One might think that Mauritius would be the perfect postcard, with color variations of the turquoise sea, sand, and sun. In reality, it’s much more than just that. This island is also rich in fauna/flora diversity. During your stay, you don’t want to miss out, for example, on the SSR Botanical Garden!
This is undoubtedly one of the most visited attractions in Mauritius. Created over 300 years ago by the famous French botanist Pierre Poivre, the garden is the oldest in the Southern Hemisphere and boasts a plethora of indigenous plants. Mauritius National Botanical Garden is home to an incredible variety of tropical plants, many of them indigenous. These gardens are situated in the village of Pamplemousses which lies about seven miles North East of the Capital, Port Louis. Pamplemousses was probably the earliest of the ‘botanical gardens’in the tropics, now it is one of the top tourist attractions in the world.
SSR Botanical Garden
The botanical garden stretches over endless acres of land and it may take you more than a week to cover the whole garden. This garden is full of treasures, such as the talipot, a single plant of its kind that blooms only once and dies immediately after flowering. It is populated with more than 650 varieties of plants among which are the famous Baobabs, the Palmier Bouteille, the ineluctable Giant Water Lilies, dozens of medicinal plants, a large spice garden and many more. Most of the trees in the garden are between 150 and 250 years old. Whether you take a guide to hear stories about the different plants or simply get lost in your mind contemplating them, this garden has some magic to it and is an amazing activity.
The garden hosts a number of animals including deer and tortoises. The Aldabra tortoises are one of the largest tortoises in the world and originally hail from the Aldabra Island, part of the Seychelles Outer Islands. They were first brought to the garden in 1875 in an effort to protect their young from being preyed on by seabirds or hunted by humans. The Dutch introduced the Rusa deer species to Mauritius, from Batavia.
Most beautiful tropical gardens in the world
This park is rightly counted as one of the most beautiful tropical gardens in the world, and is one of the highlights of any trip to Mauritius. For those who find the seaside resort crowds to be too much or the beach too hot, the botanical garden is an ideal destination. The SSR Botanical Garden is a place of tranquility, where visitors can easily while away a few hours wandering in the shade of the trees.
If flowers and gardens are your thing then look no further than the SSR Botanical Garden. It covers 60 acres of land and has been visited by some of the most prominent and important people in the world. There is a large variety of flowers, trees, lily pads and animals to enjoy!
There you have it! This list is just the beginning. Start planning your trip today to discover all of the beauty, culture, and history available to explore in beautiful Mauritius!
Facilities at SSR Botanical Garden
• Guided Tours
• Golf-cart Rental
• Free Parking
• Wheel chair available on request
Opening Times: Every day (including public holidays): 08h30 – 17h30
