A Seafood Lover's Guide To Mauritius

Surrounded by a staggering 2.3 million square kilometres (888.000 square miles) of the Indian Ocean (more than a thousand times its own size), Mauritius is no banana republic. Marine invertebrates form the backbone of Mauritian cuisine, establishing the insular state as an heaven for pescatareans. From artisanal fishing with locals to an explosion of flavours in the kitchen, here’s your guide to a Mauritian seafood escapade!

Crustacean Epicureanism rhymes with “early riser” on this island of abundance. Don’t think traditional Scottish salmon is the star of the show. In Mauritius, the worthy replacement is smoked marlin (billfish) – roaming the deep waters around the island, it’s any big-game fisherman’s dream catch. Smoked with Casuarina wood (a type of pine), a slice of this greasy fish, with a drizzle of lemon, makes for a great introduction to the local seafood cuisine.

The fishing village of Mahébourg, the former capital of Mauritius, provides an ideal home for lobster to thrive – and for humans to enjoy them, and lobster-catching is quite popular here. Basket traps with bait are used to lure them, and it’s not too difficult a process. While you wait for the traps to fill, scour the place in search of the “zero”. This tiny shell, with its rugged exterior, encloses a delicate meat, which is steamed before being dug out. Once you have, hopefully, filled your baskets, head to Le Capitaine Restaurant, where Sandesh transforms the crustaceans into a perfectly grilled, garlicky dish. Wash it all down with a cold beer.

To further justify the flight to Rodrigues Island, gear up and find its rarest delicacy, the Kono Kono. Dwelling on the under-side of rocks at sea, this mollusc is believed to be one of the most effective aphrodisiacs in the world. In the evening, a sumptuous dinner at the Cotton Bay Hotel awaits. Lulled by the sound of waves crashing onto the shores, the chef shows up with a Kono Kono salad starter, then moves on to an octopus curry infused with the island’s best. A surprise in the form of fresh local crab also makes its way onto the table and, after that, time to test whether the mollusc lives up to its reputation.

Back in Mauritius, let your taste buds lead you to Poste de Flacq, in the eastern part of the island. Spread out on a relatively small scale, it’s a sea farm rearing oysters and sea cucumbers. Its prized treasures go into Chez Tino’s kitchen, where he whips up his culinary magic. There the oysters are popped open with white wine aplenty, while the sea cucumber is crafted into a salad with refreshing palm heart bits. Aside of course for the magnificent taste, the best part about seafood in Mauritius is its guilt-free aspect, with sustainability ensured all the way.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.