A week is enough to see several sides of Mauritius without rushing, as long as you don't try to fit in every sight. This route starts in the north, spends a day in Port Louis, moves down the west coast to Chamarel, crosses the uplands to the south-east and finishes on the east coast. It uses four bases, and no single drive is much more than an hour.
About the drive times: they are for a car with no traffic, rounded up. Allow extra time around Port Louis at rush hour and on the narrow, winding roads in the hills. Getting around Mauritius covers car hire, taxis and the rules of the road.
Bases: the north (nights 1 and 2), Port Louis (night 3), the west coast (nights 4 and 5) and the south-east (night 6). Day 7 is on the east coast, about 50 minutes from the airport.
Day 1: Arrive and settle into the north
Getting there: the airport to the north coast is about 1 hour.
Keep the first day loose. After a long flight, choose one beach and stay put. Mont Choisy Beach is a public beach on the north coast between Trou aux Biches and Grand Baie, with open access rather than entry through a hotel. Where: Morcellement Choisy, north coast.
Domaine de Grand Baie is a serviced residence with studios, apartments and penthouses, plus pools, restaurants and a spa. It suits travellers who want the space of an apartment with hotel services. Where: Grand Baie, north coast.
For dinner, Top Deck Bar & Grill on Coastal Road in Grand Baie serves seafood, flame-grilled dishes and Mauritian flavours, with a view over the sea. Where: Grand Baie, north coast.
Day 2: Gardens and a historic estate
Getting around: Grand Baie to the Pamplemousses garden is about 15 minutes. The garden to Château de Labourdonnais is about 10 minutes.
Start at the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanic Garden, the former Royal Botanic Garden, which is open every day. Its broad paths make for an easy morning walk among tropical plants and ponds. Where: Pamplemousses, north.
Then drive to Château de Labourdonnais, a historic house on a working estate. The self-guided visit of the château and gardens takes about 1 hour 30 minutes. The guided tour, which adds the underground museum, takes about 2 hours. Both end with a tasting of estate products. Where: Mapou, north.
Have lunch at La Table du Château on the same estate. It cooks with fruit grown on the estate, local fish and other Mauritian produce, and serves lunch every day. Where: Mapou, north.
Spend the evening back in Grand Baie, which has a wide choice of restaurants and bars.
Day 3: Port Louis
Getting there: Grand Baie to central Port Louis is about 25 minutes without traffic. Allow extra time in the morning rush.
Start at Aapravasi Ghat, a UNESCO World Heritage site on Quay Street. Between 1834 and 1920, almost half a million indentured workers arrived from India through this immigration depot, built in 1849. Its remains and a visitor centre tell their story. Where: Port Louis, centre.
The Central Market, Place d'Armes and the Caudan Waterfront are a short walk away. For lunch, Wapalapam La Place is in a courtyard across from the market, serving seafood and Asian-influenced dishes. Where: Port Louis, centre. See Things to do in Port Louis for more.
In the afternoon, you could drive about 15 minutes inland to Eureka House, an 1830 Creole colonial house in Moka with guided visits through its period rooms. Where: Moka, centre.
Stay at Labourdonnais Waterfront Hotel by the Caudan Waterfront, so you can walk to dinner. Where: Port Louis, centre.
Day 4: The west coast
Getting there: Port Louis to Flic en Flac is about 35 minutes.
Spend the day on the beach at Flic en Flac, which faces west for the sunset. For something more active, SeaUrchin Diving Center runs learn-to-dive courses and training for different ages and levels. Where: Flic en Flac, west coast.
La Pirogue, A Sunlife Resort has 248 thatched cottages facing the gardens, the lagoon or the beach. Stay two nights. Where: Flic en Flac, west coast.
For a casual dinner, Jerk House serves Jamaican-style jerk dishes in Flic en Flac from Wednesday to Sunday evenings, with takeaway for the beach. Where: Flic en Flac, west coast.
