Generally, when I spend a week at a beachfront resort, I want to do, well nothing. That’s sort of our way of traveling. But, I was very surprised to find there were all sorts of top things to do in Mauritius. I found myself learning a lot about the culture and environment of this unique island, more so than I expected.
In this post, we share our recommendations for some unique things to do in Mauritius and some of the top Mauritius attractions. Some of our stuff to do in Mauritius require excursions from your hotel and some island exploration. But a lot of the Mauritius island things to do can happen at your resort, whether you choose Heritage Le Telfair Mauritius (where we stayed) or another Mauritius resort.
Get more recommendations on Things to See in Mauritius – TripAdvisor Reviews
Top Things To Do In Mauritius
Mauritius is a predominantly Hindu island and a religious and cultural melting pot. Its colonial history includes influences from the Dutch, the French, and the British. The architecture is inspired by all of these influences, as is the cuisine, making the foods in Mauritius more Creole, or a mix of flavors from Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Mauritius is not as built up as other tropical destinations. The capital city, Port Louis, can feel a little hectic. The island, though, is loaded with top things to do in Mauritius for everyone, from nature lovers to active travelers, to culinary travelers as well. The best things to do in Mauritius really depends on your interests and desire to be active (or not).
Top Ten Things To Do In Mauritius
Our Mauritius attractions review includes
This includes things to do in Mauritius South, where we stayed at Heritage Resorts. It also includes some North Mauritius attractions, including things to do in Port Louis. We also have recommendations for things to do in Mauritius at night.
Exploring a Nature Preserve
This was a bit of a surprise for me. It was even more of a surprise that we enjoyed it. Heritage Resorts has a private nature preserve called Frederica. You can book take a Mauritian-style safari, in a 4 wheel drive, purpose-built truck. During our safari, which included a ride part of the way up, and then a one-hour hike, we saw what I termed the “Mauritian Big 5.” Our Mauritius safari included wild hare, wild boar, deer, pheasant, and the only native mammal to the island – bats. It was a great way to start our Mauritius trip.
After our hike, they set up a sunset yoga for us. But, the weather did not cooperate. It was rainy and windy. Instead, we enjoyed a little snack with some healthy wellness drinks, while waiting for the sunset over the mountains. After, we took a mini night safari on the way back to the resort, where we saw hundreds of deer under the driver’s lamp. Their alien-like eyes glowed in the dark. Other than getting caught in the rain, it was a lot more enjoyable than I imagined, being that we are not adventure-loving travelers.
Mauritius Attractions Tip: This is a top thing to do in Mauritius and a night safari is a great option for things to do in Mauritius at night!
Love Nature? Enjoy your travel to Mauritius with a whale watching tour – From $250
Mauritius Food Tour
During one warm afternoon, we drove a little over an hour from the Heritage Le Telfair to the Mauritian capital, Port Louis. Because I found myself comparing Mauritius to the Maldives, Port Louis would win hands down against Male. Our Taste Buddies Mauritian food tour took us on a historic walk through Port Louis. Our guide, Nick, not only educated us on what to eat in Mauritius but also on its unique history. After all, Nick is 8th generation Mauritian – very cool. Our tour included recommendations on where to go shopping in Mauritius and a tour of some of the top Mauritius tourist attractions.
Mauritius Attractions Tip: This tour is one of the top Port Louis Mauritius attractions and one of the top things to do in the north of Mauritius for anyone who loves not only food but learning about history as well. This was also one of my top 5 things to do in Mauritius.
Book one of the top Mauritius activities – Mauritian Street Food Tour From $65
Take a Mauritian Cooking Class
What to do in Mauritius if you love cooking? Take a cooking class!
Nick taught us all about Mauritian street food and the historic Creole cuisine of the island. Then, at the Heritage Le Telfair, we learned to cook. We made a very very typical Mauritian specialty of smoked marlin with hearts of palm, and a Mauritian chicken curry. We finished up with tasty fried bananas, cooked in orange juice and local Mauritian rum. Plus, the chef sent us home with two jars of their special curry powder!
Mauritius Attractions Tip: If your hotel doesn’t offer a Mauritius cooking class, try booking a culinary tour to learn about Mauritian cuisine.
Book a full day Mauritian Culinary Tour – Enjoy Mauritius sightseeing through your stomach!
