The Photographic Museum was created by Marie-Noëlle and Tristan Bréville in the late 1960s. Their daughter Marie Julie is now making it a family affair to keep the tradition rooted down in Mauritian culture.The Museum goes beyond the conservation and preservation mission as it creates and saves the memory of a nation.
The Museum is located in an 18th century building and the visitors will be able to meet the creators of the Museum. The creators vision is to promote Mauritian photography.
Photography Museum
The Museum contains more than one thousand cameras and the first photographic lens which equipped one of the first ever made photographic cameras and bought by a Mauritian in Paris in 1839. In addition it has a collection of nearing a million documents and a large collection of postcards and photographs.
There is also a fabulous collection of Mauritian “daguerreotypes”. The daguerreotype was the first commercially successful photographic process (1839-1860) in the history of photography. Named after the inventor, Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre, each daguerreotype is a unique image on a silvered copper plate.
The equipment displayed at the museum ranges from the press machine dating back from 1773 to the earlier Gaumont stereoscopic film used in cinema halls as from 1913.The gallery includes earlier colonial sceneries of sugar barons and plantations as well as remote village way of life to the development of cities like Rose Hill and Port Louis.
Photography Museum
The guided tour of the museum lasts around an hour but Mr Breville (the museum founder) stated that “there have been people who were so lost on the picturesque display that they spent the whole day there”.
Le Pouce is the third highest mountain in Mauritius, at 812 meters. It is named Le Pouce because of the thumb-shaped peak of the mountain. It can be viewed from the capital of Mauritius, Port Louis, and is a popular hike for the view of the city. The mountain is in the Moka Range and is closest to the village of La Laura-Malenga in the Moka District. Charles Darwin ascended the mountain on 2 May 1836.
The view of Port Louis from the summit
Le Pouce was formed ten million years ago from volcano eruptions.It has the capital city of Port Louis on one side and St. Pierre on the other. Le Pouce Mountain will offer you a splendid panorama of Le Morne, Coin de Mire, the capital city, and other sites on the island. It is nestled between Montagne des Signaux and Pieter Both mountain.
A view of The Thumb
The trek to the top of Le Pouce is considered an easy hike. But the ascent is very steep, especially near the thumb. Le Pouce can be reached from Moka or Port Louis. Climbing gear is not needed. From the peak one can see Port Louis, Moka, and Beau-Bassin Rose-Hill, as well as many other places around the island.
During your hike to the summit you can explore the flora-covered mountain, and discover exotic plants as well as some rare and unique endemic species.
When you reach the first plateau you can choose to continue on the left and down to Port Louis or the right towards the top of the mountain. Higher up you will find a second plateau, an esplanade, where you can relax and enjoy the view before continuing to the top. The final ascent is steeper and requires some dexterity and fitness.
The start of the trail for hiking Le Pouce is located in Petit Verger near the village of Saint Pierre in the Moka region.There is no sign post at the starting point of the trail. You can locate it with the help of the map or directions from the locals. There is a small car park with enough room to fit four to five cars.
Blue Bay Marine Park is located in the south-east of Mauritius. It was declared a national park in 1997 and then was designated as a wetland site under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance in 2008. The marine park is renowned for its remarkable coral garden, which harbors hundreds of varieties of corals and its abundant fauna.
The Blue Bay Marine Park is framed on one side by Le Shandrani Hotel, Blue Lagoon Hotel, and the runway of the international airport, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport. Ile des Deux Cocos, an islet within the lagoon, of 4.22 hectares sits comfortably on top of the marine park.
Snorkeling at Blue Bay Marine Park
The location offers ideal conditions for snorkeling with a rich biodiversity as well as calm and shallow sea-water. The bay boasts a coral garden with a remarkable surface area and biodiversity. The main attraction is a more than 1,000-year-old brain coral (Lobophyllia sp.) with a 5-meter diameter.
Glass Bottom Boat
Glass-bottom boat trips offered by the descendants of local fishermen, will take you closer to the corals. Those wishing to get even closer to the corals can snorkel the site. Snorkeling takes place in ideal conditions to enjoy this fabulous coral garden between 5 and 10 meters in the waters.
Nearly 38 species of coral and more than 72 species of tropical fish are found in the coral garden. Sea turtles are found in the meadows of phanerogamic plants that abound on the site.
The 353-hectare marine park is a leisure area that is highly frequented by tourists and Mauritians alike.
Several measures have been taken to strike a balance between the economic activity and the sustainable development of the site. Permanent mooring buoys have been installed to demarcate areas devoted to conservation, as well as areas where fishing, boat traffic, swimming and water skiing are allowed.
The park aims at protecting the marine fauna and flora, preserving the biodiversity of the site, and promoting scientific research on the marine biodiversity.
There are presently fifteen glass-bottom boat operators. This shows the intensity of the tourist activity and the need to regulate the tourist activity.
The park was created in 1985, and its name honors the old Vanille vine cultivated in the valley where the reserve of 5 hectares is located.
