THE 15 BEST BEACHES IN MAURITIUS
April 13, 2024
From the picturesque Le Morne to the white sands of Ile aux Cerfs, the beaches in Mauritius are a true paradise. Here are the 15 best beaches in Mauritius!
Here is our itinerary to find out what to see in Mauritius in 10 days, from the north to the south, from the beaches to the beautiful hinterland!
One of the trips that remains etched in our hearts is definitely our unforgettable 10-day trip to Mauritius. This wonderful island, Mauritius (because it’s only one island, you don’t go “to Mauritius”!), is most famous for its enchanting beaches, but also a beautiful hinterland.
In fact, Mauritius is a great place for the DIY and itinerant traveler, offering so many places to explore, both along the coast and inland.
In this article, we offer our itinerary to find out what to see in Mauritius in 10 days.
Not being lovers of resort life (except in a few rare cases and especially when there is no other choice), Mauritius had never been a destination we had considered for an itinerant and, above all, inexpensive trip. In fact, after a lot of research, we discovered that our perception was wrong. So we planned a 10-day Mauritius trip itinerary to explore this paradise in the Indian Ocean and came up with our Mauritius itinerary.
In this article, we share with you our ‘Mauritius 10 Day Itinerary’, which we followed to try and discover as much as possible of this beautiful island, from its beaches to its often little known but incredibly fascinating hinterland.
Our trip was planned for September, a time when in Mauritius summer is coming to an end and winter is about to begin but, let’s be clear, winter in Mauritius is characterised by daytime temperatures between 25 and 26 degrees, both day and night. A sudden rain can occur during the day, but it is usually short-lived. Talking to the locals, we learnt that it would be difficult to do some excursions in July due to the influx of tourists, so we highly recommend visiting Mauritius in September if possible.
Our ’10-day Mauritius travel itinerary’ involves exploring the whole island, from north to south and east to west, so we decided not to stay in one place for all 10 days in Mauritius. We have chosen to book accommodation in the northern part of the island for the first half of the holiday and in the southern part for the second half, as the distances to be covered are not short (about an hour, an hour and a half to cross the island from north to south) and the places to visit are spread out a bit.
Our ’10-day Mauritius tour itinerary’ nvolved a fast pace, and on some days we were a little tired, but the desire to admire the wonders of this island always gave us the right charge and every evening, despite our tiredness, we were happy and eager to start a new day of discovery. So, without further ado, here is our ’10-day Mauritius tour itinerary’!
Not being lovers of resort life (except in a few rare cases and especially when it cannot be done otherwise), Mauritius had never been a destination we had considered for an itinerant and, more importantly, low-cost trip. In fact, after a series of researches, we found that our perception was wrong. So we planned an itinerary to explore this Indian Ocean paradise and made a list of all the things we could see in Mauritius in 10 days.
In this article, we share with you our 10-day itinerary in Mauritius that we followed to try to discover as much as possible of this beautiful island, from its beaches to the often little-known but incredibly fascinating hinterland.
Our trip was planned for September, a time when summer in Mauritius is coming to an end and winter is about to begin but, mind you, their winter is characterized by daytime temperatures ranging from 25 to 26 degrees, both day and night.
A sudden rain may happen during the day, but it is usually short-lived.
Speaking with local residents, we learned that in July it would be difficult to do some excursions because of the tourist influx, so if possible, we strongly recommend that you visit Mauritius in September.
Our 10-day itinerary in Mauritius covers the entire island, from north to south and from east to west; therefore, we decided not to stay in one place for all 10 days of our itinerary.
In fact, we opted for accommodation in the northern part of the island for the first half of the vacation and one in the southern part for the second half, since the distances to be covered are not short (about an hour to an hour and a half to cross the island from north to south) and the things to see in 10 days in Mauritius are many and scattered throughout the island.
Our itinerary involved a fast pace, and on some days we were a bit tired, but the desire to admire the wonders of this island always gave us the right charge, and every evening, despite our tiredness, we were gratified and eager to start a new day of discovery. So, without further ado, here is what to see in 10 days in Mauritius!
Want more info on how to plan a DIY vacation to Mauritius? 👉 Here is our article!
