Mahebourg, Rault Biscuit Factory & Ile aux Aigrettes

The south-east is the part of the island that has changed least. This day covers it: first Ile aux Aigrettes, a nature reserve where giant tortoises and pink pigeons have been reintroduced — the only place you’ll see the ebony forest that covered Mauritius before people arrived.

Then the Rault biscuit factory, opened in 1870 and still in the same family: cassava biscuits are baked on wood-fired plates exactly as they were a century and a half ago. The visit lasts twenty minutes and the tasting stays with you.

We finish at Mahebourg market if it’s a Monday, or along the waterfront otherwise. A calm, cultural day with no demanding walking. If you only want Ile aux Aigrettes, I also offer the short version.