MAURITIUS - Places of Interest

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	Mauritius is an island of great beauty this typical tropical paradise’s reputation for beach bliss is indisputable. Sun worshippers and water sport enthusiasts can make the most of the golden palm-fringed beaches, turquoise sea and coral reef that nearly surrounds the entire island through a great variety of activities.
	PLACES OF INTEREST: Port Louis, the bustling capital, is a city of contrasts. Place D'Armes is a wide boulevard with an avenue of stately Royal palms and many statues. Impressive modern commercial buildings, some like the State Bank Tower made of marble, stand adjacent to the elegant Government House, whose entrance is dominated by a statue of Queen Victoria. Low level Indian and Chinese shops in their cobble stone streets cover a large part of the city. Here is the colourful old market, bustling with life and vitality. On the outskirts is the Citadel, a fort built by the British in 1840 from where you have a panoramic view of the city, dominated by the Champ de Mars race course, nestling within the surrounding mountains.
		There are parks with huge banyan trees and fountains, a national museum and reminders of the different cultures in the temples, mosques, cathedrals, pagodas and shrines. The statue of Mahe de Labourdonnais, governor and architect of the capital stands on his plinth overlooking the busy port. Balaclava Ruins A few metres away from Baie aux Tortues, which 17th century sailors named after the many tortoises in the area, can be found the ruins of the old Balaclava estate. Visitors will be able to see the sea walls, whose initial foundations were laid down by Mahé de Labourdonnais. Black River Gorges National Park Protects much of the remaining native forests and provides spectacular natural scenery and some of the unique endemic plants and birdlife; number of walking trails and viewpoints
	Bois Cheri The 1,500 acre tea plantation, factory and packing station is situated a few miles north of Souillac. A tour includes lunch at Le Saint Aubin, an old sugar plantation house built in 1819 and a visit to the anthurium (wax-like flowers) and vanilla nursery. Casela Bird Park Set in 20 acres of beautiful gardens including fish ponds, this park has 90 aviaries containing 140 species of Mauritius' bird life including the rare pink pigeon and white peacock. Situated near the west coast, it has, in addition, a small zoo with tigers, deer, lemurs, panthers, squirrels and wallabies. Refreshments are available. China Town. Enjoy a picturesque and affordable visit to Port-Louis’ Chinatown. The sellers of boiled “chow mein” and fish balls form part of the picturesque scene in an area where you can find almost anything at an affordable price.
	Caudan Waterfront During the past years the Caudan Waterfront has become an unavoidable route for those who wish to have a taste of the best of Mauritius. Offering more than just rows of shops and restaurants Caudan Waterfront also enables you to discover Mauritian expertise in all fields, as you stroll around the area. Fast food or gourmet cooking, jewellery and local crafts, everything to suit all tastes. CentralMarket. The picturesque Port-Louis central market continues to be a meeting point for Mauritians. Here you will find all the ingredients that help to create the charm of Mauritius: local crafts, vegetables, famous “dholl purris” as well as herbal tea sellers. This market was built in 1844. Chamarel has a large undulating, dune-like area of coloured earth. Believed to be of volcanic origin, the colours range from red and purple to yellow. An impressive waterfall cascades into the valley nearby. Domaine du Chasseur Nestling in the Anse Jonchée hills, the Domaine des Grand Bois has splendid hunting grounds covering an area of 900 hectares. Stags, monkeys and boars live amidst the luxuriant vegetation of the hillside. One can watch a few species of endangered birds, including the kestrel. The Domaine contains four thatched-roof bungalows and a restaurant with a panoramic sea view. Domaine les Pailles Nestling in the Pailles Valley, Domaine les Pailles takes a trip back in time through the history of Mauritius and offers a unique culinary experience. This typical Mauritian estate inflames your imagination with its harmonious combination of history, culture and nature. Dutch Ruins At Vieux Grand Port, the oldest settlements in Mauritius, you can see the ruins of the first Dutch fortifications. Excavation work is underway in a bid to uncover an important part of Mauritian history. Eureka Creole Mansion is a grand reminder of an earlier era. Situated near Moka, with a backdrop of the Ory Mountains, its decor and furnishings have been carefully maintained in its original style, its upper floor now a museum. Its well-kept gardens are a peaceful sanctuary. Well worth a visit. Flacq Market Flacq is one of the most important villages in Mauritius. This meeting point for inhabitants of the East boasts the country’s largest open air market. The extremely colourful market attracts a large number of people. Ganga Talao - Grand Bassin Situated in the South West, this natural lake, originally an extinct volcano is a shrine for the island's Hindus who make a pilgrimage each year to celebrate Maha Shivaratree. Grand Bay was the first area of the island to fully experience the tourist boom. A