Leisure activities in Mauritius

Hobbies in Mauritius

Moving to Mauritius is by no means the end of your interests and hobbies. During the week as well as on weekends, you will easily find a club, a group or a school offering whatever you had been practicing before your move. Language or dance lessons, public speaking, sailing, scuba diving, etc. Social media or a search engine will help you with your search. 

Facebook is the best place to find schools, groups and businesses that offer different activities. If, for example, you are looking for a ballet class, simply type "ballet classes Mauritius" in the search bar. You can do the same thing on a regular search engine. 

Don't forget the Expat.com leisure directory ("Services" / "See all services" section): click on "Categories" and type "Activities" in the search bar.

Activities available in Mauritius

Nature is omnipresent in Mauritius - the sea, beaches, mountains, forests, etc. There is something for everyone with activities to do on land, at sea and in the air.

Land activities

Quad biking, zip lining, hiking, parks, gardens, forests, museums, waterfalls, etc., The choice is wide when it comes to land activities. Here are some ideas to plan outings in the wild or in more traditional places.

Hiking

Mauritius does not lack hiking trails: in the mountains, in the Black River Gorges, around the reservoirs, or in the nature reserves.

If you love hiking or if you want to try it, mountains like Le Morne Brabant, Le Pouce, Lion, Corps de Garde, Les Signaux or Piton de la Petite Rivière Noire are musts.

If you prefer flatter or easier trails, try the Black River Gorges, which are full of hiking trails suitable for all tastes. There are also trails around the reservoirs, including Mare Longue, La Nicolière and Mare aux Vacoas.

La Vanille Nature Park - Located in Rivière des Anguilles, it is entirely dedicated to nature conservation and animal welfare. The setting of this zoological park allows you to dive into the heart of nature with or without a guide, interspersed with many activities: feeding the giant Aldabra tortoises, crocodile feeding, interactive farm, photo sessions with a baby crocodile, meeting Octar the iguana, pony rides, visit the nursery, hatching of baby turtles, feeding baby crocodiles or lemurs and more.

Casela Nature Park - This is undoubtedly the most visited and popular amusement park in Mauritius. A very wide range of activities is available, enough to spend a memorable day in this park of more than 350 hectares. Casela has undergone numerous developments and improvements in recent years. Today, visitors can enjoy 5 zones, named Thrill Mountain, Predator Kingdom, African Safari, Pangia Birds and Rides and World of Events. Each zone has its own atmosphere.

Odysseo - Oceanarium - the very first public oceanarium in Mauritius, located in Port Louis, is dedicated to learning but also to wondering. Of course, also suitable for children, the place is home to 45 habitats that protect 200 marine species of the Indian Ocean. All of them live in a total of 2,000 m³ of water, including 1,500 m³ for the main aquarium.

Gros Cailloux - The leisure park is located in Petite Rivière. It covers an area of 1,000 acres and is composed of 5 zones dedicated to agriculture, fruits and vegetables, nursery, maintenance and landscaping, and recreation.

Curious Corner of Chamarel - Located, as its name suggests, in Chamarel, and more exactly, in front of the Chamarel Seven Colored Earth Geopark, the Curious Corner is the first gallery entirely dedicated to interactive illusions and art in Mauritius.

Domaine Bel Ombre - situated in a 2,500-hectare setting, the Bel Ombre Nature Reserve covers 1,300 hectares. Wth picnics, quad or buggy rides and even hiking, it's the perfect place to reconnect with nature.

Beaches in Mauritius

These are the most popular beaches in Mauritius, but that doesn't mean all of them are constantly crowded.

Water activities in Mauritius

Stand-up paddle (SUP), windsurfing, undersea walking, laser sailing, wakeboarding, glass-bottom boat, sea kayaking, seabob, water skiing, swimming with turtles/dolphins, river trekking, kitesurfing, are all available to you if you're into water activities.

The most popular water activities in Mauritius

Swim with dolphins: Head to Tamarin Bay and Black River to discover one of the most popular activities in Mauritius, perfect for the whole family. Browse through the businesses that offer this activity by searching "swim with dolphins Mauritius" on your search engine, book an outing and get your snorkeling gear ready!

Catamaran cruises are also a must during your time in Mauritius, even with children. Take advantage of a day at sea to discover Gabriel Island in the North or sail around the Ile aux Bénitiers in the South West. Find the many possibilities by typing "Catamaran cruise Mauritius" on your search engine.

Another must-see is the Splash N Fun Leisure Park, located on the East coast of Mauritius, near the public beach of Belle Mare. This unique water park in Mauritius covers 12 hectares of land and offers both water and land attractions, as well as several pools and a waterfall. There is also a restaurant area.

Air activities in Mauritius

Many specialized service providers now offer activities that allow you to discover Mauritius from a unique angle: from the air! You can enjoy helicopter or seaplane flights, parachute jumping, tandem skydiving or paragliding.

