Port Louis - The Bustling Capital of Mauritius
April 29 - Full-Day Excursion
Caudan Waterfront Shopping Center
Today's day trip takes us to the capital of Mauritius, Port Louis. We recommend not driving to Port Louis during rush hour, as the traffic is intense. Parking is conveniently available right in front of the Caudan Waterfront. The Caudan Waterfront is a shopping center with about 170 shops, cinemas, bars, restaurants and also houses the casino. Here you'll find upscale boutiques, a food court with various dining options, and a Craft Market where you can buy souvenirs. Essentially, this is the "upscale version of the Central Market".
Blue Penny Museum
At the end of the Caudan Waterfront you'll find the Blue Penny Museum. It houses what is probably the world's most famous stamp, the Blue Mauritius. To protect it, it is only displayed for a few minutes once per hour. An attendant informs you when it's time. Unfortunately, photos are not allowed. But we can say: yes, we have seen it.
In the lower section of the museum, there is an exhibition about the love story of Paul and Virginie. The story is about two children who fell in love. However, Virginie was sent to France for her education. Virginie missed Paul so much that she returned to Mauritius. Just before reaching Mauritius, the ship was wrecked on the cliffs in the northeast of the island. Paul watched the drama unfold from the shore and died of a broken heart.
Aapravasi Ghat
We walk along the harbor and head straight for the Postal Museum, which is unfortunately closed.
North of it, on the busy street, you'll find Aapravasi Ghat. This site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After slavery was "abolished," this was the landing place for immigrants and indentured laborers from Africa, Madagascar, China and of course India. Around 500,000 people were registered and "sold" here. It is a historic site that tells the dark history of human trafficking by the British. Unfortunately, only part of the original complex remains today.
Central Market of Port Louis
The Central Market is located behind the harbor and you should definitely visit it. This is where locals buy their vegetables, herbs, fruit and lottery tickets. Local delicacies are also offered at the Central Market of Mauritius. Here you can try local specialties for little money, such as Roti (flatbread with spicy filling) or Biryani (baked rice). There is also a delicious lemonade made from Rodrigues lemons or Alouda, a typical drink of Port Louis (a kind of sweet milk drink). Of course, tourist souvenirs are available here too. You can buy them both on the ground floor and on the second floor. A visit is worthwhile - bargaining is the norm here.
There is also a meat and fish market located in a different building across the street. You should only visit if you don't have high standards for cleanliness and do NOT have a sensitive nose :-). I personally couldn't stand the smell of the "fish soup" that had accumulated under the hall at around 34 degrees in the shade.
