Mauritius destinations
Where to go in Mauritius
Where to go in Mauritius: local guides to the island’s top areas — Grand Baie, Flic-en-Flac, Belle Mare, Le Morne, Tamarin and more. Things to do, beaches, what each area is good for, and how to get there with Belle Mare Tours.
North coast
Balaclava
Balaclava is a quiet, upscale stretch of Mauritius' north-west coast, just north of Port Louis and south of Trou aux Biches. It is best known for Baie aux Tortues (Turtle Bay), a sheltered marine park where boats are restricted, keeping the water calm and clear for swimming and snorkelling. The area is dominated by polished five-star resorts set in landscaped grounds, so it suits couples and families who want resort comfort and a protected bay rather than bars and crowds. History runs through it too: the 18th-century Balaclava Ruins and the old Bain des Dames sit beside the lagoon. Grand Baie's restaurants and nightlife are a short drive north.
Cap Malheureux
Cap Malheureux is the northernmost village in Mauritius, a quiet former fishing community best known for the little red-roofed Notre-Dame Auxiliatrice church framed against the sea. From its shoreline you look straight out at the northern islets — Coin de Mire (Gunner's Quoin), Flat Island and Round Island — making this one of the island's most photographed views. It's calmer and more local than buzzy Grand Baie just down the coast, which suits couples, photographers and travellers after a laid-back base near the action. The vibe is relaxed: small guesthouses and a handful of upmarket resorts, gentle lagoon swimming and easy day trips to the north's beaches, gardens and boat departure points.
Grand Baie
Grand Baie is the lively hub of Mauritius' north coast, built around a sheltered turquoise bay that gives the village its name. Once a quiet fishing settlement, it's now the island's busiest resort town, packed with beachfront hotels, restaurants, shopping arcades and the country's best-known nightlife. By day it's a base for water sports, catamaran cruises and diving on the northern reefs; by night, bars and clubs along the Royal Road stay busy late. The calm, swimmable water and easy amenities suit families, while couples and groups come for the dining, sundowner spots and boat trips out to the nearby northern islands.
Grande Gaube
Grande Gaube is a low-key fishing village on the northern tip of Mauritius, just east of busy Grand Baie. Pirogues still pull up on its small public beaches, and the pace stays slow even in high season, which makes it a favourite for couples and travellers who want the north's calm lagoons and warm water without the crowds. It is best known for its two big lagoon resorts, easy boat and kayak access to the mangroves of Île d'Ambre, and some of the best snorkelling and diving in the north. With Grand Baie's restaurants and nightlife a short drive away, it works well as a relaxed base for exploring the whole northern coast.
Mont Choisy
Mont Choisy sits on the north coast of Mauritius, tucked between Trou aux Biches and the buzz of Grand Baie. It is best known for its long, gently curving public beach, one of the largest in the country, shaded by casuarina (filao) trees and fronted by a calm, shallow lagoon that is safe for swimming. The mood is relaxed and local: families picnic under the trees at weekends, and the water is ideal for first-time snorkelers and water sports. With easy access to Grand Baie's restaurants and nightlife just minutes away, plus a championship golf course on its doorstep, Mont Choisy suits couples, families and active travelers who want a quieter base without sacrificing things to do.
Pereybère
Pereybère is a relaxed seaside village on Mauritius's north coast, tucked between lively Grand Baie and the red-roofed chapel of Cap Malheureux. It's best known for its sheltered public beach, where shallow, calm turquoise water and a gentle reef make swimming and snorkelling easy and safe. The village has an unpretentious, local feel: small guesthouses, beachfront snack stalls, dive shops and casual restaurants rather than big resort strips. It suits families, couples and independent travellers who want north-coast convenience and nightlife within walking or a short drive of Grand Baie, but a quieter, more low-key base to come home to in the evening.
Pointe aux Piments
Pointe aux Piments is a relaxed coastal village on the northwest coast of Mauritius, sitting between Baie du Tombeau and the busier resort strip of Trou aux Biches. It is quieter and more residential than its neighbours, with a reef-sheltered lagoon, calm shallow water and a string of small public beaches fringed by filao trees. The area suits couples and families who want easy access to the north's attractions without the crowds, plus divers drawn to nearby wreck and reef sites. It is best known for the Mauritius Aquarium, gentle swimming conditions, good-value guesthouses alongside a few mid-range resorts, and sunsets over the lagoon.
Trou aux Biches
Trou aux Biches is a relaxed beach village on the north-west coast of Mauritius, in the Pamplemousses district. It is best known for one of the island's finest public beaches: a long, palm-fringed stretch of soft white sand backing a shallow, calm lagoon that is safe for swimming and ideal for snorkelling. The water is sheltered by the reef, so it stays gentle most of the year, and the west-coast position means warm, dry afternoons and sunsets over the sea. It suits families, couples and first-time snorkellers who want a quieter base than busy Grand Baie, while still being a short drive from its restaurants and nightlife.
