hemisphere.
Port Louis: The Capital That Works
Port Louis is the commercial and administrative heart of Mauritius, and it is far more interesting than most visitors expect. The waterfront district, Le Caudan, houses the stock exchange, major banks including Mauritius Commercial Bank (MCB), shopping arcades, and a harbour that still moves real cargo. The Central Market, a few blocks inland, has operated since 1828 and remains the most honest cross-section of Mauritian daily life you will find anywhere on the island.
The city also contains the Aapravasi Ghat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where indentured labourers arrived from India, China, and Madagascar from 1834 onwards. It is a small site but a sobering one, and it explains much of the island's ethnic and cultural composition today.
For professionals relocating to Mauritius, Port Louis is where most job opportunities in Mauritius are concentrated, in financial services, ICT, shipping, and the public sector. The MCB Group headquarters sits prominently on Sir William Newton Street, and the bank's internet banking platform, MCB Internet Banking, is one of the first practical tools new residents set up to manage local accounts remotely.
The Black River Gorges: The Interior You Shouldn't Skip
The Black River Gorges National Park covers roughly 6,500 hectares of the island's southwest highlands. It is the last significant tract of native forest in Mauritius and home to endemic species including the Mauritius kestrel, the pink pigeon, and the echo parakeet, all of which came close to extinction and have been partially recovered through conservation programmes.
The Gorges Viewpoint on the B103 road gives a clear sightline across the forested ravines toward the coast. The Alexandra Falls viewpoint, a short detour further south, overlooks a 30-metre waterfall that runs strongest between June and September. Neither requires a guide, though the longer trails, including the seven-kilometre Macchabée trail, benefit from one.
This is the part of Mauritius that most package tourists miss entirely, which is precisely why it belongs near the top of any serious itinerary.
Chamarel: Geology Made Visible
Chamarel sits at roughly 300 metres elevation in the Rivière Noire district and contains two sights within walking distance of each other. The Seven Coloured Earths are a small area of volcanic dunes, approximately 0.5 hectares, where the soil has cooled into distinct bands of red, brown, violet, green, blue, purple, and yellow. The science behind it (differential cooling rates of iron and aluminium oxides) is more compelling than the tourist brochure version, but the visual result is striking either way.
The Chamarel waterfall drops around 100 metres into a gorge below. The viewing platform above it is free to access and requires no particular fitness level. The village itself has a handful of restaurants serving Creole food, rougaille, dholl puri, and bouillon, that are worth the detour alone.
Mahébourg and the Southeast Coast
Mahébourg is a small town on the southeast coast that functions as an unhurried base for exploring the region. The National History Museum here documents the 1810 Battle of Grand Port, the only naval victory Napoleon ever had inscribed on the Arc de Triomphe, through maps, artefacts, and recovered cannons. It is one of the better small museums in the Indian Ocean region.
The Mahébourg lagoon is reef-protected and calmer than the west coast beaches, making it suitable for kayaking and snorkelling without the commercial pressure of the more developed resort strips. The Île aux Aigrettes, a small coral island offshore, has been restored to its pre-human ecological state and is accessible only by guided boat trip, a rare chance to see giant Aldabra tortoises and endemic birds in something close to their original habitat.
Grand Baie and the North: For Those Who Want Everything Convenient
Grand Baie on the north coast is the most developed tourist area on the island. It has the highest concentration of restaurants, watersports operators, and nightlife. It is not the most interesting part of Mauritius in terms of culture or landscape, but it is the most practical base for first-time visitors who want easy access to day trips.
Cap Malheureux, a few kilometres northeast, is quieter and more photogenic, a small fishing village with a red-roofed church that faces the offshore island of Coin de Mire. The north also provides the most direct ferry access to Île Rodrigues, Mauritius's outer island, which is a destination in its own right for those with more time.
Relocating to Mauritius: Practical Context
For internationally mobile professionals, Mauritius has positioned itself deliberately as a destination for relocation, not just tourism. The island offers several residency pathways including the Premium Visa, the Occupation Permit, and the Retired Non-Citizen permit. Career opportunities in Mauritius are most accessible in financial services, global business, ICT, and hospitality management.
Jobs in Mauritius are advertised through the MyJob.mu platform, which aggregates listings across sectors and is the primary resource for both local and expatriate candidates. The government's Board of Investment (now the Economic Development Board) publishes sector-specific demand data that is useful for professionals assessing fit before relocating.
Banking setup is straightforward. Mauritius Commercial Bank, commonly referred to as MCB, is the island's largest bank by assets and the most widely used by expatriates and businesses. Their internet banking Mauritius platform handles transfers, bill payments, and account management in multiple currencies, which matters for professionals managing income from multiple jurisdictions. Setting up MCB internet banking typically requires an in-branch visit for initial verification, after which the platform is fully functional online.
How to Structure Your Time in Mauritius
A ten-day visit is enough to cover the island's main regions without rushing. A practical sequence:
- Days 1–2: Port Louis and the north coast
- Days 3–4: Grand Baie as a base for day trips to Cap Malheureux and offshore islands
- Days 5–6: Black River Gorges and Chamarel
- Days 7–8: South coast, Mahébourg, Île aux Aigrettes, Le Morne peninsula
- Days 9–10: East coast, Belle Mare, Trou d'Eau Douce, Île aux Cerfs
Renting a car is the most efficient way to move between regions. The road network is well-maintained, signage is bilingual (French and English), and driving is on the left.