Black River is a district on the Western side of the island. Famous areas include Tamarin Falls and the Chamarel coloured Earth. The district capital is Bambous. Previously it was Tamarin. It is the third largest district of Mauritius in area, but the smallest in terms of population. It contains much of Mauritius’ unique tropical forests, including those found in the Black River Gorge. During winter deer hunting is practised in the forests.
Tamarin is the only area where surfing is possible during the month of July and August.
Flic en Flac is the longest beach on the island and certainly one of the most beautiful ones. Being on the west coast it gives view to beautiful sunsets.
Le Morne’s unique constant wind effects makes it a top kite surfing/wind surfing destination. Frequently both board and kite manufacturers can be seen trialing their next generation equipment in this prime location. The wind is prevalent through the winter months (May-Sept). On occasion, with the right waves conditions, the reef outside Le Morne can be surfed.
Flacq is a situated in the East of the island. The capital is Centre de Flacq. It is the largest district, having an area of 298 km2, and as of 2000 has a population of 126,839.
This district houses the village of Flacq, which is well known for its market. This market is on most tourist brochures. There is also the small village of Trou d’Eau Douce, from where visitors take boats for tours on Ile aux Cerfs island.
Grand Port encompasses much of the South Eastern part of the island of Mauritius. Its capital is Rose-Belle but the most important town of the district is Mahébourg (former capital of Mauritius). It hosts the only airport of the country.
Grand Port is named after the village of Old Grand Port which saw the first Dutch landing and the first port of the island. It is centred on the town of Mahébourg on the coast, inside the Grand Port Bay. Built by the Dutch and later taken over by the French, the town is a reminder of the colonial past of the island.
The Northern part of the district is mountainous with forested valleys and rivers. The Eastern part gently rises to meet the central plateau and enjoys a cool temperate climate suitable for tea plantations. The Southern part is a flat plain on part of which sits the international airport.
Moka is a district in the central plateau of the island. The capital is named Quartier Militaire. Moka is also the one of the two landlocked districts in Mauritius, the other is Plaines Wilhems. It has Latitude of 20° 13′ 0S , and a Longitude of 57° 30′ 0E . It’s Altitude is 698 ft. As of the 2000 census, the district has population of 75,479 and covers an area of 231 km2. The Moka district is devoted largely to agriculture. It is not a big tourist attraction, though.
Moka has a very famous co-ed College called Mahatma Gandhi Institute. This college caters for grades 6 to High School. This college was created/donated by the Government of India and started as an experimental college. It became really popular and now ranks 3rd in the whole country. The college campus is placed in a very scenic valley.
Pamplemousses is in the North of the island, and is one of the most densely populated parts of the island. The name of the district comes from the French word for grapefruits. Its capital is Triolet. It hosts the SSR botanical garden, or Jardin Botanique Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, renamed in 1988 in honor of the first prime minister of Mauritius.
The garden was first constructed by Pierre Poivre (1719-1786) in 1770. The area is 25 hectares. The garden features spices, ebonies, sugar canes and many more. It also features lotuses as well as 85 varieties of palms from Central America, Asia, Africa and the islands around the Indian Ocean.
Plaines Wilhems is one of the most important districts in Mauritius. It has most of the major towns of the country, like Beau-Bassin, Vacoas, Phoenix, Rose-Hill etc. It is divided into Upper Plaine Wilhems (capital Curepipe) and Lower Plaine Wilhems (capital Rose-Hill). It is also one of the two landlocked districts in Mauritius.
Port Louis District is the Capital and one of the district of Mauritius. It includes many community areas including Plaine-Verte, Vallee Pitot, China Town, Ward4 and Camp Yoloff. The city is surrounded by villages like St Croix, Roche Bois, Grande Riviere North West. Places to visit in Port Louis District include the Port-Louis harbor, Caudan Waterfront, Casinos, Desforges Street, Jummah Masjid, bazaar and shopping malls.
Port-louis has the biggest harbour on the island. A sugar terminal has been built very near to the harbor for the exportation of sugar-cane which is the number one pillar of Mauritian economy. The harbor has over the decades been extended through reclaimed land. The Caudan Waterfront for example which is just next to the harbor has been built over these reclaimed pieces of land.
The city is also the biggest business hub on the island and most government departments are situated in Port-Louis. Given the number of people that work in Port-Louis , this leads to a chaotic situation traffic-wise on week days. People from all over the island travel to Port-Louis and many roads become congested. This is why the government is trying to decentralise the business to business parks away from Port-Louis, one such example is the Ebene Cybercity.
Rivière du Rempart is located in the North East of the country. Its capital is Mapou but its biggest town is the world famous tourist resort of Grand Bay.
Among some of the big towns like Cap Malheureux or Grand Gaube in the coastline, it also comprises some touristic places like Plaine des Papayes and Antoinette, where the first indentured labourers from India settled.
Rivière du Rempart are linked by two roads and is located North East of Port Louis and North of Grand Port.
Savanne is in the South of the island. The capital is Souillac. As of the 2000 census, the district has a population of 66,356 and covers an area of 243 km2.
The South of Mauritius is one of the most scenic and unspoilt parts of the island. Several sites of attractions are found in the district of Savanne including the famous Gris Gris.
