What to see, what to do Mauritius?

The very touristy places like the Sugar Adventure Museum (the biggest in the country), the Bois Chéri tea factory or the planters' houses transformed into museums and leisure centers like the Domaine de Saint Aubin or the Château de Labourdonnais for example generally open 7 days a week from 9am to 4:30pm. Important natural sites such as the Jardin de Pamplemousses or the Terres de Sept Couleurs Geopark open a little earlier. The other museums have a slightly smaller opening hours and open on average around 10am to close around 4pm; they are generally closed on Saturday afternoons and all day Sunday.

There is no need to reserve museums or entrance fees to tourist sites such as parks or estates. However, it is necessary to book cultural walks or excursions such as those offered by Taste Buddies (culinary walks with a historical content) or Explore nou zil (curiosity walk on an electric bike).

Entrance to museums or natural sites is not expensive, rarely more than 600 Rs per person. On the other hand, as everywhere in the world, walking or cycling tours in small groups under the guidance of a professional guide are rarely less than Rs 1,600 per person, or even more for a full day with lunch.

Discounts are almost always offered to children, students and seniors, and even free admission for children under 3 years old. There are also family packages.

Highly colorful, religious festivals are highlights of Mauritian life and are often followed by the entire island regardless of denomination. This is the case for the Indian festivals of January-February such as the Tamil fire walks, the Thaipoosam Cavadee or the great procession of Maha Shivaratree which gathers hundreds of thousands of participants. The Chinese New Year is the main annual festival of the Asian community and is accompanied by dragon dances and costume parades (especially in Chinatown in Port Louis). Holi, the festival of joy, fire and color, is a very visual celebration that takes place in March - people sprinkle water and colored powders - as is Divali, the festival of light that takes place in October-November. Note that the dates are not fixed from one year to the next because they follow the lunar calendar - find out beforehand knowing that on the spot, several local receptives offer to discover and "participate" in these festivals with a guide who explains their particularities. You can also, without any problem, go there by yourself, follow a procession, attend rituals etc., as Mauritians always show the greatest benevolence towards foreigners and give them an excellent welcome. In any case, for those who are interested in the local culture, it is always an opportunity for a beautiful discovery.

Another highlight of the country, not a religious one, is the National Day on March 12, which gives rise to concerts and various cultural events. Mauritius also has several festivals such as the International Kreol Festival which, every end of November and beginning of December, celebrates during one week the Creole culture through songs, concerts, dances, workshops, traditional pirogues regattas, conferences, etc. The Kaz'out Musik Festival, which takes place over 3 days at the beginning of November, offers the best of alternative and current music - hip-hop, nomadic maloya, progressive seggae, live electro, etc.

The vast majority of local tour operators offer a choice of guided excursions to discover the main natural and cultural sights of the island, in the form of half-day or full-day tours in minibus: discovery of Port Louis and its surroundings, excursion in one of the regions of the island punctuated with multiple breaks and visits, etc. See the range of offers online, knowing that you can also privatize the trip and opt for excursions as a couple or as a family in a car with driver-guide. For a themed immersion in very small groups, turn to one of the three companies specialized in the discovery of the historical, natural and culinary heritage of the island: Explore nou zil (www.explorenouzil.com), My Moris (www.mymoris.mu) and Taste Buddies (www.tastebuddies.mu). Otherwise, only the most touristic cultural sites such as the Aventure du Sucre or the Château de Labourdonnais for example, or those offering an immersion in the heart of the natural heritage of the island such as the Vallée de Ferney or Ebony Forest Reserve offer guided tours.