North Mauritius:
⭐Trip To Try Choice: NORTHERN PEARL LUXURY APARTMENTS
💰Low budget: Lotus Lane Apartments
💰💰Medium budget: Mon Choisy Beach Resort
💰💰💰💰 No limits: LUX* GRAND BAIE RESORT & RESIDENCES
South Mauritius:
⭐Trip To Try Choice: AVA BEACH HOUSE
💰Low budget: Lakaz Metiss Arobaz
💰💰Medium budget: Talamba Blue
💰💰💰💰No limits: LUX* Le Morne Resort
In order to maximize our time and not lose a whole day on the road, we chose to leave at night for Mauritius. So, we arrived at the Mahebourg airport at dawn, around seven in the morning.
After taking care of changing some money (Mauritian currency is the rupee) and picking up the car we had booked to rent, we got on the road immediately.
Our destination was the northern part of the island, where we had booked our first apartment.
The car ride took a little over an hour, although driving in Mauritius is on the left, which requires some adaptation if you are not used to it. We arrived at the beautiful beach of Trou aux Biches around 9:00 am.
This beach is a long strip of white sand, with palm trees rising majestically behind it. It is the perfect place for a refreshing dip in the gorgeous Mauritius sea, but also for a short nap and a quick lunch from one of the take-away trucks located in the parking lots near the beaches.
Trou aux Biches beach
After a great lunch (trust the take-aways, you eat well and spend little), we went to get the keys to our apartment, in the Northern Pearl Luxury Apartments complex, located not far from Mont Choisy beach. After unloading our luggage and settling a few things, we set off on foot to the beautiful Mont Choisy beach. This charming bay is surrounded by greenery and offers a breathtaking view of the sunset over the sea.
In the evening, we opted to dine in the area of our apartment and discovered a typical restaurant, Refresh, which left us extremely satisfied!
The second day of our 10-day itinerary in Mauritius was devoted to visiting the north coast beaches. We started early in the morning, heading by car to our first stop, Anse la Raie beach. This beach is not among the most beautiful in Mauritius, but it has a wild character and is perfect for water sports enthusiasts. It is a lagoon with a gentle current, which attracts kitesurfers and windsurfers.
Next, we moved just a 5-minute drive to Bain Boeuf beach, stopping along the way to admire the Notre Dame Auxiliatrice church. This small church, surrounded by greenery, offers a spectacular view of the sea. The white building with the red roof creates a truly magical color contrast with the blue of the sea, and we highly recommend that you plan to stop here to admire the view and take some photos.
The beach at Bain Boeuf, smaller than Anse la Raie, is very beautiful and well maintained. A long wooden walkway leads to the white sand overlooking a picturesque bay with hues ranging from azure to blue. We spent time here, snorkeling among the low rocks near the shore and enjoying a delicious freshly harvested coconut.
At lunch we moved on to Pereybere beach, a bit more crowded but just as beautiful. It is one of the beaches most frequented by locals and was our first opportunity to immerse ourselves in Mauritian culture and listen to the Sega, a lively music that reflects the diversity of cultures present in Mauritius, particularly Indian and African.
We spent a pleasant first afternoon at this beach, between dips, after which we moved to Grand Baie beach.
Grand Baie beach is located in a large bay close to the center, bordered by the main street onto which stores and clubs are located. It is also the starting point for many boat excursions from the northern area. Although it was not our favorite beach, it was pleasant to sip a beer (strictly Phoenix, the local beer) while admiring the sunset. After changing quickly, we wandered around the stores along Grand Baie’s main street before stopping at a lovely waterfront spot for an aperitif (or two!).
For dinner, we went to an extraordinary place called le Poivrier, a garden-restaurant where we enjoyed an excellent dinner!
Aperitif at sunset at Grand Baie
Pereybere beach
The Jardin de Pamplemousses is absolutely one of the things to see in 10 days in Mauritius and was our first stop on the third day. In fact, it is a vast park located in the northern hinterland of Mauritius, known for its rich variety of trees and plants.
The visit to the garden took us about two hours, including a visit to a typical colonial house located within the park.
