Curepipe

Curepipe is a sprawling town in the centre of Mauritius. At an altitude of 561 m, it marks the top of the ridge on the road between Port Louis and Vieux Grand Port, and the name may indicate that travellers rested here for long enough to smoke then clean out their clay pipes. The town is frankly ugly and ill-planned but is near natural attractions, especially the Botanic Gardens, where the cooler wetter hill climate supports unusual trees and flowers.

Get in
Curepipe is 30 km south of Port Louis by car. The Metro Express light rail is the easiest way to get here, with trains every 10 min and the trip taking about 40 minutes.

Get around
Curepipe has bus services operated by NTC, UBS and Independent Bus Operators.

Buy
Curepipe is a lively market town with a mix of boutique shops and larger malls. There is a variety of shops selling local ethnic wear and as well as modern Western clothing. The upmarket stores have fixed prices while you can bargain (though not excessively) in the touristy street markets.

Go next

 * Vacoas-Phoenix