Is a week enough to 'do' Mauritius? Yes: provided you have a car and organise days by region instead of zigzagging. Here is the itinerary we recommend most often: under 600 km in total, never more than 1 h 15 of driving at a stretch, and a good balance of beaches, nature and culture. Recommended base: the north (Grand Baie) or the west (Flic-en-Flac), the two best-placed areas.
Days 1 and 2: the north, gently
Start with the Mont Choisy - Trou aux Biches - Pereybère triangle to recover from the flight and tame left-hand driving on easy roads. On day two, head for Cap Malheureux and its red-roofed church facing Coin de Mire, then the Pamplemousses botanical garden and L'Aventure du Sucre in the afternoon. End the day in Grand Baie for shopping and seafront restaurants.
Day 3, Port Louis and a west-coast sunset
Morning in the capital: Central Market, Chinatown, the Blue Penny Museum and the Caudan waterfront. Park at the Caudan car park, much the simplest. In the afternoon, drive down the west coast to Flic-en-Flac for a swim, and stay for the sunset: the island's most photogenic along with Le Morne's.
Day 4, Chamarel and the great south-west
The 'wow' day: climb to Chamarel on the hairpin road from Case Noyale (dizzying viewpoints over Tamarin Bay), the Seven Coloured Earths and the 100-metre waterfall, lunch in a Chamarel restaurant, then the Black River Gorges viewpoint and on to the Le Morne peninsula for a late afternoon with your feet in the water. Leave early: this is the densest day of the week.
Day 5: the wild south
A change of mood: wave-battered cliffs at Gris-Gris, the Roche qui Pleure, then a colonial pause at Saint Aubin or a tasting at the Bois Chéri tea plantation. On the way back, stop at the sacred lake of Grand Bassin and its 33-metre Shiva. This is the longest driving day (about 120 km from a northern base), but the road itself is part of the pleasure.
Day 6: the turquoise east and Île aux Cerfs
Leave early for Trou d'Eau Douce (1 h to 1 h 15 from the north or west) and board a boat for Île aux Cerfs: surreal lagoon, white sand, grilled lunch on the island. On the way back, cruise past Belle Mare and Palmar for one last east-coast swim: the water is at its most turquoise in late morning. If it is a Tuesday, Flacq market is worth the detour.
Day 7: flight-dependent, plus the smart reflexes
- Evening flight: a beach morning near your base, car returned early afternoon: the airport is 45-70 minutes away depending on your area, keep a margin.
- Craving nature: the Bras d'Eau reserve (east) or a Le Pouce hike fit a morning perfectly.
- Book Île aux Cerfs boats and Chamarel restaurants the day before in high season.
- Fill up before returning the car if your contract is 'full-to-full': there are stations at Plaine Magnien near the airport.
- Keep 'sea days' flexible and check the weather coast by coast: in Mauritius you move a beach, not a holiday.
This itinerary adds up to about 550-600 km over the week: modest in kilometres, immense in variety. Which is exactly what a rental car brings to Mauritius: the freedom to shape each day around the sky, the tides and your mood. Enjoy the drive!