Port Louis
Port Louis is the capital and most populous city of Mauritius, mainly located in the Port Louis District, with a small western part in the Black River District.
Port Louis is the capital and most populous city of Mauritius, mainly located in the Port Louis District, with a small western part in the Black River District. Port Louis is the country's financial and political centre. It is administered by the Municipal City Council of Port Louis. According to the 2018 census conducted by Statistics Mauritius, the population was 147,066.
Adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
What Wikivoyage says to see
- 01Aapravasi Ghat
When slavery was abolished in 1834, slaves that had been working on the island's sugar plantations were replaced by "free" indentured labourers from India.
- 02Caudan Waterfront
The Caudan Waterfront and its surroundings has a great collection of local souvenir shops and other foreign brand materials such as clothes, and spirits.
- 03Blue Penny Museum
- 04Citadelle
Built in basalt by the United Kingdom in 1840 and named after Queen Adelaide, it is the only remaining fort from this period of the island.
- 05St Louis Cathedral
The Catholic Saint Louis Cathedral is one of the oldest churches on the island, it was finished in 1933 but there has been a church on the place since 1752.
- 06Jummah Mosque
The main mosque of the city was built in 1853, and enlarged during the following decades.
From Wikivoyage: Port Louis, CC BY-SA 4.0. Not yet checked by us.
Things to do
Visit the Caudan Waterfront, a meeting place for teenagers and young lovers, which comprises a shopping centre, kiddyland and a huge food court catering for all tastes.
- 01Port Louis Theatre
An old theatre, constructed in 1822 with 600 places.
- 02Champs de Mars
Horse racing track founded in 1812 and as such the second oldest in the world; and in 1968 this is the place where the island's independence was proclaimed.
- 03Caudan Casino
At the waterfront there's a small casino with roulette, poker, black jack and slot machines.
- 04National Library of Mauritius
Opened in 2000, this is the country's main library.
From Wikivoyage: Port Louis, CC BY-SA 4.0. Not yet checked by us.
Where to eat
Mauritian food is a mouthwatering menagerie of international flavours, with delicious Creole curries, cuisines from all over Africa, Southeast Asia and India, and an abundance of fresh seafood that has never been frozen or shipped on an airplane. Popular snacks include samosas and gâteaux piments ("pepper cakes").
- 01Le Calife
Creole and Indian cuisine served in a pleasant environment.
- 02Mystic Masala
A kiosk at the seafront with a few tables serving Indian food such as samosas and masala dosa and you can enjoy a lassi drink or alouda (a Mauritian cold milk-based drink).
- 03First Restaurant
Traditional Cantonese cuisine with a large menu, this restaurant particularly suitable for groups.
- 04La Bonne Marmite
Described as one of the best restaurants outside the waterfront area, they have Creole, Indian and Chinese dishes on the menu and the staff is always friendly.
- 05Namaste
Fine dining Indian vegetarian restaurant mainly serving North Indian food.
From Wikivoyage: Port Louis, CC BY-SA 4.0. Not yet checked by us.
Getting to Port Louis
- Airports
- Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (MRU), 35 km · Roland Garros (RUN), 222 km · Saint-Pierre Pierrefonds (ZSE), 252 km
- Sainte-Marie → Port Louis9110 km · quickest by air, 23h 37m · €1,310–1,990
- Saint-Pierre → Port LouisTrain, bus, flight, ferry and road, side by side
- Toamasina → Port Louis879 km · quickest by air, 8h 40m · $310–470
- Plan a tripFrom anywhereThe planner compares every way there from wherever you are.
Road and air are today’s quick answer; timetabled trains, buses and ferries load on the results page from the operators’ feeds.
No local-transport research exists yet for Port Louis
Our researched notes are written from a sourced entry: every shared taxi, boat and village bus with its operator, its rule, its fare and the year we saw it, and what could not be confirmed. Nobody has done that work for Port Louis. What is above is what we hold from open sources; nothing here pretends to be more.
- Get aroundSome of the most popular rental cars categories are, compact (small Japanese cars), SUV, Sedan, 4x4 and luxury models.
From Wikivoyage: Mauritius, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us; that article was last edited 2026-08.
- 011,865 km
- 022,500 km
- 032,516 km
- 042,543 km
- 052,622 km
If you know how people move in Port Louis – the stand, the rule, the fare – tell us, and the note gets an entry.