Mauritius · zero cost
Free things to do in Mauritius
Free walking tours, public museums on free days, parks, viewpoints, and self-guided routes in Mauritius, Mauritius. Bookable free walking tours and tip-based experiences via Expedia Attractions.
- ✓Free walking tours and tip-based experiences in Mauritius
- ✓Public viewpoints, parks, and waterfronts to wander
- ✓Museum free-day calendars on the listings that have them
- ✓Bookable for free · Powered by Expedia Attractions
What things cost in Mauritius
Dholl puri from a street cart costs roughly 25 to 40 rupees for two, making it the cheapest satisfying meal on the island. A Creole lunch in Port Louis runs 200 to 400 rupees. Buses cost about 25 to 45 rupees a journey and a day of car hire starts near 1,200. Aapravasi Ghat is free and the Blue Penny Museum a few hundred rupees.
What's actually worth your time in Mauritius
Le Morne Brabant, the basalt monolith on the southwest peninsula, is UNESCO-listed because escaped slaves took refuge on its summit; the hike runs three to four hours and the upper section must be guided. Chamarel's seven-coloured earths are an odd geological curiosity you will have photographed before you finish parking. Black River Gorges National Park is free and holds the last native forest. Grand Baie is a resort strip.
When the weather turns in Mauritius
Cyclone season runs November to April, and a class three warning shuts shops, buses and beaches completely, which is a different proposition from ordinary rain. On a merely wet day, Caudan Waterfront in Port Louis puts the Blue Penny Museum, shops and cinemas under one roof. Odysseo and the Natural History Museum are indoors. Rhumerie de Chamarel runs distillery tours and lunch under cover.
What first-timers get wrong in Mauritius
Driving is on the left and the roads are good, so hiring a car is the standard move; buses are cheap but stop running around six or seven in the evening. Southeast trade winds make the east coast windy year round, which matters when choosing where to sleep. Most resorts sit an hour from the airport. Tap water is treated, though many visitors still buy bottled.
Mauritius's museums, and which one to pick
The Blue Penny Museum at Caudan Waterfront owns a used Two Pence Blue and an unused One Penny Red from the 1847 Mauritius issue, and lights them for only ten minutes each hour to protect the colour. Aapravasi Ghat, the stone steps in Port Louis where close to half a million indentured Indian labourers first landed, is UNESCO-listed and free. The Natural History Museum keeps the composite dodo skeleton.
When to go to Mauritius
| Best months for free-things | Avg daily high | Rain days |
|---|---|---|
| September | 21°C / 70°F | 18 days |
| August | 20°C / 68°F | 19 days |
| May | 23°C / 73°F | 20 days |
The month to avoid is January — around 26°C (79°F) with roughly 28 rain days. Prices and crowds track the weather here: September is the sweet spot, January the month most people skip.
Pack for peak season: Layers — t-shirts under a light jacket or sweater, Rain gear is non-negotiable — expect rain on roughly 18 days, Comfortable walking shoes — every guide on this site assumes you'll use them.