Eating Local Mauritian Cuisine
This all leads up to the tasty local Mauritian cuisine. Many times at luxury resorts you end up eating a lot of the same foods you do at home, the burgers and pizzas and the like. Sure, Eric enjoyed a tasty mega burger at the Heritage Resorts Golf Club, but I enjoyed a tasty Mauritian curry sitting right next to him. I enjoyed several spicy curries, amazingly fresh seafood and tuna, and even tasted the local Mauritian rum. I was surprised at how much great food there was to eat, particularly at the Mauritius resorts.
Learn more about What To Eat in Mauritius – My Mauritius top things to do? EAT!
Stand Up Paddle Boarding
Much like imagining Eric and I hiking through a nature preserve, imagine the two of us (neither of us the model of physical fitness) doing a little stand-up paddle boarding. But, we did it.
I was super nervous, particularly because I am not the strongest swimmer, and the currents were rather strong. I started just paddling on my knees until I got the feel of it a bit more. Towards the end, I managed to stand up. A proud moment. Then, I rewarded myself with a local Mauritian beer. Eric did better than I did, and was able to stand up for longer. But, he also had an enormous wipe-out at first.
People say that SUP is actually harder than it looks. I disagree. It looks hard. And, it is hard. But, we did it! Many of the Mauritius beach resorts will offer SUP included in the price. If they do, try it!
Mauritius Top Attractions Tip: Most hotels now offer water activities like this, particularly the beach resorts. Or there are activity centers that you can book with from your hotel. This might be something I would also add to things to do in Mauritius North, where it is less windy than in the south.
A little adventure in your Mauritius vacation? How about Scuba Diving With Sharks? Falls within our top things to do and see in Mauritius underwater…
Shopping in Port Louis
We stayed on the south end of the island, about 45 minutes from the airport, and a little over an hour from Port Louis. I loved being down south because it was remote, quiet, and natural.
But, that means pretty much all shopping in Mauritius needs to be done in Port Louis. There is a little outdoor shopping mall, with restaurants and views over the port. And, it doesn’t take long to walk to the local market from there either. That was pretty cool, particularly because we were there on a Saturday and it was bustling. It’s a locals market, but it is possible to purchase spices as souvenirs, and some famous healing teas.
Free Things To Do in Mauritius Tip: Wandering Port Louis and exploring the market is a free Mauritius attraction.
Visit Mauritius and Shop – Book a private shopping tour from $120
Wine Tasting in a Sugar Plantation Home
This was another surprise. Sure, we’ve drunk good wine at luxury resorts and even done a little wine tasting. But, it was an entirely unique experience to do a wine tasting in an old sugar plantation home, Le Chateau. The Le Chateau sommelier walked us through some unique wines, in the wine cellar. After, we enjoyed a French-Mauritian inspired dinner, with silver and china. I felt so elegant.
Book a Guided Tea & Sugar Plantation Tour – From $305
Golfing in Mauritius
When we lived in Chicago, we used to golf a good amount. Locally as well as when traveling. I enjoyed it, although I was never any good. I pretty much enjoyed the cute pastel outfits I got to wear. But, it was great to take a golf lesson at the Heritage Resorts Golf Club. The golf pro was very knowledgeable, and patient. And, he taught us a couple of tricks I had never heard before. Next stop? Exploring the PGA courses and golfing in Costa Brava perhaps?
Things to do in Mauritius on holiday for Golfers: The Heritage Golf Resort is definitely the best thing to do in Mauritius if you are a golf lover! It’s a beautiful course.
Sit and Do Nothing – The Best Thing To Do in Mauritius!
All that said, it wouldn’t be a holiday at a luxury Maldive resort without a good amount of sit and do nothing time. And, we managed to squeeze this in too. Sometimes one of the best places in Mauritius is the beach at your own resort! The beach is also one of the top south of Mauritius attractions. The beach down south is just lovely.
The beach was gorgeous, even if the water was a little cool during the shoulder season. We enjoyed the heated pool. And, our sit and do nothing time included little treats occasionally brought to us by the pool staff, like fresh fruit skewers and infused water. I probably could have used a little more sit and do nothing time, but I’ll save that for my next visit.
