05 Must See Places in Mauritius – Gem of the Indian Ocean

Le Morne boasts a rich heritage of culture and history; as the place served as a refuge for a number of fleeing Maroon slaves who hid in the folds of Morne Brabant. Adding to the sad tale are theories that most of the slaves from Tanzania and Mozambique, who were put to work in the sugar cane fields, often jumped off the cliffs in the area to escape the cruel confines of slavery. Although there is no evidence to back-up these claims, the area's ambience is still rife with these past experiences, and visiting the charming Le Morne village one will notice that fishing for one's supper is still practised, as in the days of the slave.

One of the best amongst Mauritius attractions, the Black River Gorges National Park makes for an ideal day excursion from properties such as The Residence Mauritius by Cenizaro. At this lush sanctuary, you are taken back to a time when the place was covered in dense forests, and dodos had free range of the place and giant turtles abounded as much as the prized ebony trees. All this was lost due to the clearing of forests and setting up of sugar cane plantations. The Black River Park though is one of the few remaining places where one can experience this past splendour, and marvel at the wonders of nature; sadly no Dodo birds roam the place.

Chamarel is a small village located in the Savanne district of Mauritius. And true to its name the vegetation and surroundings are very similar to that of the African savannah. There are two distinctive sites in Savanne, one being the islands tallest waterfall, the Chamarel Falls and The Seven, one of the world's most unique landscapes which offer an alien-like appearance; as there the earth consists of multi-coloured sand dunes in hues of red, purple and brown. The Chamarel Falls are a thrill to explore and if you hike to the summit of the 100 metre falls, you can look down and see the cascades rush down to a beautiful pool below.

This is a crocodile park home to thousands of the snapping creatures. Located in the village of Riviere des Anguilles the place is a haven for different types of crocodiles as well as, the giant Aldabra turtle, bats and monkeys.

Also known as the SSR Gardens, this place is home to the Samadhi or rather the funerary monument of Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, regarded as the father of the nation. Located to the north of the island, the gardens spanning a total of 6 acres is located within the scenic village of Pamplemousse. Within its folds are palm trees, enormous lilies and animals such as deer and bats.