Conservation of nature, and welfare of the animals are privileged in this park, where guides will take you on an unforgettable visit to the reserve. The park has an extraordinary diversity of plant and animal species. Unfortunately, many of these are being pushed to extinction as a result of forest clearing, hunting and the introduction by man of invasive species to areas of the park to which they do not belong. Many of these species can now only be saved through efforts to protect their habitat, captive breeding for later reintroduction into the wild and farming to reduce demand for wild-caught animals. La Vanille Nature Park is involved in all three of these conservation efforts.
Aldabra tortoises
There are more than 1000 captive-bred giant Aldabra tortoises in the park, in addition to 2000 Nile Crocodiles as well as a variety of other animals such as monkeys, iguanas, bats, deer, geckos, eels, wild boar and more. You can also visit the insectarium with more than 23,000 specimens. The collection has some specimens of inestimable rarity, some of which are now extinct. There’s also an aquarium and a fossil museum. New at La Vanille there is a petting farm and pony rides.
Nile Crocodiles
You will also be able to see a collection of fossils of animals that are now extinct in Mauritius and surrounding islands such as the dodo and the elephant bird of Madagascar. You will also be able to taste a bit of crocodile meat. The restaurant Le Crocodile Affamé has a special crocodile meat dish for adventurous foodies or you can keep it simple and enjoy a selection of Mauritian dishes on the menu.
Rochester Falls is a waterfall found in the Savanne district of Mauritius. It is highly popular for its rectangular flank rocks. It tumbles from a height of about 10 m. The fall is one of the most popular tourist attractions and the widest waterfall in Mauritius. It serves as an ideal spot for a quick refreshing plunge or a quiet picnic break.
The breathtaking scenery, cascading waterfalls, pools of clear water, and luxuriant greeneries surrounding the region, makes it a wonderful site to see and a relaxing experience.
There are two access points; one at the top of the waterfall and another which leads you to the bottom. The rugged terrain can be quite challenging as you drive or walk to the waterfalls. The routes to the waterfalls are indicated with signs so it should be fairly easy to locate.
Rochester Falls
It is advisable to avoid visiting the Rochester Falls during the heavy rainy seasons (beginning of the year) since the water level and torrent can reach dangerous levels. The water becomes muddy at times and also makes the area quite muddy and slippery. Beware of the mosquito bites as well. It is advisable to bring along your mosquito repellent with you.
With its scenic location, the Rochester Falls is a great place for photo buffs to get pictures of daredevil jumpers who fling themselves off the rocks.
The 23 coloured earth is a unique geological feature in this part of the world for both Mauritians and overseas visitors, which makes this an essential destination when visiting Mauritius. The park is more than 450 acres in extent.
The Nature Reserve consists of green valleys, plateaus, hills, lakes, waterfalls and rivers. Visit to the park enables you to explore the endemic and indigenous flora and fauna.
Many adventurous activities are available such as: Quad Biking, Ziplines, Nepalese Bridge, Luge Kart, Trekking and private trips. The most important among them is the 1.5 km Zipline, the longest zipline in Mauritius. Nepalese Bridge is a 350 meters long hanging bridge. You will have to cross it by foot. Walking on the bridge is safe as it is well maintained. Zipline adventure will enable you to enjoy remarkable views of the valleys, landscapes, forest and waterfalls from high above.
zipline
In this park you will also see animals, tree ferns, wild orchids and endemic flowers such as the Trochetia (Boucle d’oreille/Ear ring) and the Bouquet Banané (achna Mauriciana), which only blooms at the end of every year. The park is also home to tortoises, monkeys, stags, fish and also birds such as the Pink Pigeon, Paille en Queue, Cateau Vert with various endemic trees like the Ebony, Bois de Natte, Takamaka and other rare plants.
You will also be able to get a closer look at the unique 23 coloured earth and to reach the viewpoint at the mountain top where you will enjoy a captivating, breath-taking panoramic view of the entire South Coast.
Waterfall
Your trip to the park begins with the visit to the park’s exhibition room which provides an outline of the different places of interest which you will get to discover through the visit.The park is opened from 9 AM to 7 PM. The visit normally takes about 3-4 hours. A cafeteria and a restaurant are located within the park area.
The Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanic Garden (the SSR Botanic Garden), commonly known as the Pamplemousses Botanic Garden, is a popular tourist attraction in Pamplemousses, near Port Louis, Mauritius. It is also known as Mauritius National Botanical Garden. It is the oldest botanical garden in the Southern Hemisphere. It is famous for its long pond of giant water lilies (Victoria amazonica). The garden was first constructed in 1770, and it covered an area of around 91 acres. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam was the first prime minister of Mauritius.
Giant Water Lilies
The garden also features 650 spices of plants, ebonies, sugar canes, Baobabs, the Palmier Bouteille, the Giant Water Lilies, dozens of medicinal plants, a large spice garden and 85 varieties of palms from Central America, Asia, Africa and the islands around the Indian Ocean.
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden
Of a total of 93,060 acres only 62,040 acres is the gardens and the rest is used as an experimental station.
Guides are available at the entrance of the garden, offering a full tour for as little as 1 euro/hour per person (payment for the guides is done at the entrance of the botanical garden).
