Aapravasi Ghat, a small complex of buildings located on the seafront, served as the island's main immigration depot for indentured labourers from India. Some of the original stone buildings remain, with displays on living conditions, the hospital wing and bathing ghats. The ghat was listed as a World Heritage Site by Unesco in 2006 for its important role in the island's social history.
While it may not look like much at first glance, this site resonates with Mauritians across the island. Britain pioneered its indentured-servant scheme in Mauritius and from 1849 to 1923 over half a million immigrants were processed here before being shipped to various plantations or other colonial islands. Today, almost 70% of Mauritius' citizens can trace their roots back to Aapravasi Ghat.