Port Louis is the capital and, with more than 145,000 inhabitants, the largest city of Mauritius. It is located in the northern part of the island and although it is not one of the top tourist destinations on the island, you will find many attractions here and it is definitely worth stopping in Port Louis for at least half a day.

Top rated hotels in Port Louis

What did we see in Port Louis?

I spent 1.5 days in the Mauritian capital and managed to visit most of the local attractions in that time.

Aapravasi Ghat

The most important historical monument on the entire island and one of Mauritius' two UNESCO-listed sites (along with Le Morne Mountain), it stands right in the centre.

It is a low stone building serving as a museum of slavery and colonialism.

Aapravasi Ghat served as a major immigration hub for the transportation of slaves, especially from India to the entire British Empire. Slaves were registered in Mauritius, some of whom remained to work on local plantations and some were transported on to other African and American colonies.

Buildings were constructed by the British Empire around 1860.

• Admission to the museum - free
• opening hours - daily from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. except Sundays, when it is closed

Citadel (Fort Adelaide)

Standing on a hill above the city centre, the fort was built in 1840 during the reign of the British Empire.

Today it serves as a popular excursion spot for locals and tourists. It's a 15-minute walk from downtown and offers spectacular views of all of Port Louis.

Central Market

The bustling and colourful Central Market, full of fresh fruit and vegetables, is not to be missed on your visit to the capital. Try the traditional Mauritian milk drink alouda or the strange dragon fruit.

The market is open every day and is busiest in the morning between 7am and 11am.

Chinatown

The island's large Chinese community can be seen first-hand in Chinatown, located behind the Jummah Mosque. Sample fried treats from local street stalls or pop into one of the shops.

But don't imagine Chinatown in the style of sprawling neighbourhoods like those in New York or Kuala Lumpur. Chinatown in Port Louis contains just a few streets and can be walked through in 5 minutes.

Place d'Armes

This eighteenth-century colonial building is adorned with a statue of Queen Victoria. The palm-lined boulevard is now the busiest part of the city, where you'll be stuck in traffic in the morning and afternoon.

Caudan Waterfront

The Caudan Waterfront is a modern shopping and relaxation zone where you can listen to the rhythms of live music on Saturday nights and enjoy a delicious ice cream from "Mamma Mia Che Gelato" (the large sundaes are also worth the sin!).

Souvenir collectors should definitely not miss the "Crafts Market" located on the premises.

There are many restaurants along the pedestrian promenade, but prices are very high by Mauritian standards.

Blue Penny Museum

The Blue Penny Museum is located right on the Caudan Waterfront. On display are the world's most famous and valuable stamps, the Red and Blue Mauritius. To prevent the stamps from fading, they are only illuminated for a few minutes, every hour for 25 minutes throughout.

• Admission to the museum - 325 mur
• Opening hours - daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. except Sundays, when it is closed
• official website: bluepenny.museum

Jummah Mosque

This beautiful mosque is hidden among the surrounding houses, so it's not very visible at first glance, but it's well worth a visit. The side walls are lined with small shops that evoke the atmosphere of the old days.

Oceanarium

Just a 2-minute walk from the Caudan Waterfront you will find a nice aquarium called the Odysseo-oceanarium with several smaller and one large tank.

Here you will discover lots of colourful fish, but also turtles and small sharks.

• Admission to the museum - 1 280 mur (960 mur for children under 12 years old)
• opening hours - daily from 9:00 to 17:00 (last entry at 16:15)
• official website: odysseomauritius.com

St. Louis Cathedral

The main Roman Catholic cathedral and seat of the Bishop of Mauritius stands right in the heart of Port Louis.

The rather nondescript building of grey volcanic stone was built in 1814 and entry to the interior is free.

Best hotels in Port Louis

Port Louis isn't one of the typical tourist destinations where you'd spend your entire vacation, but if you have a road-trip planned around the island, it's definitely a good place to stop for 1 night.

We would recommend these hotels:

• Kirin Guesthouse and Restaurant - A very cheap hotel in Chinatown, rooms are spacious and quite clean, prices from 40 usd per night
• Le Suffren Hotel & Marina **** - good quality hotel next to the oceanarium and the main shopping area, prices from 200 usd per night
• Labourdonnais Waterfront Hotel ***** - the best hotel in town is right in the Caudan Waterfront shopping area

Transportation and parking

Port Louis is one of the few towns in Mauritius where street parking is regulated in the centre. In the city centre you pay approximately 30 mur per 30 minutes.

Secure paid parking can be found around the Caudan Waterfront, where you pay around 80 mur for the first 4 hours and then 80 mur for every hour thereafter.

Port Louis is the main public transport hub on the island.

There are several bus stations in the city:

• Victoria Urban Terminal - a modern station connected to the shopping centre.
  • Location on the map
  • most routes to the south and centre of the island
• Transportation Center - stops on President John Kennedy Street
  • location on map
  • some routes north of Port Louis (mostly to the outskirts) and inner-city routes
• Immigration Square - an old station in a large square near Aapravasi Ghat
  • location on map
  • most routes to the north and east of the island
• Deschartrers Street - a small station about 250 metres south of Victoria Urban Terminal
  • location on the map
  • lines towards Mahebourg and the airport

From Port Louis to the towns of Vacoas-Phoenix and Curepipe, take the frequent and modern tram line.

We describe detailed information and our experiences on buses and trams in the Transport chapter.

What to see around

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