Sports in Mauritius

Sports of all kinds are becoming more and more popular amongst Mauritians, who can now count on many gyms, centers, halls, and courses to discover activities and stay in shape all year round. The most popular ones: 

Yoga

There is no shortage of yoga studios on the island! A simple search on Google Maps will allow you to discover the addresses from the North to the South of Mauritius.

Combat sports

Very popular in Mauritius, combat sports are particularly well-represented throughout the island. Mixed Martial Arts, jiu-jitsu, judo, karate, Okinawa kobudo, krav maga, taekwondo, etc. You will find anything you're looking for or you can just try classes until you find a perfect fit!

Zumba

Just like yoga, Zumba is all the rage among the inhabitants of Mauritius. Classes are given by small local gyms, outdoors or by individual Zumba-certified instructors.

Horseback riding

There are several stud farms in Mauritius, including Domaine de L'Étoile, La Vieille Cheminée and Le Morne. As for courses, they are provided by Cavalia, Les Écuries de Mont Rocher, les étables de Forbach as well as by the Club d'équitation du nord.

Archery

As surprising as it may seem, archery is a very popular sport in Mauritius. To get started, get in touch with the Rose Hill Archery Club, Azuri Archery Club, Archery CSSC Clubhouse (Curepipe Starlight Sporting Club), OPAC (Vacoas-Phœnix).

Golf 

This sport has been practiced on the island since 1902. Mauritius now has more than 10 golf courses:

Rugby

The best place to enquire about rugby in Mauritius is the Rugby Union Mauritius.

Water sports in Mauritius

Mauritius has several dozen well-equipped diving centers registered with the Mauritius Scuba Diving Association. Some of them are also PADI and CMAS certified. Most of these diving centers are associated with hotels or resorts, although you can find independent diving centers.

Kitesurfers can go to the "One Eye" spot at Le Morne, or to La Gaulette, La Prairie, Ile aux Bénitiers and Bel Ombre. If you want to go through a specialized company, look for a provider certified by the IKO (International Kiteboarding Organization).

Surfing is practiced in Tamarin, on the West coast, where there is a surf school. 

For windsurfing, head to the East coast of Mauritius, where the trade winds blow from the Southeast. You can approach the luxury hotels in the area, which offer equipment rental and lessons.

Stand-up paddling is gaining momentum in Mauritius, where it is now possible to take lessons and rent boards, especially in Tamarin. 

For kayaking enthusiasts, many hotels offer this activity at sea. If you are a complete beginner or simply prefer to be accompanied by a specialized company, try sea kayaking by Yemaya Adventures on Amber Island or river kayaking by Otentic and Nativ Lodge & Spa.

Fitness in Mauritius

More and more fitness clubs are opening across the island! To find them, just do some research on Facebook and on the internet in general by typing the keywords "fitness Mauritius". The most popular are:

Of course, smaller gyms can be found in most of the towns as well as in the villages.

As for the fees, it all depends on the club you choose. Admission fees usually start at Rs 1,000, and monthly fees vary depending on the club chosen.

Museums in Mauritius

Allow yourself to be immersed in the history of Mauritius through its museums, such as: 

Music in Mauritius

Sega is the pillar of the local music scene. The sega features a ravanne (a traditional goat skin drum), a rattle box and a triangle. Sega is the result of Malagasy ritual music mixed with African music, while the lyrics are mainly sung in Mauritian Creole. Over time, sega has also fused with reggae to give the seggae.

Mauritians do listen to everything, however, from R&B, hip hop, soul, dubstep, club, techno, afrobeats and rap.

Finally, Indian music, through the Bollywood culture very anchored in the country, also occupies a special place in the local musical culture, as well as the songs in Bhojpuri - a local language adapted from Hindi.

Concerts, live music and music festivals in Mauritius

The country regularly hosts many international artists (Groundation, Calogero, Kendji Girac, etc.), including renowned DJs.

Live music lovers have several meeting points on the island: 

Finally, music festivals are also becoming very popular and offer a wide variety of styles. To keep up with upcoming events, check out Otayo's online ticketing service.

Learn a foreign language in Mauritius

Mauritius is located at a strategic geographical crossroads but also at the crossroads of languages.

Young Mauritian school children learn English and French and can also learn Creole, Hindi, Bhojpuri, Urdu, Tamil, Telugu, Mandarin and Marathi. 

Nevertheless, the market for language courses is gradually developing, with private individual or group courses provided by specialized companies or institutions. For example, Polytechnics Mauritius offers courses in German, Mandarin, Italian and Spanish. 

There's also: 

Arts in Mauritius

If you are looking for courses in singing, painting, acting, writing, etc., here are some suggestions, which you can supplement with internet research: 

Lyrical Arts

There are several singing schools in Mauritius. Some of the most popular ones are: 

Find out more here.

