The Best Cocktails You Have to Try in Mauritius

Popular in both Mauritius and the Caribbean, Ti Punch is a simple cocktail that allows the flavours of the rum to take centre stage. Using either sugar cane syrup or brown sugar, your bartender will mix classic Mauritian green island rum and lime to create a cocktail with a strong, refreshing taste of summer. Be sure to grab a few bottles of the rum as a souvenir before you fly back to recreate this delicious drink at home.

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Based on the classic Tequila Sunrise, the Sunrise cocktail can be found in most bars across the island and is a brilliant twist on a beloved classic. Where a Tequila Sunrise mixes tequila, orange juice, and grenadine, this cocktail uses white rum, orange juice, and amaretto. The amaretto creates a deeper, more complex flavour than you would get from grenadine and complements the rum beautifully.

Served at the Chamarel distillery, next to the Coloured Earths of Chamarel, the Chamarel Royal is the taste of holiday decadence. Perfect your guided tour with this refreshing cocktail and a recipe you can take home for unlimited recreations. The Chamarel Royal mixes champagne, cointreau, and rum with freshly crushed strawberries.

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As you may have noticed, Mauritian cocktails put the spotlight on the delicious local rum produced on the island. This cocktail is no different, offering a tropical variation on the classic daiquiri by mixing coconut cream, rum, and lime juice with lots of ice into a drink that’s perfect for sipping by the pool.

For non-drinkers, the mango colada is by far the best mocktail available on the island. Modelled on the pina colada, it comes in many different variations, all of which offer a richer taste of the tropics than any other mocktail. This delicious brew will convert even the most fervent of rum-lovers, and provides much-needed hydration when in the hot sun.

This exclusive beverage is available only at the Hilton Mauritius, as a bespoke creation of one of their talented bartenders. The Captain Mario is the perfect by-the-pool cocktail, combining Mauritian pink pigeon rum, lemon juice, and lots of strawberry syrup to create a drink so good you’ll have to resist ordering it every day of your trip.

Served at Le Meridien Hotel, this cocktail is certainly not for the faint-hearted. The Jalapeno Punch does exactly as it promises, punching you in the face with the vibrant flavours of dark rum and fresh jalapenos. But don’t let that put you off – the sweetness of mango, lime, and lots of sugar syrup make this a delicious and invigorating option for a Sunday afternoon lounging on the beach.

While not strictly a cocktail, the coconut milkshake is one of the best drinks Mauritius has to offer. The exact flavours and ingredients vary from vendor to vendor, but you can rest assured that each glass will be soft, sweet, and refreshing. Any classic Mauritian rum makes a great addition to this drink, or leave it virgin and enjoy this satisfying taste of Mauritian flavours.

Of course, you can’t go to Mauritius without consuming ridiculous amounts of pineapple. The Green Tiki Monk cocktail at the Constance Hotel, is here to help with that, using a homemade roasted pineapple syrup to draw out the deeper flavours beyond the sweetness. Served with coconut butter rum and a dash of absinthe it’s definitely not your average poolside cocktail.

This article was written in association with Wessex Scene, a student publication based at the University of Southampton.