Port Louis & Trou aux Cerfs Crater — City Tour

Port Louis is the real Mauritius — not the lagoon postcard version, but the one that lives, trades and blends cultures together for three centuries. I take you straight to the Central Market, the liveliest spot on the island: spices, embroidery, local crafts and the sound of the city at its finest. We then walk along the colonial façade of the Champ de Mars before heading to the Caudan Waterfront for views over the harbour.

In the afternoon, we head inland to Curepipe. There, at the heart of a town with the feel of a misty Victorian city, lies Trou aux Cerfs: a volcanic crater dormant for 700,000 years, blanketed in vegetation and ringed by a walking path. On a clear day, the view from the rim takes in the whole centre of the island.

The tour is by air-conditioned minivan. I drive, I provide the commentary and manage every stop. Ideal for discovering two very different sides of Mauritius in a single day.