5 days in Mauritius

Day by day

1. Day 1: Le Morne Brabant and Chamarel Seven Coloured Earths and waterfall

   Le Morne Brabant, Chamarel Seven Coloured Earths and waterfall and Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden, then Grand Baie in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Le Morne Brabant

      Start at sunrise to avoid the midday heat; the upper section involves scrambling, so go with a local guide if you are unsure. (3–4 hours, free).

   2. Late morning

      Chamarel Seven Coloured Earths and waterfall

      Visit in the late afternoon when the low sun brings out the colours, then stop at the rum distillery down the road. (1.5 hours, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Dholl puri

      Street stalls around Port Louis Central Market and in every town; locals queue at well-known vendors at lunchtime.

   4. Afternoon

      Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden

      Hire one of the licensed guides at the entrance; without one it is easy to miss the spice trees and rare palms. (1.5–2 hours, low cost).

   5. Evening

      Grand Baie

      The island's main nightlife area, with bars along the coast road and clubs busy on Friday and Saturday nights.

2. Day 2: Black River Gorges National Park and Grand Bassin (Ganga Talao)

   Black River Gorges National Park, Grand Bassin (Ganga Talao) and Île aux Cerfs, then Flic en Flac in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Black River Gorges National Park

      Stop at the Gorges and Alexandra Falls viewpoints even if you are not hiking, and start walks early before cloud builds. (Half a day, free).

   2. Late morning

      Grand Bassin (Ganga Talao)

      Remove shoes before entering the temples and dress modestly; monkeys around the lake will grab food. (1 hour, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Farata

      Street stalls and snack vans in Port Louis, Rose-Hill and beach car parks.

   4. Afternoon

      Île aux Cerfs

      Walk away from the jetty to the far beaches for quieter sand, and avoid weekends when local excursions fill it up. (Full day, mid-priced).

   5. Evening

      Flic en Flac

      Beach bars and restaurants with live music on weekend evenings.

3. Day 3: L'Aventure du Sucre and Port Louis Central Market

   L'Aventure du Sucre, Port Louis Central Market and Aapravasi Ghat, then Resort bars in the evening.

   1. Morning

      L'Aventure du Sucre

      Combine it with the botanical garden in Pamplemousses on the same morning. (2 hours, mid-priced).

   2. Late morning

      Port Louis Central Market

      Come in the morning on a weekday, eat dholl puri from a busy stall and bargain gently at the souvenir stands upstairs. (1–1.5 hours, free).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Gâteaux piments

      Roadside vendors and markets across the island, especially in the morning.

   4. Afternoon

      Aapravasi Ghat

      Start at the interpretation centre for context, then walk to the original stone steps that the labourers climbed on arrival. (1 hour, free).

   5. Evening

      Resort bars

      Hotels stage séga performances, the island's traditional drum-and-dance music, several nights a week.

4. Day 4: Day trip to Port Louis

   About 40 minutes from Grand Baie by car each way. Getting there: Car, taxi or express bus.

   1. Morning

      Travel to Port Louis

      About 40 minutes from Grand Baie by car (Car, taxi or express bus); about 25 km.

   2. Day

      Port Louis

      The capital combines the Central Market, Chinatown, the UNESCO-listed Aapravasi Ghat, Le Caudan Waterfront and the hilltop Citadel (Fort Adelaide) with views over the harbour. Best for culture, food lovers and first-timers.

   3. Evening

      Back in Mauritius

      Dinner: try Rougaille.

5. Day 5: Blue Penny Museum and Blue Bay Marine Park

   Blue Penny Museum, Blue Bay Marine Park and Île aux Aigrettes nature reserve, then Sunset sail on the west coast in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Blue Penny Museum

      Pair it with lunch and a stroll around Le Caudan Waterfront next to the harbour. (1 hour, low cost).

   2. Late morning

      Blue Bay Marine Park

      Snorkel in the morning before the wind picks up, and choose a glass-bottom boat if you have young children. (2–3 hours, low cost).

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Rougaille

      Creole restaurants and table d'hôte dinners; ask for 'rougaille saucisses' or 'rougaille poisson salé'.

   4. Afternoon

      Île aux Aigrettes nature reserve

      Wear closed shoes; the coral-rock paths are sharp and uneven. (2 hours, mid-priced).

   5. Evening

      Sunset sail on the west coast

      Evening catamaran cruises from Flic en Flac and Tamarin sail along the coast as the sun sets behind the ocean.

Before you go

Reserve timed tickets for Île aux Aigrettes nature reserve before you travel; the rest of this plan needs no advance booking.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 5 nights, Grand Baie keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Trou aux Biches and Mont Choisy ($$$) suits families, beach and first-timers. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 25–31 hours of visiting over 5 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.9 hours in June to 13.4 hours in December.

More or fewer days

• One day in Mauritius
• 2 days in Mauritius
• 3 days in Mauritius

Questions travellers ask