FREDERICK HENDRIK MUSEUM (Vieux Grand Port % 634 4319; ( 09.00–16.00 Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri, Sat, 09.00–12.00 Sun, closed public holidays; admission free) This small museum charts the history of the Dutch on the island. In the grounds are the remains of the first Dutch settlement, Mauritius’s earliest colonial structures. The ruined buildings you see today were the bakery (closest to the sea) and a store/prison (near the road). Just south of the museum is a tower known as the Tour des Hollandais, the Tower of the Dutch.
THE NATIONAL HISTORY MUSEUM (Royal Rd, Mahébourg; % 631 9329; ( 09.00–16.00 Mon, Wed–Sat, 09.00–12.00 Sun & public holidays; admission free) On the main road just south of Mahébourg is the French colonial mansion built in 1722, which houses the museum formerly known as the Mahébourg Naval and Historical Museum. It is here that, in 1810, wounded British and French naval commanders, Willoughby and Duperré, were brought for medical treatment. The battle is described in the museum, which contains relics from numerous ships that have been wrecked off Mauritius over the years, including Le Saint Géran. The tragedy was the inspiration for the love story Paul et Virginie, by Bernardin de St Pierre. Paul attempts to save his beloved but, for the sake of modesty, she refuses to remove her heavy clothing and is drowned. Accounts of the shipwreck tell of other women making the same terminal decision.
In the grounds of the museum are the wooden huts of the Village Artisanal, run by the Ministry of Arts, Culture, Leisure and Reform Institutions. The idea is that local artisans can be seen at work but sadly the huts are often empty; a range of handicrafts is on sale.
BISCUTERIE H RAULT (BISCUIT FACTORY) (Mahébourg; % 631 9559; e manioc[at] intnet.mu; raultmaniocbiscuit.com; ( 09.00–15.00 Mon–Fri; admission adult/child Rs175/125) Quaint, quirky and well worth a visit. Since 1870, this small, family-run business has been producing biscuits made from manioc (a local root vegetable). The business is now in the hands of the fourth generation of the family. A fascinating guided tour explains the process from raw vegetable to finished biscuit. The nine staff still do everything by hand. The ingredients are weighed on a fabulous set of scales made in Liverpool, UK, in 1869 and the biscuits are cooked over burning sugarcane leaves. The tour culminates in a tasting of the biscuits in various flavours – chocolate, coconut, custard and cinnamon. If you want to stock up, they are very reasonable: Rs65 per pack.The factory is about 1km north of Mahébourg: follow the brown tourist attraction signs after Cavendish Bridge (don’t be put off by the narrow residential streets lined with corrugated iron).
LE SOUFFLEUR (( 07.00–16.00 Mon–Fri, 07.00–12.00 Sat; admission free) The sea used to spout spectacularly from this blowhole at high tide. Erosion has deprived it of the power it had 150 years ago when a writer remarked that ‘it roared furiously to a height of fully sixty feet’, though it still roars a little when the tide is high.
LA VANILLE RESERVE DES MASCAREIGNES (Senneville, Rivière des Anguilles; % 626 2503; f 626 1442; e crocpark[at]intnet.mu; lavanille-reserve.com; ( 09.30–17.00 daily; admission adult/child Rs330/180 weekdays, Rs220/100 weekends & public holidays) Located just south of the town of Rivière des Anguilles, the park was created in 1985 by an Australian zoologist as a crocodile farm. Nile crocodiles are still bred here for their skins (there are some 2,000 of them) but the park has grown into a mini zoo with macaques (Macaca fascicularis), iguanas, deer, wild boar and freshwater fish. A favourite with visitors are the giant Aldabra tortoises (Geochelone gigantea), which roam in a large open space where visitors can walk freely amongst them. Visitors can also walk through the Rodrigues fruit bat (Pteropus rodericensis) enclosure. In the insectarium over 23,000 species of butterflies and beetles are displayed. The cool, shady walkways through the lush forest make this an ideal excursion on a hot day. Because spraying would upset the ecology, there are mosquitoes too, but repellent can be bought at the shop, which also sells crocodile-skin goods. There is a licensed restaurant, where crocodile meat is the main feature of the menu. The meat comes from the tail of three-year-old crocodiles and is part of the commercial side of the park.
Feeding time (see the crocs leap out of the water for chicken carcasses) is on Wednesday and Saturday at 11.30. Guided tours are on the hour, every hour. Some of the park is wheelchair-accessible, including the tortoise area.
SOOKDEO BISSOONDOYAL MEMORIAL MUSEUM (Royal Rd, Tyack, Rivière des Anguilles; % 626 3732; mauritiusmuseumscouncil.com; ( 09.00–16.00 Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri; admission free) Sookdeo Bissoondoyal was a prominent figure in Mauritian politics until his death in 1977 and was a key figure during the transition to independence in 1968. The house where he was born has been made into a small museum telling the story of his life.