East coast
Belle Mare
Belle Mare is a long, low-rise stretch of the East coast known for some of Mauritius's whitest sand and a wide turquoise lagoon protected by a distant reef. It has a calmer, more upmarket feel than the busy north, anchored by a cluster of five-star resorts, golf courses and a famous public beach backed by casuarina and filao trees. The coastline catches the morning sun and the cooling south-east trade winds, which keep afternoons fresh and feed steady kitesurfing and windsurfing conditions. It suits couples, families and golfers after a quieter, scenic base, with easy day-trip access to the wild south-east, Île aux Cerfs and the central plateau.
Trou d'Eau Douce
Trou d'Eau Douce is a relaxed fishing village on Mauritius's east coast, best known as the main launch point for boat trips to Ile aux Cerfs. Once a quiet harbour, it has grown into a low-key resort area without losing its village feel, with colourful pirogues moored along the waterfront, family-run restaurants and a handful of upscale hotels nearby. The east coast is greener and breezier than the busy north, with a calmer, less-developed atmosphere. It suits couples, families and travellers wanting a base for lagoon excursions, water sports and quiet beach days, away from the crowds while staying close to the island's standout lagoon scenery.
South coast
Bel Ombre
Bel Ombre is a quiet stretch of Mauritius' unspoilt south coast, where a long lagoon-fronted beach meets sugarcane plains rising into the forested foothills of the Black River Gorges. Once a working sugar estate, it is now best known for its cluster of upscale resorts (Heritage, Sofitel, Outrigger), a championship golf course, and the private Frederica nature reserve behind it. The vibe is calm and green rather than busy or party-driven, which suits couples after seclusion, families wanting a self-contained resort base, golfers, and nature lovers. It is one of the island's most balanced spots: protected beach in front, wild mountains and waterfalls just inland.
Blue Bay & Mahébourg
Blue Bay and Mahébourg sit side by side on Mauritius's south-east coast, a short hop from SSR Airport. Blue Bay is famous for its marine park, a protected lagoon of clear, shallow water and living coral that makes it one of the island's best snorkelling spots. Next door, Mahébourg is a working fishing town with colonial history, a lively Monday street market and waterfront seafood. The mood here is laid-back and authentically Mauritian rather than resort-polished, suiting families, snorkellers, history buffs and travellers who want local character. It also makes an ideal first or last night given how close it is to the airport.
West coast
Flic-en-Flac
Flic-en-Flac is the West coast's busiest resort village, strung along one of Mauritius' longest white-sand beaches and a calm, reef-protected lagoon. It mixes big beach hotels with a walkable village of supermarkets, casual restaurants, dive shops and street-food stalls, so it suits a wide range of travellers — families wanting safe swimming, couples after sunset dinners, and divers and snorkellers drawn to the reef just offshore. The west catches Mauritius' best sunsets and driest weather, and the flat, shaded coastal road makes it easy to settle in for a few days. It is also a practical base for trips to Casela, Tamarin, Chamarel and Black River Gorges.
Le Morne
Le Morne is a dramatic peninsula on the south-west tip of Mauritius, dominated by the UNESCO-listed Le Morne Brabant mountain that rises straight out of a turquoise lagoon. The area is best known for world-class kitesurfing and windsurfing, the famous "Underwater Waterfall" optical illusion seen from the air, and a string of five-star resorts strung along powder-white beaches. It suits couples after a luxury escape, water-sports enthusiasts chasing reliable trade winds, and travellers drawn to its powerful history as a refuge for escaped slaves. Quieter and more scenic than the busy north, Le Morne delivers postcard sunsets, calm protected swimming, and serious hiking.
Port Louis
Port Louis is the capital of Mauritius and its busiest city, set on the north-west coast against the dramatic backdrop of the Moka mountain range and Le Pouce. This is a working harbour city rather than a beach resort, full of colonial buildings, a buzzing Central Market, mosques, Hindu temples, Chinese pagodas and the restored Caudan Waterfront. It suits travellers who want culture, history, street food and shopping over sunbathing, and works well as a half-day stop within a wider island tour. Port Louis is best known for its UNESCO-listed Aapravasi Ghat, its colourful market, racing at the historic Champ de Mars and panoramic views from the Citadel.
Tamarin
Tamarin is a laid-back surf town on Mauritius' west coast, set around a river mouth where the Rivière du Rebek meets the sea. It built its reputation on the "Tamarin Wave", a left-hand point break that draws surfers between May and September, and on the resident pods of dolphins that gather in the bay each morning. The vibe is bohemian and unpolished compared with the big northern resorts: a small village centre, the historic Salt Pans, palm-lined beaches and the dramatic backdrop of Le Morne and the Black River mountains. It suits independent travellers, surfers, couples and active families who want sunset swims, early dolphin trips and easy access to the wild south-west, rather than packed beach clubs.