Book a Mauritius Countryside Day Trip & see all the Mauritius things to see- From $120
Coconut Cocktails at Sunset
And, we captured some lovely sunsets while at Heritage Resorts. The best sunset view was from the beach area outside of their Asian-fusion restaurant, Gin-Ja. But, we also enjoyed a fab coconut cocktail at sunset from the Coco Shack, just down the beach at neighboring Heritage Awali. The bar is surrounded by a handful of swings, where we could sip margaritas straight from the coconut while listening to the waves lap the beach.
I could get used to this, from sit and do nothing, to loads of interesting Mauritius must-see attractions.
More Things to See and Do in Mauritius
We didn’t have nearly enough time to explore all the Mauritius things to do and see. Here are some other places of interest in Mauritius and top things to do:
See the rainbow sands of Chamarel: This is one of the best places to visit in Mauritius for photographers and nature lovers. A day trip should include the village tour, along with the Chamarel waterfalls and the seven colored earth. Book this Authentic South Tour from Viator to visit the Chamarel sands.
Book a Night in a Bubble: Yes, it’s all possible in Mauritius. Visit Ile aux Cerfs, and spend the night in a bubble hotel, and sleep under the stars! Book this night in a bubble, a once in a lifetime experience.
Explore the North: Go beach hopping and explore adorable Mauritian villages. Book this North Island Tour Mauritius and see some of the top places to see in Mauritius.
Recommended Mauritius Hotels
They are loads of great Mauritius hotels. There are four main areas of the island where it is possible to stay, depending on whether you want to be close to Port Louis Mauritius, the capital. The capital is where Mauritius tourism is most developed. The Mauritius beaches along the south, though, are some of the least developed and feel a little more remote. There are some amazing Mauritius resorts in the south.
Mauritius Accommodation
Heritage Le Telfair Golf & Wellness Resort, recently renovated sugar plantation-style luxury resort: Read our Heritage Le Telfair Review | Read TripAdvisor Reviews | Book on Booking.com | Book on Hotels.com | Rates From $250 a night
Heritage Awalhi Mauritius All Inclusive Resort, safari style all-inclusive resort with access to restaurants at Heritage Le Telfair: Read TripAdvisor Reviews | Book on Booking.com | Book on Hotels.com | Rates From $350 with all-inclusive packages
Intercontinental Mauritius Resort, secluded resort in Balaclava Bay, on the island’s northern coast: Read TripAdvisor Reviews | Book Direct with IHG | Book on Booking.com | Book on Hotels.com | Rates From $225
Looking for more hotel reviews – see TripAdvisor Mauritius – Hotels
*This post contains compensated links. Find more info in my DISCLAIMER.
FAQs – How to Plan Your Mauritius Holidays
- What’s the Mauritius weather like? Mauritius is located south of the equator, so it’s a tropical destination most of the year. But, the seasons are reverse of those in Europe and the United States. Between May and December it is cooler, but can be breezy. From December through April it’s summer and can be more tropical and warm. The best time to visit Mauritius is April and May – not too hot, and not too cold.
- What airlines travel to Mauritius? Air Mauritius is the most common airlines flying to Mauritius island. But, the Mauritius airport is also serviced by British Airways and Air France. We flew Emirates, which is the airline I would recommend based on comfort and connections.
- Where is Mauritius located? Mauritius is an island nation in Africa, located east of the continent, and east of Madagascar. Port Louis is the capital of Mauritius.
- Where is the best place to stay in Mauritius? We stayed a Heritage Le Telfair, which is located on the southern Mauritius beaches. It’s one of a series of hotels located on the more remote southern part of the island. It feels more remote and natural than the north, but it’s still not far from the airport or Port Louis.
- What are some interesting Mauritius travel packages? There are plenty of ways to spend your Mauritius vacation by booking day tours from your resort or arrange a day trip before you go through Viator. But, it’s also possible to book a multi-day tour, including a 5-day Catamaran trip!
Pin It! What to do in Mauritius
We were hosted by Heritage Le Telfair during our holiday in Mauritius, but all opinions are, as always, my own. There is so much to do in Mauritius that we didn’t even try. It will have to wait until our next visit.
Amber Hoffman, food and travel writer behind With Husband In Tow, is a recovering attorney and professional eater, with a passion for finding new Food and Drink Destinations. She lives with her husband, Eric, in Girona, Catalonia, Spain. Together over the last 20 years, they have traveled to over 70 countries. Amber is the author of the Food Traveler’s Guide to Emilia Romagna.