ROBERT EDWARD HART MEMORIAL MUSEUM (Autard St, Souillac; % 625 6101; ( 09.00–16.00 Mon & Wed–Fri, 09.00–12.00 Sat; admission free) This museum on the site of Hart’s home offers the visitor a very personal insight into the life and work of this well-known Mauritian poet. In 2002, the original house was destroyed for safety reasons and a replica built in its place. The interior has been left, as far as possible, as it was when Hart died. Quotes from Hart’s work are displayed, as are personal belongings such as photographs, a pith helmet, his OBE (1949) and his Légion d’honneur (1950). The museum is next to Telfair Gardens; follow the signs and don’t be put off by the route through narrow residential streets.
BOIS CHERI TEA FACTORY (Bois Chéri, Grand Bois; % 507 0216; ( 08.30–16.30 Mon–Fri, 08.30–14.30 Sat; factory tour plus tea tasting adult/child Rs400/250; tea tasting only Rs200) This working tea factory turns 40 tonnes of tea leaves into ten tonnes of tea per day. Guided tours take you through the whole process, from the drying of the leaves when they are first received through to the flavouring of the tea and finally the packaging. Tours take place every 30 minutes in the mornings and in winter the factory usually operates only on a Wednesday, due to the reduced harvest. There is also a museum which charts the history of tea and exhibits various machines which have become obsolete over the 115 years that the factory has been in production. A short drive brings you to a chalet where you can taste a number of the teas produced in the factory, such as vanilla, coconut and mint flavours, while enjoying magnificent views down to the coast. There is also a good restaurant here . Packets of tea are on sale in the shop and make a good souvenir. Tour buses seem to arrive around 11.00 and it can get busy at this time. It may be wise to phone ahead. See also La Route du Thé, below.
LE SAINT AUBIN (Rivière des Anguilles; %/f 625 1513; e lesaintaubin[at]intnet.mu; ( Mon–Sat 08.30–16.00; admission adult/child Rs700/350) At the heart of a sugar estate, a picturesque colonial house, built in 1819 using wood taken from ships. Visitors can learn about some of the island’s main agricultural and horticultural activities here: vanilla, sugar, rum and anthurium production. The production of vanilla is immensely complicated and the short video and exhibits on the processes involved are fascinating – in total it takes around 18 months to produce the vanilla pods we see in our supermarkets. The method of pollination by hand was discovered by a slave on neighbouring Réunion Island and allowed the vanilla orchid, which is native to Mexico, to be grown outside that country. In 2011, a new attraction focusing on sugar production was being built, along the lines of Aventure du Sucre near Pamplemousses, in the island’s north. The rum distillery and tasting are fun and there is a small shop selling souvenirs, including vanilla, sugar, rum and tea. The restaurant here is excellent and accommodation is available in a cottage on the estate. See also La Route du Thé, below.
LA ROUTE DU THE (THE TEA ROUTE) (% 626 1513; e lesaintaubin[at] intnet.mu; larouteduthe.mu; adult/child Rs1,700/850, inc lunch) A combined tour, allowing you to visit three sites linked to the Bois Chéri Tea Estate. Unless you are on an organised tour, transport is not provided between the three points and you must make your own way. The route begins at Domaine des Aubineaux near Curepipe, a colonial mansion built in 1872 as the home of the estate’s owner. The interior contains furniture and photographs from the period. The second stop is Bois Chéri Tea Factory for a guided tour and tasting. Finally, you visit Le Saint Aubin, where lunch is provided. All three are interesting sites and the obvious advantage of the combined tour is that it works out cheaper than visiting the three separately.
VALLEE DES COULEURS (Chemin Grenier; % 251 8666; e info[at]lavalleedescouleurs.com; lavalleedescouleurs.com; ( 09.00–16.30 daily; adult/child rs150/75) About 10km north of Souillac lies this multi-coloured exposed area of earth, similar to the seven coloured earths of Chamarel. It is less visited than Chamarel and claims to have 23 colours of earth as opposed to seven. It is within a pleasant forested area with good views of the coast. A walking circuit takes you past areas of endemic plants, a few animals (deer, ducks, tortoises, etc) and waterfalls, as well as the coloured earth. Quad biking, ziplining and pedaloes are available for the energetic. There is a café on site.
SPIRITUAL CENTRE OF RIAMBEL – THE VORTEX (Coastal Rd, Riambel; % 736 9038; ( 09.00–17.00; free admission) The vortex is signed from the main road. It is reputed to be one of 14 energy centres on earth. The vortex is marked by a ring of stones and around it are areas set aside for each of the body’s chakras. People come here to meditate and restore their inner balance. There is usually a volunteer on hand to show you what to do. It gets particularly busy on weekends.
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