Places to visit in

Mauritius

Notre‑Dame Auxiliatrice (the 'Red Roof Church') is an iconic Catholic chapel located in Cap Malheureux, at the northern tip of Mauritius. It is widely recognised as a symbol of the island's northern coastline and appears frequently on postcards and travel photography. The church is important both as an active parish place of worship for the local community and as a cultural landmark representing Mauritius's Franco‑Creole Catholic heritage. Its striking red roof and white façade frame sweeping views across the lagoon toward the offshore islets (notably Coin de Mire), making it significant for both spiritual visitors and nature/landscape enthusiasts.

The Tamil Surya Oudaya Sangam Temple is an important cultural and religious center for the Tamil-Hindu community in Mauritius. Dedicated to Surya (the Sun God), the temple preserves and promotes Tamil religious practices, language, music and community life among the island's descendants of Indian indentured labourers. It serves both spiritual and social functions—hosting rituals, festivals and community gatherings that reinforce cultural identity.

Sagar Shiv Mandir is a Hindu temple in Mauritius dedicated to Lord Shiva. Perched near the coast, it serves as an important place of worship for the island's large Hindu community and is valued both for its religious role and its scenic, seaside setting. The temple is a focal point for spiritual gatherings, daily puja (worship) and community rituals, reflecting the strong Indian cultural heritage present in Mauritius.

Blue Penny Museum is Mauritius’s premier philatelic and cultural museum, best known for housing original examples of the legendary 1847 "Post Office" stamps (the Blue Mauritius and Red Mauritius). The museum places these rare items in the broader context of Mauritius’s colonial history, maritime trade and cultural development, using stamps, maps, artworks and artifacts to tell the island’s story.

Natural History Museum (Port Louis) is Mauritius's principal natural history institution, central to the island's efforts to research, conserve and present its unique flora, fauna and geological heritage. The museum preserves important subfossil material, taxidermy specimens and educational collections that tell the story of Mauritius's ecological past — including the extinction of emblematic species such as the dodo — and supports public awareness and scientific study.

The Photography Museum in Port Louis chronicles the visual history of Mauritius from the 19th century to the present day. It preserves early photographic processes (including daguerreotypes and glass plate negatives), documents colonial and post-colonial life, and showcases the evolution of photographic techniques on the island. The museum is an important cultural repository for researchers, photographers, and anyone interested in Mauritius's social history as told through images.

The Mauritius Postal Museum preserves and interprets the island's postal and communications history, illustrating how mail services helped connect Mauritius internally and with the wider world since the 19th century. It documents colonial-era postal administration, maritime mail routes, and the evolution of communication technologies on the island. The museum's displays contextualize the role of the postal service in commerce, governance, migration, and daily life.

L’Aventure du Sucre (The Sugar Adventure) is a museum dedicated to the history of Mauritius's sugar industry, housed in a restored 19th-century colonial sugar factory at Beau Plan. It presents the evolution of sugar production, the socio-economic impact of sugar on Mauritian society, and the island's transition from a plantation economy to a modern nation. Exhibits cover slavery, indentured labor, colonial plantation life, industrial machinery, and the global sugar trade.

The National History Museum in Mahébourg documents the cultural and maritime history of Mauritius and the Grand Port region. It highlights the island's colonial past (Dutch, French and British periods), local Creole heritage, and the naval events that shaped the area—most notably the Battle of Grand Port (1810). The museum also presents aspects of the island's natural history and marine environment, linking human history to the surrounding lagoon and coral ecosystems.

Frederik Hendrik Museum in Mauritius preserves and interprets the island's early European colonial history, particularly the Dutch period (17th century). The museum is named after Prince Frederik Hendrik of Orange and focuses on maritime archaeology, colonial administration, and the cultural encounters between European settlers and indigenous/enslaved populations. It also highlights local heritage through artifacts, maps, and recovered shipwreck objects.

The Martello Tower Museum in Mauritius preserves a 19th-century coastal defensive structure originally built by the British. Martello towers were small but robust forts designed to protect strategic points along the coastline from naval attack. The Mauritian example illustrates the island's colonial military history, the strategic importance of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, and the adaptation of European military architecture to tropical island contexts.

Eureka House (Maison Eureka) is a well-preserved 19th-century Creole mansion located in Moka, Mauritius. It is an important example of colonial Creole architecture and domestic life on the island, reflecting the social history of Mauritius during the post‑slavery plantation era. The house, its interiors and surrounding gardens offer insight into local craftsmanship, period furniture and lifestyle of affluent Mauritian families of that era.

Château de Labourdonnais is a restored 19th‑century colonial manor and former sugar estate located in Mapou, northern Mauritius. It is an important example of Mauritian colonial architecture and plantation history, offering insights into the island's sugar economy, Creole culture, and domestic life of the colonial era. The estate's orchards and gardens also showcase tropical fruit varieties and landscaped grounds that reflect the agricultural heritage of the site.

Domaine des Aubineaux is a restored colonial-era sugar estate in Mauritius that showcases the island's plantation history, Creole heritage, and rural landscape. The site preserves traditional architecture and landscapes associated with sugar production and offers visitors a window into plantation life and cultural practices that shaped Mauritius.

Saint Aubin House & Vanilla Estate is a restored colonial sugar estate and Creole manor that showcases Mauritius's plantation history, Creole heritage, and the island's long association with vanilla cultivation. The property preserves architectural features of a 19th-century sugar planter's residence and surrounding estate buildings, offering insight into the island’s colonial agricultural economy and local craftsmanship.

Bois Chéri Tea Factory & Museum is one of Mauritius's oldest and most important tea estates, established in 1892. It played a central role in developing the island's tea industry and preserves both the agricultural and industrial heritage of tea production in Mauritius. The site combines working plantations, a processing factory and an interpretive museum that together explain colonial-era plantation life, local agricultural practices and the evolution of tea processing.

Rhumerie de Chamarel is a renowned craft distillery located in the Chamarel region of southwestern Mauritius. It plays an important role in preserving and promoting the island's rum-making heritage by producing agricole-style rhum from locally-grown sugarcane, using traditional methods combined with modern standards. The distillery contributes to local agro-economy and sustainable tourism, offering visitors insight into Mauritian rum culture and the agricultural practices behind it.

Caudan Waterfront is the premier commercial and leisure hub in Port Louis, Mauritius. Located on reclaimed land along the harbour, it blends modern retail, dining and entertainment with links to the island's colonial and maritime history. The waterfront functions as a central meeting point for locals and visitors and is a gateway to nearby historic sites in Port Louis.

Port Louis Central Market (often called the Central Market or 'Le Marché' / 'Bazaar') is the commercial and cultural heart of Port Louis, Mauritius. Established in the 19th century, the market has long served as a meeting point for the island's diverse communities (Creole, Franco-Mauritian, Indian, Chinese and African). It reflects Mauritius's multicultural identity through its food, spices, fabrics and crafts, and remains an essential everyday hub for locals and a vibrant attraction for visitors.

Chinatown (Port Louis) reflects the long-standing presence and influence of the Chinese community in Mauritius, dating back to 19th-century migrants who settled as traders, artisans and shopkeepers. The area preserves Chinese cultural traditions, architecture (small temples and shopfronts) and a distinct fusion cuisine that contributes to Port Louis’s multicultural identity.