Top Things to do in Mauritius
Top Hotels in Mauritius
- 1. Tamassa Resort
- 2. Sunrise Attitude
- 3. Trou Aux Biches Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa
- 4. SALT of Palmar
- 5. Constance Belle Mare Plage
- 6. Heritage Le Telfair Golf & Wellness Resort
- 7. LUX Grand Gaube Resort & Villas
- 8. Constance Prince Maurice
- 9. Shandrani Beachcomber Resort & Spa
- 10. Paradis Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa
Countries
What to do and see in Mauritius, Mauritius: The Best Nature & Wildlife Areas
Mauritius is arguably Africa’s wealthiest destination, a tropical paradise with tons to do. Port Louis, the modern capital of this 38-mile by 29-mile island, is a bustling port with a revitalized waterfront and a busy market. But most visitors gravitate toward resort areas such as Mont Choisy, quiet Trou-aux-Biches and the more bustling Flic en Flac, popular with scuba divers. Rivière Noire is ideal for those looking for great deep-sea fishing.
Restaurants in Mauritius
1. Heritage Nature Reserve
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 607 reviews
The mountainous topography of Heritage Nature Reserve (ex Frederica Nature Reserve) offers breath taking views, vast plains where stags parade majestically, impressive waterfalls and intact natural beauty. The scenery is overwhelming and can be discovered through several activities: quad biking, buggy, safari 4x4 and trekking. We have two sessions per day: Morning 9h00 Afternoon 13h00
Reviewed By Vobefamily
We visited HNR as a family of four for the Eco Buggy tour, using two buggies. Our guide Jerome was friendly, very knowledgeable and informative, leading us and another family who were on quad bikes on this excellent tour. We saw deer, wild boar, fruit bats and interesting termite colonies, before visiting the waterfall. The water was very muddy, presumably due to the heavy overnight rain, but the location was idyllic. The buggies were great fun to drive, particularly in the muddy areas, and our younger son (14) is insistent that we must return when he is old enough (16) to drive one. We booked online the day before our visit and intended to get a taxi from our hotel, which was only a couple of miles away, but we didn't want to walk along the busy road. The hotel receptionist advised we wouldn't need a taxi and rang HMR, who sent a mini-bus to pick us up and also brought us back again, free of charge. Lovely service from the whole team at HNR.
2. Ebony Forest Reserve
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 339 reviews
Imagine one of the last remaining places on Mauritius where majestic black ebony trees stand tall and paradise flycatchers and Mauritius Black Bulbul chase each other through the trees. Once home to the Dodo, Ebony Forest, remains a refuge for threatened native flora and fauna. Visitors will be treated to open-air safari jeep rides, breathtaking views from Sublime Point and mid-canopy walkways. Our Tickets include Safari jeep ride and guided visit as per availability. Our Reserve is on the same way as the Seven Coloured Earth. However it is not necessary to purchase a ticket for both the Seven Coloured Earth and Ebony Forest. It is possible to buy a ticket only for Ebony Forest.
Reviewed By 159krisd - Booischot, Belgium
We did the Classic Tour with the jeep in the park. The pure kept nature is so wonderful to see. The guided tour was very interesting with a nice lady. We saw the Flycatcher, flying Fox, colourful gecko, Ebony trees and nature with all his beauty! Sublime Point is breathtaking. Highly recommended for nature lovers! Don't forget your musquito spray.
3. Grand Montagne Nature Reserve
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 50 reviews
Reviewed By klaartjep - Antwerp, Belgium
Despite or thanks to the vicinity of a cyclone and the bad weather that came along, we had the luck to have an almost private tour at the Grande Montagne Nature Reserve, a vast area of forest, managed by the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation. The goal is to restore the forest as much as possible into it's original state, how it was before man came and destroyed much of the vegetation and many of the unique endemic animals and birds that lived in it. The tour takes you through only a small part of this huge project but it's very informative and our guide Stephane was so passionate and knowledgable about his work, it was very inspiring. All the revenues of the visits and the little shop were you can buy souvenirs, go towards the replanting and maintenance of the Reserve and I hope they can restore as much forest as possible. It must be so wonderful to come back here in a couple of years and see how the forest has grown and matured. Besides the rare and endemic plants you also get to encounter some of the few remaining endemic birds of Rodrigues, like the yellow Rodrigues Fody and Warbler, and the Rodrigues fruitbat, and there are a number of Aldabra giant tortoises released in the woods which you are very likely to encounter along the way. Also the path takes you up to very nice viewpoint were you have a stunning view over the still very wild and green Eastern coast. Overal a wonderful visit, and highly recommended if you want to get a feel of how this beautiful island once looked.
4. Black River Gorges National Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,007 reviews
This 6,574-hectacre natural reserve is filled with hiking trails to observe the indigenous forests and variety of wildlife.
Reviewed By jylSussex
If the natural world, viewpoints, waterfalls are your thing then definitely set aside time to explore this park. It is possible to experience the highlights in one day, but for a more in depth experience allow longer. We spent 6 days exploring the area doing several well marked hiking trails, visiting waterfalls, the 7 coloured earths, the Ebony forest, the rum distillery at Chamarel and doing several scenic drives.
