History & culture · Trou Fanfaron

Aapravasi Ghat

A place to pause with the histories of migration and indentured labour.

Aapravasi Ghat behind a white fence and large trees, with a heritage information board

A CLOSER LOOK

Meet the place.

At the edge of the harbour, the remains of this immigration depot preserve a history far larger than their footprint. Aapravasi Ghat is a UNESCO World Heritage Site associated with the movement of indentured labourers to Mauritius and beyond.

Allow space for the interpretation and the human stories rather than treating the site as another quick landmark. Slavery and indenture are distinct histories. Learning how they shaped the island helps you read the rest of the city with greater care.

Before you go

Consult the site’s current visitor information before going. Give this visit its own time rather than squeezing it into a short waterfront walk.

About these notes

Written from the references below. Opening hours, admission and access should be checked with the venue before your visit.

KEEP YOUR CURIOSITY GOING

Another side of the city.

Colourful umbrellas and palm trees between the buildings of Caudan Waterfront
By the water

Caudan Waterfront

Salt in the air, colour overhead. A gentle introduction to the capital.

The waterfront
A trader reads a newspaper behind a vegetable stall at Port Louis Central Market© Henri Fayolle
Food & markets

Central Market

Come to the Central Market with a little appetite and room to browse. A food stop, a look through the produce stalls and time to compare a few souvenirs make a satisfying first visit.

The old city
Pedestrians beneath red lanterns in a narrow Chinatown street in Port Louis
Neighbourhoods

Chinatown

Old shopfronts, painted walls and flavours carried across an ocean.

Royal Street & its side streets
Your city, a little closer

A few places to begin

Guided tourPort-Louis heritage & street-food walking tourCity historyPort-Louis, Capital City of MauritiusPlaceCaudan WaterfrontPlaceCentral MarketPlaceChinatown
Port-Louis
Open the city map