Day 5: Chamarel and Le Morne
Getting around: Flic en Flac to Chamarel is about 45 minutes. Chamarel to Le Morne is about 25 minutes. Le Morne back to Flic en Flac is about 40 minutes.
Go early to the Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth Geopark, where the volcanic dunes are banded in reds, browns, purples and blues. You can walk the 3 km route from the main entrance or drive the park road and park near the dunes. Chamarel Waterfall is in the same park, with two viewpoints over the falls along the route, about 1.5 km from the entrance. Where: Chamarel, west.
Next door, Ebony Forest Reserve has a raised walkway through restored native forest, ridge-top trails and a natural-history museum. Where: Chamarel, west. Have lunch in the village at Chez Ruben Restaurant, which serves Chinese and Indian dishes, seafood and local specialities. Where: Chamarel, west.
In the afternoon, drive down to Le Morne Brabant. The mountain is a UNESCO-listed place of remembrance, once a refuge for people who escaped slavery. The hike is demanding and has a latest start time, so if you want to climb, swap the order: hike in the morning and see Chamarel in the afternoon. Where: Le Morne, south-west.
Day 6: Through the uplands to the south-east
Getting around: Flic en Flac to Alexandra Falls is about 40 minutes. Alexandra Falls to Grand Bassin is about 15 minutes. Grand Bassin to Mahébourg is about 35 minutes.
Cross the island through Black River Gorges National Park. Stop at the Alexandra Falls Viewpoint for a view over the forest, with walking trails nearby if you want to stretch your legs. Where: Black River Gorges, south.
Then visit Grand Bassin (Ganga Talao), a crater lake in the hills that is sacred to Hindus, with temples along the shore. Visitors of any faith are welcome; be respectful around the temples and follow local guidance. Where: Grand Bassin, south.
Drop down to the coast and spend the afternoon at Blue Bay Marine Park, which protects coral reefs that you see by snorkelling or on a boat trip with an authorised operator. Where: Blue Bay, south-east. Book ahead for Île aux Aigrettes, a small island nature reserve where the guided eco-tour takes 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours. Where: Blue Bay, south-east.
Stay at Auberge SeaFever, a family B&B facing the lagoon in Mahébourg, with breakfast included. Where: Mahébourg, south-east. For seafood, La Case Du Pêcheur is about 25 minutes up the coast at Bambous Virieux. Where: Bambous Virieux, south-east.
Day 7: Île aux Cerfs and the east coast
Getting around: Mahébourg to Trou d'Eau Douce is about 50 minutes. Trou d'Eau Douce to the airport is about 50 minutes.
Drive up to Trou d'Eau Douce for a day on the water. Johaness Cruises runs speedboat and catamaran trips to Île aux Cerfs and the Grand River South East waterfall, with swimming, snorkelling and a lunch stop on the island or the lagoon. Where: Trou d'Eau Douce, east coast. The trade winds can make the east coast choppier in winter, and boat trips depend on the weather.
For an early dinner, CHEZ TINO Restaurant serves Creole, Chinese and seafood dishes on an upstairs terrace above the lagoon. Where: Trou d'Eau Douce, east coast.
If you fly home tonight, allow for the 50-minute drive plus your airline's check-in time. If you have an extra night, Belle Mare, about 15 minutes north, has a long public beach and many hotels.
Changing the plan
- Less driving: Skip Port Louis and stay on the west coast for days 3 to 5, with day trips to Chamarel and Le Morne.
- More beach time: Swap day 6 for a second beach day on the west coast, then drive straight to the east on day 7.
- Rodrigues: Add a week on Rodrigues, a 1 hour 30 minute flight away. See Getting to Rodrigues.
- Bad weather: Move the boat and beach days around. Port Louis, Eureka House and the Odysseo Oceanarium, an indoor aquarium of Indian Ocean marine life, are good on a wet day. Where: Port Louis and Moka, centre.
