MauritIú Travel 2026 laces Best Things To Do In Mauritius

Hey everyone, we're here in Mauritius and in this video we're gonna show you our top things to do here. So if you enjoy it The island nation of Mauritius lies just off the eastern coast of Africa in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean Born from ancient volcanic activity and ringed by coral reefs. This tropical island is a melting pot of African Asian and European cultures It's also the most densely populated country in all of Africa where you'll find a lively energy Side by side with dramatic peaks and stunning sandy beaches We spent two weeks traveling around the island and in this video We're counting down our favorite things to do and top places to visit in Mauritius At the end, we'll also highlight a few essential travel tips. Now, let's dive in We are Zach and Ina, we make helpful videos about destinations around the world so you can easily plan your own adventures Located on the northwest coast, Port Louis is the bustling capital of Mauritius and the best place to understand the island's true identity Founded by the French in 1735, it functions as the island's economic heartbeat To be fair, it's not the prettiest city you'll find as it can be chaotic, humid, and gritty However, we highly recommend taking a guided walking tour to get a lay of the land as well as get an understanding of the local culture We did a two-hour walking tour that packed in some of the highlights including Chinatown, the energetic central markets, the historic Saint-Louis Cathedral, the colorful Tamil temple, and the city's main mosque Afterward, we explored the Kodan waterfront at our own pace It was incredibly vibrant in the evening, especially since it happened to be Tamil New Year when we visited Mauritius is a massive producer of agricultural products such as sugarcane, tea, and vanilla, making a plantation visit a must-do We visited the historic Boisserie where we took a guided tour of the active tea factory to see how raw leaves become aromatic blends We wrapped it up with a tasting overlooking the tea plantation and a lunch at its restaurant We also visited a family-run vanilla plantation This eco-farm offered a 45-minute walking tour through the sustainable organic gardens to learn about the meticulous process of growing vanilla This was followed by a product tasting of their homemade jams, sugarcane juice, and local honey The northern region of Mauritius is famous for its vibrant coastal energy and lively resort hubs Here, you'll find the bustling tourist hub of Grand Bay alongside Mont Choisy, a massive stretch of sand shaded by cassowarina trees But our favorite was Truobiche, thanks to its shallow lagoon and powdery sands It's important to note that because the north is so popular, it stays very busy These beaches completely fill up with local families enjoying picnics and music, especially on the weekends, giving you a lively atmosphere but less privacy Mauritius has a number of accessible snorkeling spots, and we personally snorkeled right off the beaches of Le Morne, Flick Au Flac, and Blue Bay Our favorite was Blue Bay Marine Park, since it had the best fish and reef diversity It can be a little tricky to find a good entry point from the shore there, but we found success by jumping off the public jetty and swimming towards the reef structures in the direction of Cocoa Island Just keep in mind that because Mauritius is ringed by a barrier reef, water exiting the lagoons can create strong rip currents here, so always check the tides before swimming out too far We also recommend bringing your own snorkel gear, as rentals on public beaches are hard to find And while these shore spots are convenient, you really need to take a boat tour to the outer reefs to experience the most pristine coral, which we'll talk about later in this video Located in the northern village of Pomplemousse, the Botanical Garden is a spectacular sanctuary and one of the oldest botanical gardens in the southern hemisphere It's famous for its pond of giant water lilies alongside rare palms and giant tortoises The garden is open daily from 8 30 a.m to 5 p.m and charges a small entry fee We highly recommend hiring one of the local guides at the entrance for an extra charge We did this walking tour and found it incredibly educational for understanding the unique flora and fauna For a fun road trip, drive the rugged south coast of Mauritius, where the protective coral reef drops away and dramatic waves crash directly against the volcanic cliffs Traveling from east to west, your first stop is Roche Qui Pleure, a unique rock formation that looks like it's crying as waves smash into it Next, head inland to the unique basalt columns of Rochester Falls before relaxing on the quiet shores of Saint-Félix beach For lunch, grab a quick local bite in Belonde before continuing driving toward the famous Macondo viewpoint Here, you can climb a small peak for panoramic views of the coastal hairpin bend before ending your journey at Le Monde Peninsula If you're staying on the west coast, you can easily turn this scenic coastal drive into a full day loop by combining it with a drive through the lush Black River Gorges National Park We'll talk more about this park later in the video Nestled high in a secluded mountainous district in the south of the island, Grand Bassin, also known as Ganga Talal, is a sacred crater lake that serves as the most important Hindu pilgrimage site outside of India Its deep spiritual significance draws hundreds of thousands of devotees annually during holy festivals For visitors, it's entirely free to enter and offers a serene cultural experience You can admire the colossal religious statues that guard the entrance stroll around the peaceful waters, explore the intricate lakeside temples, and witness locals offering colorful prayers and incense Located in the southeast of Mauritius, Ferne Valley is a pristine nature reserve and a great spot for hiking There are a few different trails to choose from, but we tackled the moderate yellow route It's around 14 kilometers or 8.6 miles long with 400 meters or 1,300 feet of elevation gain and takes about 3 to 5 hours to complete We had the entire place to ourselves Along the trail, you'll find gorgeous lush scenery, multiple viewing platforms, as well as birds and the unique Aldabra giant tortoises which are found in a spacious forest enclosure We came across some giant tortoises here and they're extremely big and apparently they can live up to 150 years old which is crazy The reserve