Grand Port

Grand Port is a district in south-eastern Mauritius, centred on the historic coastal town of Mahébourg and the wide bay of the same name. It stretches from lagoon beaches and coral reefs to sugarcane fields and hill villages, and it is closely tied to the earliest chapters of the island's recorded history.

The name comes from Old Grand Port, or Vieux Grand Port, where the Dutch made their first landing in 1598 and later established the island's first port. The bay was also the scene of the Battle of Grand Port in 1810, a naval engagement that remains an important part of local memory and is documented at Mahébourg's National History Museum.

Mahébourg, founded in the early 1800s, served as an early colonial capital and is still the district's main town, with a lively waterfront, a Monday market and views towards Lion Mountain. Around it, Blue Bay Marine Park protects one of the island's best-known coral lagoons, while Île aux Aigrettes and La Vallée de Ferney shelter rare birds and plants.

The district's coast includes Blue Bay, Pointe d'Esny and the fishing village atmosphere around the bay, with glass-bottom boats, snorkelling and sailing regattas drawing visitors. Inland, villages such as Rose-Belle, the administrative seat, and Plaine Magnien, next to the airport, show a more everyday side of Mauritian life.

Grand Port is also the location of Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, the country's main gateway, making the district a natural starting point for both beach holidays and business trips. Its mix of history, marine life, local markets and coastal scenery gives leisure and business travellers a compact introduction to south-east Mauritius.