Bois Cheri Tea Estate

Tea was planted in Mauritius from the 1760s and became a significant crop in the twentieth century on the wet southern plateau, and Bois Cheri is the largest of the remaining estates, with fields of clipped bushes rolling over the hills around Grand Bassin. The factory can be toured while it runs, following the leaf through withering, rolling, oxidation, drying and grading, with the noise and smell that goes with it, and a small museum covers the estate's history. Tasting takes place at a chalet on a hill above the fields, looking south toward the coast, where the estate's teas including its vanilla-flavoured blend are served. Vanilla tea is the local style and is what most visitors take home.

What you actually see

• The tea fields - the clipped bushes across the southern hills.
• The working factory - withering, rolling and drying in operation.
• The estate museum - the history of tea growing on the island.
• The tasting chalet - the hilltop room with views to the coast.

When to go

May to December for the drier weather, though this is the wettest part of the island year round. The factory runs on weekdays; weekend visits may see it idle. Mornings are best for the tour.

Honest expectations

The factory only operates on working days, so weekend tours see machinery standing still. The southern plateau is often under cloud and drizzle. The tasting is oriented toward the shop. Tour timings are fixed and the site is spread out.

Nearby

Grand Bassin lies north; Saint Aubin is southwest.