5. Ile aux Aigrettes Nature Reserve
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 458 reviews
Ile aux Aigrettes is a small (27 ha) island situated in the Mahebourg Bay, about 850 m off the south-east coast of Mauritius. Unlike the mainland which is of volcanic origin, Ile aux Aigrettes is made up of coralline limestone. It is home to the last remnants of dry coastal forest, once found around most of Mauritius. Like the mainland, Ile aux Aigrettes was affected by tree logging and land clearance, and the introduction of exotic animal and plant species almost destroyed the native fauna and flora. In 1965 the island was declared a nature reserve and our intense conservation efforts have resulted in the restoration of the forest and reintroduction of rare species that had long since disappeared from the island.
Reviewed By Danreds18 - Saffron Walden, United Kingdom
As nature lovers this is a must for anyone who is interested in nature and conservation, We wanted to have a s much time on the island so we booked a VIP tour which lasts longer. We met our guide Rose and boarded the boat taking us to the island. on arrival we found out it was just 2 so Rose gave us all her attention and it felt much more personal. She showed us the 3 endemic birds, pink pigeon, mauritius fody and the olive white eye which are all found on the island, Ornate day geckos which are stunning, We got to touch "big daddy" the giant male aldabra tortoise and pose for a picture,Rose explained the projects they do and it was fascinating to see. We were also allowed to go to areas of the island that normal tours dont go to and rose somehow managed to find us an incredibly rare Gunthers Gecko of which there are only about 100. Rose was a fantastic guide, full of passion and loved explaining the history and the flora and fauna. She made our tour one of the highlights of our whole mauritius trip so thank you. I would highly recommend going VIP as it gives so much more. The gift shop had a lot of stuff sadly not the size of t shirt i wanted tho but other than that this is an excellent thing to do
6. La Vanille Nature Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,235 reviews
La Vanille Nature Park is an idyllic and stunning park of lush tropical vegetation covering 3.5 hectares. Enjoy the unforgettable experience of walking amongst the largest group of captive-bred giant Aldabra tortoises in the world. We have more than 1000 tortoises in the park, in addition to 2000 Nile Crocodiles as well as a variety of other animals such as monkeys, iguanas, bats, deer, geckos, eels, wild boar and more... You can also visit our Insectarium with more than 23,000 specimens, an aquarium and fossil museum. New at La Vanille: A petting farm, pony rides. Our guides and animators will fill your visit with intense memories.
Reviewed By DorisM674
My children were very excited and happy of their visit at the park. We were impressed by the big crocodiles dozing in the sun or swimming in the pond. The baby crocodiles were cute but their sharp teeth better not to mess with them... :-0. It was the first time that we saw Lemurs and ate crocodile meat!!! We also visited the different museums - inserts, fossils and dodo. What the children loved most were the giant tortoise that they were able to feed and climb on them to take photos. After visiting the funny monkeys we spend some time in the farm and playground. The park is a must especially if you have children!!!
7. Safari Adventures
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 507 reviews
Safari Adventures is the only of its kind on the island of Mauritius, to offer a unique once in a lifetime experience of Walking with Lions and big cat encounters.
Reviewed By Hemphill57
On our visit to Casella Adventure Park we had the opportunity to Walk With Lions.This was such an experience, Angel, Kevin and the other rangers helped made dreams come true. We had the privilege of walking with 2 lionesses and a 4 year old lion called Mambo for 1 hour. We actually clapped them as we walked leisurely alongside these beautiful animals. I cannot recommend this activity highly enough, follow the instructions given by the rangers and you will havd the time of your life.
8. Le Morne Brabant
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,322 reviews
. Dicovering the Morne Brabant - The slave route The Morne Brabant is a mountain of the south-west of Mauritius, on the peninsula of the Morne. Declared World Heritage by UNESCO since July 6, 2008, the site is a sanctuary for runaway slaves and is a strong cultural and patrimonial symbol for every Mauritian. Being on private land, Le Morne Brabant is one of the most preserved and wildest mountains of the island. It includes a multitude of endemic species, such as the rare Trochetia Boutonania, and its red flaming flower. The hike to the summit of Morne Brabant lasts between three and four hours, depending on the homogeneity of the group. Once on top, we discover the breathtaking panoramic views on the west and south-west lagoons and part of of the island.
Reviewed By BryonyHC - Mauritius, null
We had a fantastic morning climbing this amazing mountain, especially given its links to slavery and the stronghold it became for escapee slaves. Make sure you take a few minutes to appreciate the little makeshift village at the bottom too. My husband was apprehensive of climbing the mountain without a guide, but I can assure anyone wanting to take on La Morne that you can absolutely do it on your own. The paths are well travelled and easy to navigate. They do become narrower and steeper towards the top once you pass the ‘Warning’ sign. There are also plenty of other walkers to know you are going in the right direction. Once you pass the sign do prepared for a steep ascent and slight bit of rock climbing/scrambling. As dangerous as it looks, as long as you take your time you’ll make it to the top. While we were trekking we saw multiple children climbing as well as those wearing slightly less suited footwear. Our view from the top was somewhat hindered by the clouds, but it was still a great morning out all the same. Take plenty of water and maybe some lunch to have at the top too. It took us about 3 hours to go up and down. A must activity for anyone loving the outdoors!
9. Francois Leguat Reserve
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 562 reviews
Reviewed By lovelyvidhee2002 - Mauritius, null
Must visit. You walk with tortoises. Learnt a lot from the guide.Grande caverne is included; one can see the caves from near and the path used is better especially for elderly people.
