By Here is the article that most of all you were waiting for. Admit it, the beaches are the first thing you are looking for where you decided to spend your holidays in a seaside location. Don’t worry, we do it too. And looking for news about Mauritius we could not have a clear idea. Then we came there and we understood why: the sea is beautiful everywhere. The coral reef surrounds almost the whole island, making it safe for swimming and snorkelling. However, among the beaches we visited and we will tell you about, some have impressed us more for the context in which they arise or for the beauty of the sea that laps them. So we made an effort to draw up a ranking in order of liking, starting from the one we liked the most and gradually going down. So, you just have to keep reading and choose your favorite beach!
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Le Morne
The coast of Le Morne Brabant natural park is extraordinary.
If you are among the lucky guests of the peninsula’s luxury resorts, you will have the privilege of enjoying the beaches in front of the structures in total tranquility. If you are just passing through, there are a couple of public beaches, the first near the beautiful underwater waterfalls, ideal for kitesurfing given the strong winds that beat this point, the other one, more peaceful and sheltered, at the foot of the mountain (exactly between the LUX Le Morne and the Dinarobin Beachcomber). But Le Morne is not just sea, here you can find 2 interesting attractions:
- the underwater waterfalls, that is a magnificent optical effect due to a natural passage through the coral reef where it seems that currents are dragging the seabed towards the open sea. The different shades of blue draw elongated shapes which, seen from the right perspective (from a helicopter and at a certain distance from the coast), acquire a false three-dimensionality, remembering precisely the waterfalls;
- the mountain and the whole park around it, we are talking about a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is possible to climb the mountain with a simple excursion within everyone’s reach (be careful to find the correct access path), while the more experienced can climb to the rocky peak mandatorily accompanied by a competent guide.
Pointe d’Esny
A place that is still little talked about, underestimated and far from mass tourism routes, a special combination that allows it to preserve its beauty and charm, as only a tropical island can do.
You will be enchanted by the shades of the sea and the colors (worthy of a postcard) in which you will come across in the most rocky part (to be more precise along the stretch of coast near Pointe Jerome) and a little further on you will find a huge beach with white sand, in full Mauritian style. One more reason to visit this location is the near Île aux Aigrettes: it is located right in front of Pointe d’Esny and is a protected natural reserve where you can admire endemic endangered species; excursions start from Pointe Jerome Imbarkation Point and the islet can be reached in a few minutes of navigation through a wonderful sea (if you want to know more about it click here).
Belle Mare
A stretch of the east coast of Mauritius away from cities and crowds; the beach stretches for about 10 km and boasts white sand and very blue sea .
Traveling along the coastal road you will notice the presence of a large number of medium-high category hotels, one after the other, and for a while you will not even be able to see the sea, until you arrive at a boundless and beautiful public beach. All around is very wild and undeveloped, so apart from hotels and villas on the sea it is a place that does not have much to offer in terms of services to tourists. Pay attention because along the way you could see a reserve with many peaceful deers inside.
Île aux Cerfs
This is the most highly inflated tourist destination in Mauritius, if on the one hand it is true that here you will find enchanting beaches, on the other expect a boisterous place full of people. But not all is lost: try to move from the points of greatest gathering to find quiet and deserted beaches, far from the confusion, infact the island offers 4 km of shoreline. For more information and images about the Deer’s Island we suggest you take a look at our dedicated article (click here).
Flic en Flac
It is the emblem of the typical beach of a tourist center on the west coast of Mauritius. The place is lively and very touristy, the wide beach is frequented mostly by tourists and in general you have the feeling of being in a westernized place. There are infact many restaurants and cafes on the seafront and some famous brands of the large international multinationals are starting to appear. Coming from the south of Mauritius it was almost a shock for us, we seemed to be suddenly on an other island.
Trou d’Eau Douce
Crossroads for excursions to the Deer’s Island, it is the liveliest center on the east coast, with numerous agencies and services for tourists. It boasts a beautiful bay where the sea takes on pleasant shades. The large amount of boats parked in the shallow waters in front of the inhabited center gives it that aspect of a typical fishermen village.
Blue Bay
It owes its name to the huge dark blue hole in the center of the bay, that creates a strong contrast with the low and light waters of the shore, a detail that can only be appreciated from an aerial view.
Here more than in other parts of the island it is recommended to stay within the bathing area delimited by buoys. The beach is not huge and spacious as in other places in Mauritius and is fairly popular with tourists but also by many locals; there are stalls where you can buy coconuts, fruit, drinks, sandwiches or other kind of street food. Here you will often come across street vendors who will show you their wares (bracelets and necklaces made with local shells, scarves, local crafts, etc…), they are very friendly, speak many languages and are not very persistent. Blue Bay is also known for its marine nature reserve and is ideal for snorkelling; many fishermen will offer you paid passes to accompany you to the best spots of the bay. Apart from the sea, it is not a well-equipped place for tourism (few services, few restaurants, no agencies, but many accommodation facilities) and still preserves its tranquility.
Mont Choisy
One of the most beautiful and spacious beaches in the north of Mauritius which extends for kilometers and kilometers in a huge bay, dotted with casuarina trees. This beach is not far from Grand Baie, but it is completely different from the scenario you would find there: Grand Baie is in fact a gulf full of boats (not only the typical fishing boats but also motorboats, catamarans, etc…) in which the beautiful bay has been defaced by a wild building development, which makes it look like a small port. Mont Choisy, on the other hand, is a beautiful and peaceful beach, without boats and with a few food stalls available to bathers. Our photos were taken on a bad day and, despite this, the colors speak for themselves.
Pereybere
A public beach sheltered in a small cove. Beautiful colors of the sea but a bit cramped (it gets crowded easily, especially at the weekend when local families with children flock to it). Rising in a very touristic place full of services, here you will find many food stalls and restaurants adjacent to the beach. Its boundaries are not well delineated by those of Grand Baie but its excesses are still limited.
We conclude this article with some general information :
- in Mauritius, regardless of north or south, summer or winter, on the beaches you will find not only tourists but also locals, especially on the weekend, and they will be many more than tourists. So, if you think this overcrowding could bother you, prefer the wide beaches far from the inhabited centers or take refuge in some resort with a private beach;
- the beaches of the south-east coast in the winter months (July, August) are more windy than those of the north-west coast as they are directly affected by the tradewinds. This not only could contribute to a more unstable climate but could make you pass the desire to swim in the most cloudy days. The point of view instead changes if you are lovers of water sports in which the wind is the protagonist…
This was intended to be an article to show you the beaches we have been to, not a tourist guide to list all the seaside places. As we said, in Mauritius the sea is beautiful almost everywhere, sometimes the difference is simply the location, which could make the beach more equipped but more crowded or wilder but quieter. And do you have a favorite beach in Mauritius that we haven’t talked about?
See you soon
Inside-360
You may be interested also in:
- MAURITIUS – Driving in the island, information and advice for you
- MAURITIUS – The excursion to Île aux Cerfs by catamaran
- MAURITIUS – What to see and what excursions to do
- MAURITIUS – The North-West and the South-East, the two faces of the island, suggestions about where to spend the holidays
- MAURITIUS – LUX* Le Morne, a 5-stars service
