Port Louis at a glance Port Louis is the working harbour capital of Mauritius, and its best activities are indoors, on foot or on a race day. There are no swimming beaches in the city, and the commercial harbour is not used for swimming, snorkelling, kayaking or paddleboarding. The nearest beaches are on the north and west coasts, such as Turtle Bay at Balaclava, Trou aux Biches and Albion, tens of minutes away by car.

Walking the capital Port Louis is compact enough to cover on foot in a morning. Start by about 09:00, wear sturdy shoes because drains run open beside the pavements, and finish before dusk. Skip Sundays, when most of the centre is closed. Summer from November to April is hot and humid, so carry water. A self-guided heritage route Le Caudan Waterfront and the Blue Penny Museum. The museum is open Monday to Saturday from 09:30 to 16:00, and the 1847 stamps are lit for 10 minutes at quarter past each hour.

One to two days is enough Port Louis is a good base for one to two days, not a week. The capital has a compact set of museums, a market, a waterfront and two memorial sites, and there are no beaches in the city. Anyone planning a longer trip to Mauritius should split the time between the capital and a beach coast. Day one: the city Morning: start early at the Central Market for dholl puri, then walk to Chinatown.

A city for evenings, not beaches Port Louis is a working harbour capital, so romance here is urban: a waterfront at sunset, a table for two, a show and a long lunch on a Creole veranda. There are no beach dinners in the city and no boat or water activities in the harbour. Couples who want a beach stay should look to the north and west coasts, such as Grand Baie, Trou aux Biches and Flic en Flac.

Sights of a harbour capital Most Port Louis sights sit within a few kilometres of each other, so a morning and an afternoon cover them. Start early. The city quietens from about 17:00, many sights close on Sunday, and summer from November to April is hot and humid. Memorials Aapravasi Ghat on Quay Street, Trou Fanfaron, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 2006. It was the arrival point for indentured labourers from India after slavery was abolished, from 1834.

Short trips from the capital The easiest day trips from Port Louis run north and into the central highlands, about 15 to 30 minutes by road. Pamplemousses has a botanical garden and a sugar museum side by side, so the two combine well in one morning. Taxis and cars are the simplest way to travel. Buses to Pamplemousses and the north leave from the northern bus station at Immigration Square, also called Gare du Nord.

Which visits suit a Port Louis day Port Louis has no long list of operator-led tours. The attractions are museums, a racecourse and a handful of heritage sites, and most are visited with a ticket at the door, an audio guide or a self-guided route. Mornings are best, because the city quietens from about 17:00 and most of the centre is closed on Sundays. Odysseo Oceanarium Odysseo is open daily from 09:00 to 17:00, with last entry at 16:15, and it closes on 1 January.

A family day in the capital Port Louis is a working harbour, so family days here are about museums, a waterfront promenade and snacks rather than beaches. There is no swimming in the city, and the harbour is not for paddling. Families who want sand head to the north or west coast, tens of minutes away by car. Start in the morning, since the heat builds and much of the centre closes by about 17:00 to 18:00.