Plastic arts

ARTSPACE MAURITIUS is located in Calodyne, in the North of the island. It offers courses in: 

Tamarin Arts Center is located in Tamarin. It offers: 

School of Arts & Humanities, which has 5 departments and 2 units, including:

Theater

If you are interested in taking classes in theater or acting in general, you may contact: 

Go further here.

Reading

Book lovers will find their happiness in many stores, among which the Bookcourt chain, or the Éditions Le Printemps, Le Cygne. 

Go further here.

Games 

Board game lovers are more and more numerous in Mauritius, where game nights are regularly organized.

To buy board games, let's mention the online service Meeple Mauritius, the Mozouzou chain, Lotus d'Or Trianon and Lotus d'Or Port-Louis, 101 Multimedia (offers a delivery service) or King Jouet.

Go further here.

Regarding clubs and other gatherings around board games, Board Gamers Mauritius remains, for the time being, the most consistent organizer of game nights.

Shopping in Mauritius

Mauritius is a shopper's paradise, as the island is known for producing quality textiles, jewelry, diamonds and handicrafts such as model ships and wooden artworks, to name a few. 

International brands

The major international brands have certainly not missed an opportunity to delight serial shoppers, who can count on Woolworths, Adopt, Alain Afflelou, Café Coton, Calvin Klein, Celio, Decathlon, Esprit, Etam, Fila, Gap, Kiabi, Mac, Mango, Lacoste, Adidas, Hugo Boss, Ralph Lauren, etc.

Ascencia shopping malls

The Ascencia Group has a list of strategically placed shopping malls throughout the island: 

All of them are, in fact, real entertainment centers with a long list of stores, greengrocers, food courts, a super or hypermarket, etc., and some of them are even home to movie theaters, video games, futsal, bowling, etc. 

Coeur de Ville shopping malls

Grand-Baie Cœur De Ville, Flacq Cœur De Ville and Tamarin Cœur de Ville each offer not only a French hypermarket, but also dozens of fashion, home decoration, art and craft stores, a food court and several restaurants. 

Other shopping malls

The following shopping malls are not part of the groups mentioned above: 

Popular areas for shopping in Mauritius

Some towns and villages are more famous than others among shopaholics.

In the center:

North:

West:

East: 

Flacq - Flacq has countless food and non-food stores and boutiques, not to mention its market.

Eating in Mauritius 

Eating is part of the Mauritian culture, at home, but especially outside. Between the snacks (editor's note: small restaurants), the restaurants of different ranges and the street food, there is plenty to do and eat!

On the street, the must-haves are rotis and dal puris! One is made of flour and clarified and the other is made of split peas and flour. Both are usually filled with vegetables cooked in a sauce and condiments, but you can sometimes be offered other options (be careful, it can sometimes be spicy, so make sure to ask the seller). 

The must-try on the island is AKA house for rotis, an institution among Mauritians, located in Cité Vallijee. For dal puri, head to Dal Puri Bye in Rose-Hill. Otherwise, there are fried snacks, generally made from or filled with vegetables (“gato pima”, samosas, “patés”, “gato arouille”, etc.), but also dumplings (made of chicken, fish, beef or lamb and/or vegetables), accompanied with broth and chili, not to mention curries and biryani.

If you have a sweet tooth, don't miss the "confits", fruits pickled with an acidic, sweet and salty mixture. Topped with sweet and sour tamarind sauce, spicy salt and an additional spicy sauce, they are a favorite of Mauritians in winter and summer alike. You can ask for fresh fruits too, of course. 

Let's add to this the artisanal ice creams, of which Vona Corona is a worthy representative, often almond, rose water or vanilla-flavored and topped with jams and grated coconut. 

For a more classic setting, the establishments range from the very basic "snacks" and their fried rice and noodles, boiled noodle, etc., to higher-end restaurants offering for gourmets. 

The most posh restaurants in Mauritius are: 

What to do with friends in Mauritius?

It is not uncommon to meet up with friends in one of the many shopping malls on the island. 

In addition, there are pubs or restaurants in all the localities where you can meet. 

If you want to share an activity with your friends, why not go bowling or karaoke in Bagatelle, Cascavelle or Flacq, or go on a quad bike ride or a hike. 

Good to know :

Discount websites like Marideal.mu, Deals.mu or Defideals.mu offer discounted deals on hotels, villas, a plethora of activities or massages and spas.

Nightlife in Mauritius 

Mauritius may be a small island, but it does have a bit of nightlife! In addition to the street vendors who set the mood on Saturday nights in the big cities, if you are more into bars, clubs and casinos, here are a few to keep in mind: 

Bars and nightclubs in the north:

Bars and nightclubs in the center:

Bars and nightclubs in the west:

For amateurs of Casinos:

Article written by expat.com
Last update on 18 March 2023 15:06:23
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