Mauritius Markets

One of the most enjoyable things when going to a foreign country is to take a look at their markets. Not only does it show you the local produce they may have during that particular time of year, but also you get a sense of what the culture is really all about. Mauritius has traditional markets ranging from regular town ones, to the back street markets where stalls will move from place to place. As a general rule, haggling is allowed, however it tends to be on objects or clothing rather than on food. In Mauritius, there are many different markets spread across the whole island. These are some of the best ones I’ve been to:

Port Louis Fruit/Veg Market

On the Streets of Port Louis

Unsurprisingly, being the capital city, Port Louis is one of the largest and most visited by tourists. Here you can find fresh fruit and vegetables, clothing, an emporium that sells many souvenirs, and a food hall which has all the traditional food such as Dholl Puri. It is open on a daily basis, so visiting shouldn’t be a problem!

Quatre-Bornes Clothes Market

Quatre-Bornes is another great market to take a look at. There are hundreds of stalls that offer a bit of everything at affordable prices. If you go on a Thursday or Sunday, you will find all types of clothing, materials, souvenirs and kitchenware. On a Wednesday or Saturday you can find all local fruit and vegetables, meat or fish, and a range of snack stalls.

Indoors at Curepipe

Curepipe is the highest city in Mauritius. Although the fruit and vegetable market is relatively small, it still has a good selection available and is open on a daily basis. This city is renowned for its shopping with an array of different shops available for the locals – there is no sense of it being ‘touristy’ at all.

Indoors at St Pierre

Freshly made sweet coconut rice snack

St Pierre also do a lovely small fruit/vegetable indoor market. This is on a Wednesday and a Sunday each week, and is open all day. Similarly to the other markets around Mauritius, here you can buy all local produce at a reasonable price, and there are a few delicious snack stalls too that are made fresh on the spot.

Not only is there food and clothing markets available around Mauritius, but you will also find flea markets too. These tend to be set on a specific day of each month in a specific area, such as in Tamarin. This one is held on the first Sunday of each month outside the small shopping centre. You’ll find some great bargains there, so worth checking out if you need anything. Don’t forget you can haggle at these ones too!

If you don’t want to head to a busy town market, then keep an eye out along the roads. There are always locals selling their produce right outside their houses or near their land. The produce will be just as good as any market, and it tends to be quieter too! Just be aware, they may charge you more in this situation than at a market where everything is cheap – so don’t get ripped off if you know it’s too expensive!

If you ever get a chance to visit a market somewhere in the world, then I encourage you to just a have a look! You never know what you may come across, it may end up being a nice surprise 🙂