Nature and sight seeing in Mauritius

Domaine Les Pailles
At a stone's throw from Port-Louis lies the Domaine Les Pailles, a natural park spreading over 3,000 acres at the foot of a mountain range. Here visitors discover old ways of living in an enchanting environment. Domaine Les Pailles also offers a wide range of facilities: a gastronomic restaurant, "Le Clos St Louis" a reception hall "La Canelle Rouge", an Indian restaurant "Indra", exclusive Chinese at "Fu Xiao", a pizzaeria

Domaine Du Chasseur
"Domaine des grands Bois" :Hidden in the hills at Anse Jonchee near Mahebourg on the South-Eastern side of the island is a magnificient park covering 2,000 acres. On forest-clad slopes at an altitude of 300 to 500 metres live stags and deers, monkeys and wild boars in a luxurious vegetation of ebony, eucalyptus, revenala, palm trees and wild orchids.

Rare species of birds such as the kestrel can be seen in the woods. The domain also boasts 4 thatch-roofed lodge-type bungalows and open restaurant overlooking the sea. A wide choice of venison and seafood is available.

Domaine de l'Ylang Ylang
Rests at the foot of Anse Jonchees Mountain, Vieux Grand Port. It's the main resource is the plantation of Ylang Ylang from whose fragrant yellow flowers, perfume is distilled. The domain commands a panoramic view over the bay of Vieux Grand Port and the neighbouring islets. Hiking possibilities exists for nature-lovers and food sampling of farm products can be organized on request.

Black River Gorges National Park
This 6,574 hectare park, proclaimed in 1994, protects much of the remaining native forests of Mauritius and provides opportunities for the visitor to enjoy spectacular natural scenery and some of the unique endemic plants and birdlife. The National Park is easily reached from Vacoas or Curepipe, via La Marie and Mare aux Vacoas.

At Le Petrin a visitor information centre has been set up with picnic facilities. A boardwalk provides access to the typical dwarf forest of the region and a fenced conversation management area from which invasive non-native plants have been removed protects a sample of the remaining heathland. From here visitors can walk to Maccabee forest (7 km return) or down through the Gorges to Black River (15 km). From the road across Plaine Champagne towards Chamarel there is easy access to viewpoints at Alexandra Falls, over Bel Ombre and over the spectacular Black River Gorges. There are also a number of longer walking trails, including one to the island's highest point, Black River Peak (828 m.) Details containedin a brochure are available free from the National Parks and Conversation Service, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Reduit. Road access into the Black River Gorges from the coast road has been upgraded and a visitor Centre and camping area has been developed.