is open daily from 8.30 in the morning until 5 at night and charges a 500 rupee entry fee at the visitor center Start as early as possible to beat the heat and bring plenty of water and food since there are no stops along the way In the southwestern highlands, Black River Gorges National Park protects the island's last remaining rainforest typified by dramatic deep canyons, wild macaques, and beautiful lookouts Make sure to stop at Alexandra Falls and the gorgeous viewpoint Just outside the border of the national park, you'll find the popular Seven Cascades, also known as Tamaray Falls We definitely recommend booking a local guide for this waterfall hike as the trails are completely unmarked and require navigating steep drop-offs When we visited, the tracks were extremely wet, muddy, and slippery Be sure to check weather conditions before heading out Mauritian cuisine is a fascinating blend of Indian, Creole, French, and Chinese influences and there's no better way to experience it than joining a cooking class We did ours at the historic Domaine du Zobinois Estate The five-hour culinary journey begins by exploring a vibrant local market to source some fresh ingredients with the chef Back at the colonial house, we learned how to craft an authentic Mauritian curry The experience wrapped up perfectly with a delicious lunch of our own creations as well as a local rum tasting and a short tour around the inside of the house As the class is only offered on Wednesdays and Saturdays, it's best to book this one in advance The west coast of Mauritius is home to the most beautiful and pristine beaches on the island, at least in our opinion We absolutely loved Flic-en-Floc for its calm lagoon and miles of soft sand Lamorne for its postcard-perfect white sands beneath the towering volcanic mountain and Tamarin for its raw, wilder charm and its surf culture A massive bonus of staying on this side of the island is that you face west treating you to a spectacular ocean sunset every single night It's no surprise that this quickly became one of our favorite regions to base ourselves in Mauritius It felt more quiet, connected to nature and perfectly located just a short drive away from the island's natural highlights For a unique bucket list adventure, head to Truaubiche on the northwest coast and board a passenger submarine This was a complete first for us Diving 35 meters or 115 feet below the surface, the sub glides past coral reefs, colorful fish, and a historic 17th century anchor The highlight is navigating right alongside the Star Hope shipwreck Hourly dives run daily between 8 30 a.m. and 4 30 p.m. taking about two hours total with a 40-minute immersion It's an unforgettable way to explore the ocean's depths together especially if you don't have an advanced scuba diving certification Tucked away in the southwestern hills, the mountain village of Chamarel is home to the island's most beautiful natural wonders which you can explore along a single main road After passing the main ticket gate, your entry fee covers the first two major sites You'll first hit the spectacular Chamarel waterfall featuring a few viewing platforms looking out over the 100-meter drop From there, continue driving to the famous seven-colored earth geopark to marvel at the rare multi-colored volcanic dunes To top off the day, drive to the very end of the route to reach the Ebony Forest This conservation reserve requires a separate entry fee, but it's completely worth it The lush restored native forest offers panoramic views, endemic geckos, and it's the only spot on the island where giant tortoises roam free Rising dramatically from the southwestern peninsula, Le Morne Brabant is the island's most iconic peak and a historic UNESCO World Heritage Site Reaching the summit cross is a 7-kilometer or 4.3-mile round-trip hike with nearly 500 meters or 1,640 feet of elevation gain and takes about three to four hours to complete The first half is a steady shaded climb along wide paths with easy footing You might even come across some interesting local wildlife in this section Once you reach the first major viewpoints, you must decide whether to turn back or push onward So this is the part where it becomes a lot more rocky and steep to get to the top so only continue when you're an experienced hiker and it's dry weather The final push scrambles up steep exposed rock faces where you'll actively need to use your hands It's a little tricky here and definitely requires confidence but the reward is a breathtaking bird's-eye view over the famous underwater waterfall If you're afraid of heights, it's best to hire a local guide for extra safety Make sure to bring plenty of water and start early as the trail gate closes to new hikers at 2.30 p.m. For the ultimate tropical escape, you have to take a catamaran tour to the pristine islets that surround Mauritius This is where you'll find the most powdery white sands and crystal clear waters While there are numerous islands to choose from, we opted for a full-day catamaran cruise from Grand Bay in the north to Flat Island and Gabriel Island Our first stop was the dramatic volcanic rock of Gunner's Coin for snorkeling This was by far the best snorkeling we experienced in Mauritius, boasting incredible visibility and reefs teeming with colorful corals and fish Afterward, we sailed onward to Flat Island and Gabriel Island, spending a few hours relaxing on the white beaches and swimming in the warm turquoise lagoons The crew also prepared a delicious barbecue lunch on board Find a link in the description below this video for the exact boat tour that we did We spent two weeks basing ourselves across three different sides of the island Grand Bay in the north, Blue Bay in the southeast, and Tamarin in the west Looking back, we definitely preferred the wilder south and west coasts as they felt much more quiet and nature-focused compared to the bustling center and north of Mauritius To explore the island, we used a rental car and highly recommend picking one up at the airport upon arrival Driving here is an adventure in itself, as the roads are generally very busy since the island is well developed all around Parking can sometimes be a bit tricky at popular beaches and towns, but having that ultimate freedom to explore is completely worth it And if you're planning to do any of the tours or bookable activities we mentioned in this video, you can easily access them by scanning the QR code on the screen here We've also included links in the description below We'll catch you on the next adventure!