This stop was really impressive because at times it felt like being in the middle of a forest with majestic trees and towering trunks. Unfortunately, September is not the ideal season to see some of the garden’s attractions, such as the lily ponds in full bloom.
Opening hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Entrance fee: 300 MUR (approximately 2$)
Our advice: plan to spend at least a couple of hours visiting this place because it is very large! If you can, arrive early in the morning so that you will find few visitors
After leaving the Botanical Garden, we headed for Tamarin Beach, located on the southwest coast.
After a drive of almost an hour, we arrived just before lunchtime.
Tamarin is a wild beach, far from the atmosphere of the big resorts, where there are small cottages right on the beach, which are the embodiment of the dream of many lucky French retirees.
The waters in this bay are calm and peaceful, and there is even a small river where you can learn to surf.
We had a picnic lunch (usually a stuffed baguette purchased from the bakery at which we had had breakfast in the morning before we left) and after a relaxing walk and a few dips, we were back in the car heading for Flic en Flac beach, which is about 20 minutes from Tamarin, our last stop on this day’s discovery of the east coast.
Jardin de Pamplemousse
Tamarin beach
Sunset at Flic en Flac beach
Flic en Flac is a long and beautiful beach, and it is one of the areas where the large resorts are concentrated, but it is also very popular with Mauritians who enjoy their leisure time under the trees along the beach for picnics, singing and games.
We were able to snorkel here as there were some interesting spots, although unfortunately some boats from the surrounding resorts were passing quickly by the shore.
The sunset at Flic en Flac was simply amazing, perhaps the most beautiful we have seen in Mauritius. After the sunset, we went back to the car to change clothes and decided to treat ourselves, opting for dinner at the Coconut Café, located inside Le Pirogue resort. After a tasty dinner and a good rum, we drove back to our apartment in a little over an hour.
From the picturesque Le Morne to the white sands of Ile aux Cerfs, the beaches in Mauritius are a true paradise. Here are the 15 best beaches in Mauritius!
On the fourth day of our 10-day itinerary in Mauritius, we headed to the east coast of the island.
We left early in the morning, with our packed lunch ready, and took just over half an hour to reach our first stop: the beautiful beach of Poste la Fayette.
This beach is lovely, situated in a quiet bay with shallow waters ideal for snorkeling among the rocks slightly away from the shore. That morning, we were pretty much the only ones there on this very long beach, which turned out to be one of our favorites.
Mid-morning, we drove just five minutes to another equally beautiful and characteristic beach called Bras d’Eau.
This beach is distinctive because of the presence of small mangrove islands nearby. The sand is white and the sea takes on intense colors. Along the beach, some trees provide shelter and relaxation.
Both Bras d’Eau and Poste la Fayette were found to be uncrowded beaches, perhaps because there are no large resorts nearby but only small houses or B&Bs.
In the afternoon, we moved to Belle Mare beach, which is about fifteen minutes from Bras d’Eau.
This beach is also very long, although narrower than the others, and the sea is a bit rougher as it is not protected by a bay.
We would have liked to stop in the area to have dinner, but there are not many restaurants nearby. As a result, we returned to Mont Choisy in about an hour, where we opted for dinner near Grand Baie.
Poste La Fayette beach
On the fifth day of our Mauritius trip itinerary we decided to devote the day to a two-island excursion as we love snorkelling. We left from Grand Baie and the boat trip took about an hour. Unfortunately we found the sea a bit rough, but the passage near Coin de Mire was exciting. This small island is a nature reserve, completely uninhabited and characterised by impressive cliffs.
After passing Coin de Mire, we arrived at Ile Plate, where we went snorkelling and then enjoyed an excellent lunch of grilled chicken, rice, sausages and, of course, lots of punch, a drink made from rum and fruit juice.
After lunch we headed to Ilot Gabriel, a small island with a long white sandy beach that looked like something out of Pirates of the Caribbean. Here we snorkeled again and saw some sea turtles.
If the sea was rough on the way out, it was completely different on the way back, with calm seas and bright sunshine. We celebrated to the rhythm of music and punch, stopping briefly at Coin de Mire for a swim.
