South of Port Louis, Mauritius

Displayed:   times.

A scant 12km (7mi) south of Port Louis, the town of Moka - in terms of ambience - is a world apart from the capital. Not only is it the island's centre of academia, it's also blessed with sylvan landscapes, towering mountains and a number of impressive manor houses. Here, the University of Mauritius shares the bulk of the island's scholars with the Mahatma Gandhi Institute, founded to preserve and promote Mauritian Indian culture. The Gandhi Institute's Folk Museum of Indian Immigration houses around 2000 volumes of Indian archives dating from 1842 to 1910 as well as a small collection of artefacts, such as jewellery worn by early Indian immigrants, traditional musical instruments, books and assorted household knick-knacks.

Also of historical interest is Le Réduit (the Refuge), a former governor's mansion built in 1874 that is now used by the military. Though the building itself is open to the public only two days per year (in March and October), guard-escorted walks through the gardens are well worth a visit anytime. Another biggie, Eureka House, was restored and opened to the public as a museum in 1986. It was built in the 1830s and, like Le Réduit, has terrific views across the valley. The museum inside has areas dedicated to music, art, antique maps, Chinese and Indian housewares and quirky contraptions like a colonial-era shower. Leave yourself time for a ramble round the stone cottages and gardens out back. Both houses are about a kilometre outside of Moka - Eureka to the north, Le Réduit to the south - and are best reached by a combination of bus and foot, unless you can convince a local to rent you a bicycle.

Closer to Port Louis, Domaine Les Pailles is an elaborate cultural centre that includes facilities for horse-drawn carriage and train rides, plus a working replica of an ox-powered sugar mill, a rum distillery, an herb garden, a natural spring and a children's play area. An onsite riding centre, Les Écuries du Domaine, has horses for dressage and jumping and Welsh ponies for the wee ones. Continuing in the spirit of providence, the centre also has a handful of ethnic restaurants and its own jazz club and casino. Domaine Les Pailles is a 10 minute taxi ride from either Port Louis or Moka, or you can take a bus between the two and walk half an hour from the main road.

Moka Town is almost midway between Port Louis and Curepipe, just east of the M2. Buses ply between the cities daily, or you can take a taxi.

Rate this tip:

Rate!

Add Comment >>

Your Name:

Your Comment:

General Tips about Mauritius

» Required travel documents for Mauritius
» Electric power
» Area code to Mauritius
» Deep sea fishing
» Island beaches
» L'Aventure du Sucre
» Yemen Reserve
» Balaclava Ruins
» Wildlife
» Geography
» What to wear
» Flights from Europe
» Climate
» Transportation in Mauritius
» Communications in Mauritius
» History
» Floreal Textile Museum
» Floreal Square
» Le Domaine de l’Ylang Ylang - South West of Mauritius
» Le Domaine du Chasseur
» Souillac
» Le Val Nature Park
» Le Saint Aubin
» La Vallée des Couleurs
» Eureka, Creole Museum
» Pamplemousses
» Rochester Falls
» Domaine Les Pailles
» Black River Gorges (Inland Mauritius)
» Ile aux Aigrettes (South-East Mauritius)
» Ile aux Cerfs (East Mauritius)
» The Waterpark Leisure Village (East Mauritius)
» The Triolet Shivala (North Mauritius)
» Grand Bay (North Mauritius)
» South Island
» Domaine Les Pailles
» La Vanille Crocodile Park
» Casela Bird Park
» Blue Safari
» Undersea Walk
» Chamarel
» Mahebourg
» Casela
» Rodrigues
» Grand Baie
» Mauritius
» South of Port Louis
» Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Gardens
» Curepipe
» Port Louis

   More travel tips about Mauritius