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Mauritius🇲🇺 | best attractionsDiscover the 7 Best attractions Across Mauritius

Attractions in Mauritius split by coast. The south has wild cliffs and waterfalls, the north has polished beaches and busy boat trips, and the central plateau has crater lakes and tea country. For independent travelers, the south is cheapest and quietest. Go early, before 9 a.m., and you will often have viewpoints to yourself.

By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 23, 2026
Explore the best festivals in Mauritius

Why go?Why These attraction Stand Out

Mauritius packs volcanic peaks, coral lagoons, and a Creole, Indian, Chinese and European heritage into an island roughly 65 km long. That means a day of hiking, temple visits and swimming needs little driving. The reef keeps the lagoons calm, while the south coast faces open ocean and is rougher.

Before you choose it, know that the best-known coastal spots are tourism-driven and priced for resort guests, so the same boat trip can cost far more at a hotel desk than with a local operator on the beach. Public buses are cheap and reach most towns, but they thin out by late afternoon. Sunday is quiet in villages, so plan around it.
How the List Was Created
The list of best attractions in Mauritius is created based on cultural significance or entertainment value. If you feel a attraction is missing in this list, please let us know.

When to go?When to Plan Your Trip

Best months and seasons: The best months are May to December, when dry, cooler air (roughly 20 to 26°C on the coast) makes hikes and boat days comfortable and visibility in the lagoons is good. The shoulder months of April and May, and November, are a smart move: fewer crowds and lower hotel rates.

Heat, rain and peak periods: January to March is hot (28 to 33°C), humid and wet, with cyclone risk, so boat trips and trails get canceled at short notice. The central plateau, around Curepipe, is always cooler and rainier than the coast, often 5°C lower, so pack a light jacket. The west is the driest side. Prices jump around Christmas, New Year and July to August school holidays, when rooms can cost 30 to 50 percent more.

attraction hoppingOptimizing Your Multi-Stop Itinerary

How many days to plan: A trip linking several attractions needs 7 to 10 days, because the island is small but roads are slow. Distances look short, yet a 40 km drive can take 1.5 hours in traffic around Port Louis.

Grouping and direction: Cluster the south and southwest together, then the central plateau, then finish in the north. Allow 2 to 3 days per region and half to a full day per stop. Travel between regions usually takes 1 to 2 hours by bus, with changes at Port Louis or Curepipe.

Common planning errors: Travelers often move bases every night, losing hours on buses. Pick two or three bases and do day trips instead. Avoid scheduling anything tight on a weekday at 7 to 9 a.m. or 4 to 6 p.m., when roads clog.

The ListMust-Visit attractions in Mauritius

1 Aapravasi Ghat

Worn quay steps, indentured laborer history, hospital ruins, harbor edge

Start in the interpretation centre, then walk the stone steps, hospital remains and registry wall where indentured laborers from India were processed on arrival.

mauritius-attraction-aapravasi-ghat
© Google |

2 Rhumerie de Chamarel

Copper column still, agricole rum, coffee-spiced bottlings, cane field terrace

Follow cane from pressing to distillation, taste white, aged and coffee-flavored rums, then have lunch on a terrace facing the fields.

3 Château de Labourdonnais

1850s mansion, estate rum cellar, fruit orchards, veranda lunch

Tour the restored planter’s house and working distillery, sample aged rums, then wander shaded mango and lychee paths before lunch on the veranda.

4 Odysseo Oceanarium

Acrylic shark tunnel, ray touch pool, reef tanks, sea lion area

Walk beneath sharks and rays, touch a ray at the supervised pool, and see local lagoon species before you snorkel.

mauritius-attraction-odysseo-oceanarium
© Google |

5 Blue Penny Museum

1847 Blue Penny stamp, Paul and Virginie marble, old island maps, Caudan Waterfront

Peer at two tiny 1847 stamps in a dim vault, then spend longer over the colonial maps, engravings and the marble lovers.

mauritius-attraction-blue-penny-museum
© Google |

6 Mauritius Natural History Museum

Reconstructed dodo, free entry, glass cases, Jardin de la Compagnie

Study a dodo skeleton built from Mare aux Songes bones, alongside giant tortoise shells, extinct solitaire relatives and surviving endemic birds, at no cost.

mauritius-attraction-mauritius-natural-history-museum
© Google |

7 Mauritius Photography Museum

Box cameras, old Port Louis prints, daguerreotype era, darkroom trays

Compare early harbor views with today’s streets, and see the portraits, cameras and darkroom gear that tell how photography reached the island.

mauritius-attraction-mauritius-photography-museum
© Google |
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Expert viewPro Tips for Exploring the Best

How many to visit: I advise 6 to 8 attractions over a week to ten days. That gives you one main stop on most days with slack for weather and slow buses. Cramming in two or three a day costs you comfort and extra transport money, and you end up rushing past things you paid for.

