Places to Visit in Mauritius
Caudan Waterfront
The capital's harbourfront quarter. Shops, restaurants, museums and a working marina, built on the old docks where Port Louis has always met the sea.
Location
Port Louis harbourfront
Recommended Time
1 – 3 Hours
Entrance
Free to enter
Best For
Shopping, dining & harbour views
Known For
Marina, museums & the umbrella walkway
Busiest
Weekday lunchtimes
Overview
Discover Le Caudan Waterfront
Le Caudan Waterfront sits on the edge of Port Louis harbour, a few minutes' walk from the Central Market and the old colonial streets of the capital.
The quarter takes its name from Jean Dominique Michel de Caudan, who arrived from Languedoc in the early 18th century and established a saltpan beside this bay in 1726.
For roughly 150 years the peninsula worked as a dock — quays, warehouses, a powder magazine and the Indian Ocean's first meteorological observatory, with the rhythm of the place set by the sugar trade until the Bulk Sugar Terminal took that traffic away in 1980.
The waterfront that stands here now was the first major development of its kind in Mauritius, and it kept the bones of the old port: the wings are named Barkly Wharf, Le Pavillon and Dias Pier, after a colonial governor, a vanished street and the navigator credited with first charting the Mascarenes.
Today it is where the capital comes to eat, shop and walk by the water — and for most visitors, the easiest and most comfortable place to begin a day in Port Louis.
On the old docks
Where Port Louis meets the sea
Why Visit
Why Visit Caudan Waterfront?
Easy Introduction to the Capital
Shaded, walkable and central — including the alley roofed with hundreds of coloured umbrellas, the most photographed corner of the capital. The simplest place to get your bearings before exploring the rest of Port Louis.
Harbour & Marina Views
Look across the working harbour to the mountains behind the city, with yachts moored along the quay in the foreground.
Shopping & Dining
Boutiques, craft stalls, cafés and restaurants gathered in one place, from local street food to sit-down dining.
Museums & Culture
The Blue Penny Museum and the Caudan Arts Centre put art and Mauritian history within a few minutes' walk of each other.
The Blue Penny
Two of the World's Most Famous Stamps
The Blue Penny Museum, which opened at Caudan in November 2001, holds the 1847 Mauritius Blue Penny and Red Penny — among the rarest stamps in existence. They were bought at auction in 1993 for two million dollars by a consortium of Mauritian companies and brought home after nearly 150 years abroad. Because light damages them, the originals are illuminated only for short periods each hour; the rest of the time you see reproductions. The museum also holds Prosper d'Épinay's original 1881 statue of Paul and Virginie, carved from the novel that made Mauritius famous in Europe.
Things to Do
How to Spend Your Time
Caudan works equally well as a short stop or a half day. Most visitors combine a walk along the water with lunch and some shopping before continuing into the city.
Walk the Waterfront
Follow the quay from end to end — around twenty minutes at an easy pace, with the harbour on one side and the city on the other.
Shop for Souvenirs
Craft stalls and boutiques for textiles, vanilla, rum, model ships and local design.
Eat Mauritian
From dholl puri and street snacks at the food court to Creole, Indian and Chinese restaurants overlooking the water.
Browse the Bookshops
Caudan has some of the island's best-stocked bookshops, strong on Mauritian history, Creole writing and island cookery.
Photograph the Harbour
The umbrella alley, the marina and the mountain backdrop behind the city are the three shots most people come away with.
Catch a Performance
Check what is on at the Caudan Arts Centre — programming ranges from theatre and dance to concerts and film.
Combine With Port Louis
Everything Else Is Within Walking Distance
Caudan sits at the edge of the old city. The capital's best-known sights are close enough that most visitors see several in a single morning.
Port Louis Central Market
Produce, spices, street food and everyday Mauritian life, a few minutes' walk inland.
Learn More
Citadelle — Fort Adelaide
The British fortress on the hill above the city, with the best panorama over Port Louis.
Learn More
Practical Notes
Getting the Most Out of a Visit
A few things worth knowing before you go, particularly if Caudan is your first stop in the capital.
Shade at Midday
Port Louis is hot and low-lying. The covered walkways and the umbrella alley make Caudan far more comfortable than the open streets in the middle of the day.
Weekends Are Quieter
The capital is a working city. Many shops in Port Louis close early on Saturday and stay shut on Sunday, though the waterfront keeps longer hours than most of the centre.
A Base, Not a Destination
Caudan is most useful as a comfortable starting and finishing point for a day in Port Louis rather than as an attraction in its own right.
Visiting Caudan Waterfront
The waterfront is open to the public and free to walk through. Individual shops, museums and venues set their own opening hours and admission charges.
Opening times vary between weekdays, weekends and public holidays, and can change. Check current information for anything you particularly want to see.
Recommended Visit: 1–3 hours · Experience Style: Shopping • Dining • Harbour Views · Location: Central Port Louis · Best Combined With: Central Market, Aapravasi Ghat & Citadelle
Travel Tips
Before You Go
- Wear comfortable shoes — the capital is best seen on foot
- Bring sunscreen and a hat; Port Louis gets very warm by midday
- Carry some cash for craft stalls and street food
- Bring a camera for the umbrella walkway and the marina
- Allow extra time if you plan to visit the Blue Penny Museum
- Check opening hours in advance, especially at weekends
- Traffic and parking in central Port Louis can be difficult
- Keep valuables secure, as in any busy city centre
- Combine Caudan with the Central Market to see both sides of the capital
Getting There
Exploring Port Louis?
Parking and one-way streets make the capital difficult to drive yourself. MauTravel can arrange private transport and combine Caudan with the Central Market, Aapravasi Ghat and the Citadelle as part of your North Mauritius day.
Continue Exploring
Explore North Mauritius
Carry on from the harbour into the old city, or head north toward the gardens, villages and beaches.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is Port Louis' harbourfront quarter — a development of shops, restaurants, museums, a marina and a hotel, built on the site of the capital's old docks.
No. The waterfront is free to enter and walk through. Museums, cinemas and other venues inside it charge their own admission.
One to three hours suits most visitors, depending on whether you stop for a meal or visit the Blue Penny Museum.
A museum at Caudan holding the famous 1847 Mauritius Blue Penny and Red Penny stamps, along with maritime history and Mauritian art. It opened in November 2001.
It is the pedestrian alley within the waterfront complex, roofed with coloured umbrellas. It is the most photographed spot in Port Louis.
Yes. The craft market and boutiques carry textiles, vanilla, rum, model ships and local design, and it is a more relaxed place to shop than the Central Market.
Yes. The Central Market, Aapravasi Ghat and Chinatown are all within walking distance, and the Citadelle is a short drive up the hill.
Yes. MauTravel can build Caudan and central Port Louis into a personalised North Mauritius itinerary with private transport.
Ready When You Are
Start Your Day in the Capital by the Water
Walk the old quays, eat where Port Louis eats, and let the rest of the city unfold from there.