Port Louis Central Market

Bazar de Port-Louis

The most lively spot in the capital, with tropical fruit, spices, herbal teas, and Dholl Puri snacks, plus handicrafts on the upper floor. It offers a taste of Mauritius's blend of Creole, Indian, and Chinese cultures.

The Port-Louis Central Market, known locally as the Bazar, was built in 1844. It is the oldest and largest market in Mauritius. It is located in the capital between Farquhar Street and Queen Street, and is a five-minute walk to the Caudan Waterfront. On the ground floor, stalls are arranged by category: fruits and vegetables (lychee, pineapple, dragon fruit, coconut), spices (curry powder, vanilla pods, saffron), herbs and cooling teas (vendors will explain the various folk remedies), as well as meat and seafood. The snack stalls serve Dholl Puri (flatbread filled with yellow split pea and curry, MUR 20-30), Gateaux Piments (spicy bean cakes), and Alouda (almond milkshake), which are Mauritian favorites and worth trying. The upper floor sells textiles, baskets, wooden dodo carvings, vanilla, Sega music CDs, and other souvenirs, where you can bargain for about 30 percent off. The market is open Monday to Saturday from 05:30 to 17:30, and on Sundays until noon. After your visit, you can walk to Chinatown (where Chinese settlers have done business in Port-Louis since the 19th century, with the Tin Hau Temple and the Guan Yu Temple), the Jummah Mosque, the Aapravasi Ghat indentured laborer landing site (a World Heritage Site, free to enter), the Blue Penny Museum at Caudan Waterfront (home to one of the world's most valuable postage stamps), and the viewing terrace at the Marie Reine de la Paix church. Traffic in central Port-Louis is congested during the day and parking is difficult, so consider the Metro Express light rail or a hired car. The city center is quiet after dark and not a place to linger. Watch out for pickpockets, and keep your backpack in front of you.

Port Louis Central Market

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Places to eat nearby