Choosing by travel style: If your budget is tight, favor free or near-free nature: public beaches, viewpoints and walking trails cost nothing or a few dollars. Paid boat trips and activities such as catamaran or dolphin outings give the most buzz but eat budget fast, so choose one splurge and skip the rest. Culture-minded travelers get great value from temples, markets and sugar-heritage sites, which usually charge around Rs 300 to 700 (US$7 to 15).

What things cost: Plan US$35 to 60 a day for attractions, food, local … read more 👉
How many to visit: I advise 6 to 8 attractions over a week to ten days. That gives you one main stop on most days with slack for weather and slow buses. Cramming in two or three a day costs you comfort and extra transport money, and you end up rushing past things you paid for.

Choosing by travel style: If your budget is tight, favor free or near-free nature: public beaches, viewpoints and walking trails cost nothing or a few dollars. Paid boat trips and activities such as catamaran or dolphin outings give the most buzz but eat budget fast, so choose one splurge and skip the rest. Culture-minded travelers get great value from temples, markets and sugar-heritage sites, which usually charge around Rs 300 to 700 (US$7 to 15).

What things cost: Plan US$35 to 60 a day for attractions, food, local transport and a basic guesthouse. Entry fees run Rs 100 to 700 (US$2 to 15), a local guide for a hike Rs 1,500 to 3,000 (US$33 to 65), and a lagoon boat day Rs 1,500 to 3,500 (US$33 to 77) when booked directly on the beach rather than through a hotel. Buses cost Rs 30 to 100 (under US$2 for most rides), which makes them the best value over taxis.

Safety and etiquette: Currents on the south and east coasts are strong and many beaches have no lifeguards, so swim inside the reef. Sun is fierce, so carry 2 liters of water and reef-safe sunscreen. Cover shoulders and knees and remove shoes at Hindu temples and mosques, and ask before photographing worshippers. Keep valuables out of sight on beaches and decline pushy touts quietly. Beware of unlicensed boat operators, and confirm the price before you step aboard.

✈️ The backpacker research shortcutMauritius Travel Guide

An offline-friendly backpacking guide with optimized travel routes, ranked highlights, transport advice, and the best areas to stay.
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The digital guide (246 pages) contains:
✅ 65 highlights, ranked by travel appeal
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✅ Month by month travel advice
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🛏️ Where to stay?Best Places to Stay in Mauritius

Backpacking Mauritius means few true dorm hostels, but budget guesthouses, family-run pensions and self-catering studios are common, typically around Rs 1,200 to 2,500 (€25 to 50) a night for a double. Grand Baie in the north has the widest choice, the island’s liveliest bars and easy boat trips, though it’s the most built-up stretch, while Flic en Flac on the west coast pairs a long public beach and sunset views with a calmer evening scene. For quiet and a more local feel, Mahébourg sits 15 minutes from the airport near the southeast lagoon, and La Gaulette puts you close to Le Morne’s kitesurfing and hiking, but both go silent after dark and need buses or a scooter to reach much else.

If you … read more 👉
Backpacking Mauritius means few true dorm hostels, but budget guesthouses, family-run pensions and self-catering studios are common, typically around Rs 1,200 to 2,500 (€25 to 50) a night for a double. Grand Baie in the north has the widest choice, the island’s liveliest bars and easy boat trips, though it’s the most built-up stretch, while Flic en Flac on the west coast pairs a long public beach and sunset views with a calmer evening scene. For quiet and a more local feel, Mahébourg sits 15 minutes from the airport near the southeast lagoon, and La Gaulette puts you close to Le Morne’s kitesurfing and hiking, but both go silent after dark and need buses or a scooter to reach much else.

If you enjoy meeting fellow travelers, consider choosing hostels with high ratings for atmosphere. On the other hand, if you prefer having your own space, a hotel might be a better option.

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Johan, backpacker and founder of TakeYourBackpackHi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.

This site is built on a combination of firsthand travel experience and carefully curated insights from other backpackers. Many guides are based on places I’ve personally visited, while others bring together tips, observations, and practical advice shared by trusted travelers I’ve met along the way.

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