Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden
Jardin de Pamplemousses
The oldest botanical garden in the Southern Hemisphere (founded 1770), home to the giant Amazon water lily pond, the Talipot palm that flowers once every 60 years, and 85 species of palms. It is a must-see for tropical plant enthusiasts.
The Pamplemousses Botanical Garden is located 11 kilometers north of Port-Louis. It was founded in 1770 by the French botanist Pierre Poivre, initially to introduce spice plants and break the Dutch monopoly on them. It is the oldest botanical garden in the Southern Hemisphere, and is now named after Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, Mauritius's first prime minister (his ashes are also buried in the garden). The garden covers 37 hectares. Its most famous feature is the Amazon water lily pond, where the giant round leaves can reach 2 meters in diameter, with upturned edges like trays. The flowers open white on the first day and turn pink the next. Other highlights include 85 species of palm (including the Talipot palm, which flowers only once every 30 to 60 years and then dies), a spice garden (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves), giant tortoises and a deer enclosure, commemorative trees planted by heads of state from various countries (including trees planted by Zhou Enlai and other Chinese leaders), and the white colonial villa Château de Mon Plaisir, built in 1823. Adult admission is MUR 300 (2025), and the garden is open from 08:30 to 17:30. Signage in the garden is limited, but there are licensed guides at the entrance (around MUR 500-1,000 per group for one hour), who can tell the story behind each plant. A guide is worth hiring. A visit takes about 1.5 to 2 hours. There is plenty of shade, but also plenty of mosquitoes, so bring insect repellent. It is often combined with Port-Louis or the L'Aventure du Sucre sugar heritage museum in the north (a converted old sugar factory with rum tasting) for a half-day tour, about 30 minutes' drive from Grand Baie.
Opening hours
08:30–17:30
Nearby sights
- L'Aventure du Sucre
- Château de Labourdonnais
- Fort Adelaide (La Citadelle)
- Aapravasi Ghat
- Port Louis Central Market
- Grand Baie
- Le Caudan Waterfront
- Cap Malheureux