shopping and leisure paradise, Grand Bay also happens to be the area where Mauritians head for when they want a fun-filled night out (restaurants, bars and discos). Recently renovated, La Cuvette beach is well worth a visit. Ile aux Aigrettes, a small island off the south east coast. It owes its name to a colony of egrets, now extinct, which inhabited the island nearly four hundred years ago. Owing to the remarkable work accomplished by the Mauritius Wildlife Fund, the island has become an international standard for the protection of natural resources and endangered species. A few of the world’s rarest birds, including the kestrel, can be seen there. You can also discover the extremely rare Pink Pigeon, the Green Gecko Phelsuma and the Aldabra giant tortoise. Ile Aux Cerfs is a half hour boat trip just off the east coast, a small island with long beautiful beaches and pleasant walks. L’Aventure du Sucre Visit an interactive and ultra modern exhibition situated at the heart of an ancient sugarmill and discover the fascinating history of Mauritius and its sugarcane adventure exposed over 5000 sq meters! Then, let yourself be tempted by our tropical boutik with its unique gifts, souvenirs and tasting of special unrefined sugars as well as local rum. Do not miss the opportunity to relish authentic Mauritian cuisine with refined flavours at our restaurant "Le Fangourin". Open 7 days a week from 09h00 to 18h00 - Free access to the restaurant and the Village Boutik Beau Plan-Pamplemousses Tel: 243 06 60 Labourdonnais Orchards Discover a large variety of tropical fruit trees, colourful and perfumed exotic flowers. Trips on mountain bikes or hiking are possible. La Vanille Crocodile and Nature Reserve in the south farms crocodiles imported from Madagascar. Originally from the Nile, they can be seen in fenced areas in varying stages of growth. A walk through the dense jungle-like vegetation reveals other animals - monkeys, wild boar, deer and huge tortoises believed to be about 150 years old. Mahébourg is one of the main fishing villages on the island. Built on the magnificent Grand Port Bay it was founded in 1804. Martello Towers The Martello Towers represent the scene of the ancient rivalry between old colonial powers and the ingenuity of mankind. They are a milestone in the island’s history; they symbolise the end of slavery and the beginning of Indian immigration. Natural History Museum (The Mauritius Institute) situated in the Jardin de la Compagnie in the centre of Port Louis displays among the many specimens of bird life, the extinct dodo and solitaire, as well as specimens of the island's flora, fauna and marine life. It also houses a library of over 50,000 books. Pamplemousses Botanical Garden must be one of the most impressive botanical gardens in the world. It has eighty species of palms among its 600 different types of trees which include ebony and mahogany, fruit trees, nutmeg and clove. Exotic shrubs and lily ponds with their famous Victoria Regia water lilies complete this scene of tranquillity. Plaine Champagne and Black River Gorge the highest part of the central plateau. This national park of 6,574 hectares was created in 1994 for the protection of Mauritius’ remaining native forests. Visitors can enjoy magnificent landscapes, with endemic plants and rare bird species. A trail leads from the Pétrin information centre to an area of typical plant life and to a conservation area. A short walk from the road reveals the huge gorge surrounded by the Macchabee forest. Waterfalls cascade from the heights into the gorge below. Pereybère The wonderful Pereybere public beach is popular because of its shopping facilities, restaurants and pubs. Rodrigues Island about 560km east of Mauritius where you can be charmed by locals' easy way of life; the nature lover will find several species of endemic tropical fauna and flora and can enjoy hiking, bird watching, angling and mountain biking; visits to the Caverne Patate and surrounding islets e.g. Ile aux Cocos (a haven to some rare species of sea birds) can be arranged Salt Pans Owing to the exceptional high level of sunshine the district receives, Tamarin is naturally the heart of salt production in Mauritius. Souillac and Gris-Gris A small seaside resort along the rugged coast of the Savanne district. A famous feature is the garden overlooking the sea and named after Dr. Charles Telfair. A popular viewpoint is found at the southern end of the village, right on the cliff top: Gris Gris. Triolet Shivala The longest village on the island, Triolet offers an opportunity to visit the biggest Hindu temple, the Maheswarnath, first built in 1819 in honour of the Gods Shiva, Krishna, Vishnu, Muruga, Brahma and Ganesha. Trou aux Cerfs situated above Curepipe is the crater of an extinct volcano, 85 metres deep by 200 metres wide, noted for its panoramic view of the central plain. Yemen Reserve may not be the largest game reserve on the island, but there is a lot to see. You will be able to get close to the herds of deer, as well as admire some splendid species of Mauritian fauna. A few rustic kiosks available in the reserve provide an unobstructed view of the sea. There you can sip a local punch while watching the sun going down. Waterpark Leisure Village Enjoy unforgettable moments sliding on the giant chutes, with family or friends. Situated on Coastal road, Belle Mare - Tel: (230) 415-2626