Cap Malheureux's much-photographed church, the red-roofed Notre Dame Auxiliatrice, is worth a quick peek inside for its intricate woodwork and a holy-water basin fashioned out of a giant clamshell. A sign strictly prohibits newlyweds 'faking' a church wedding for the photographers here, but newlyweds – genuine or otherwise, photographers in tow – are a common sight in the church grounds. You can attend Mass here at 6pm on Saturday and 9am on Sunday.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Gardens
8.85 MILES
After London's Kew Gardens, the SSR Gardens is one of the world's best botanical gardens. It's among the most popular tourist attractions in Mauritius and…
26.43 MILES
Protecting a 400-year-old forest, this reserve is an important habitat for the Mauritius kestrel, one of the world's most endangered raptors, and a visit…
14.48 MILES
Although dedicated to the world-famous Mauritian one-penny and two-pence stamps of 1847, the Blue Penny Museum is far more wide-ranging than its name…
17.89 MILES
If you're only going to visit one attraction related to Mauritius' rich colonial history, choose Eureka. This perfectly preserved Creole mansion was built…
12.64 MILES
The shrine of French Catholic priest and missionary Père Jacques-Désiré Laval is something of a Lourdes of the Indian Ocean, with many miracles attributed…
28.3 MILES
Locals like to wax nostalgic about Tamarin Beach and its surfing heyday, and in many ways this sandy cove still feels like a throwback to earlier times,…
29.45 MILES
Don't miss the central foire de Mahébourg, near the waterfront. The initial focus was silks and other textiles, but these days you'll find a busy produce…
14.27 MILES
Port Louis' rightly famous Central Market, the centre of the local economy since Victorian times, is a good place to get a feel for local life, watch the…
Nearby attractions
2.27 MILES
Housed in a charmingly restored sugar mill, the Galerie du Moulin Cassé features the vibrant floral scenes of painter Malcolm de Chazal (1902–82) and a…
3.04 MILES
Shiv Kalyan Vath Mandir is a vividly coloured Tamil temple that's older than Surya Oudaya Sangam. Remove your shoes before entering.
3.81 MILES
Surya Oudaya Sangam, located at the western end of town, is dedicated to Shiva. Visitors are welcome, but remove your shoes before entering.
5.98 MILES
One of the loveliest examples of colonial architecture on the island, restored Château Labourdonnais was completed in 1859. Built in teak and sporting an…
8.08 MILES
This small aquarium has a decent collection of tropical fish (including clownfish), but the real stars are the whitetip reef sharks and hawksbill turtles…
8.28 MILES
The former Beau Plan sugar factory houses one of the best museums in Mauritius. It not only tells the story of sugar in great detail but also covers the…
7. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Gardens
8.85 MILES
After London's Kew Gardens, the SSR Gardens is one of the world's best botanical gardens. It's among the most popular tourist attractions in Mauritius and…
9.7 MILES
You can still see the ruins of the French arsenal – along with a flour mill and a lime kiln – within the grounds of the Maritim Resort & Spa at Baie de l…