Pamplemousses Garden & Sugar World

Pamplemousses Garden is the oldest botanical garden in the southern hemisphere, created in 1770. What you come for are the giant Victoria amazonica water lilies — leaves a metre and a half across floating like trays — and the talipot palms, which flower once at around sixty years old and then die. There are also giant tortoises and an avenue of trees planted by visiting heads of state.

In the afternoon, on to L’Aventure du Sucre, set in a former sugar mill. It’s far more interesting than it sounds: sugar is the whole history of Mauritius — slavery, indenture, the island’s economy. A tasting of rums and speciality sugars closes the visit.

An easy outing, in the shade, perfect for a very hot day or when travelling with parents. Pamplemousses is twenty minutes from the north — the closest cultural outing to you if you’re staying in Grand Baie.