On our return to Grand Baie, we paid a quick visit to the nearby market, where there are several bazaars selling attractive souvenirs for tourists as well as local handicrafts. In the evening, as this was our last day in the northern area, we stopped again at our lovely Refresh.
⛵ BUY the catamaran excursion to Ile Plate and Ilot Gabriel HERE.
During the sixth day of our 10-day itinerary in Mauritius, we changed our base, moving to Blue Bay. En route, we decided to visit two inland sites: the Trou aux Cerfs volcano and the Tamarin Falls park.
The Trou aux Cerfs volcano is located inland on the island and is easily accessible by car. It is possible to walk around the volcano crater along a footpath and take beautiful panoramic photos.
Access to the volcano is free and there are no closing times.
After visiting the Trou aux Cerfs volcano, we headed for Tamarin Falls park, despite the threatening weather.
Once we arrived near the park, it started to rain, but we still attempted to descend along a trail that led us to the first waterfall. The trails are quite rough and require proper equipment, such as hiking boots, but especially not advisable in rainy weather, as they become slippery.
Fortunately, we met a local guide who had already helped some tourists and we joined him to return to the parking lot. The directions to go through the park are poor, and because of the rain, we could not visit it as we would have liked. However, we realized that next time we return, we will use this great guide to explore the park better.
If you would like his contact information, please write to us and we will be happy to share it with you!
After visiting Tamarin Falls, we headed to Blue Bay, where we had booked our second apartment.
In the afternoon, we took the opportunity to rest on the beach. Blue Bay is a small bay from which many excursions depart every day, so you have to be careful of the boats when you go snorkelling. It was the bay where we found the greatest variety of corals and where it was possible to snorkel directly from the beach. There are lots of take-away kiosks around Blue Bay where you can order a tasty and cheap lunch.
In the evening, we went to dinner at the beautiful Jardin de Beau Vallon, a restaurant located inside an old colonial house surrounded by a large park. The food was typical Mauritian, and we had the chance to try the Seven Curries, a traditional dish eaten at Mauritian weddings. It’s served with rice and small pitas, and you can add whatever you like to your curry. It was a really unique experience.
⭐Trip To Try Choice: AVA BEACH HOUSE
💰Low budget: Lakaz Metiss Arobaz
💰💰Medium budget: Talamba Blue
💰💰💰💰No limits: LUX* Le Morne Resort
Blue Bay
Volcano Trou aux Cerfs
On the seventh day, we got up early for a hike in the Black River Gorges Natural Park, a large natural park located in the southern part of Mauritius. It’s definitely one of the things you should see in Mauritius in 10 days.
The park has lots of trails, but we decided to follow the main one, which leads to the Macchabee. This is a great spot for taking in the views of the entire park, all the way from the mountains to the sea. You might even spot some cute monkeys (just be careful not to feed them, as they can become aggressive).
The path is straightforward and clearly marked, taking you through a forest with a variety of plants until you reach the Macchabee. We also saw some local parakeets, which are tricky to spot. The path took about two hours, and on the way back, we chose a longer route, making the walk about six hours in total.
Would you like to take a guided tour? You can get your ticket here!
Opening hours: 6am to 6pm
Entrance fee: 650 MUR (about 14.50$)
Our advice: consider at least two hours for the visit (tea tasting included). If you want to take home a different souvenir than usual, we recommend a stop at the shopping center next to the cafeteria, where for example you can buy some of the tea produced on site!
On our way back to the apartment, we made a quick stop at Ganga Talao, which is a lake with some Buddhist places of worship.
In the evening, we had dinner at Chez Marylin, a typical local trattoria. Marylin is well worth a visit, as is the food, which is hearty and generous, just like eating at your nan’s house.
Black River Gorge Natural Park
Black River Gorge National Park
Ganga Talao
What places to visit in Mauritius hinterland? It’s not just tropical beaches, here are 10 wonderful places to explore in Mauritius hinterland!
On the eighth day of our trip to Mauritius, we spent the whole day exploring the sea and the coral reef that surrounds the island. The boat trip to Ile aux Cerfs was great fun and really convenient for us, as we left from Blue Bay. First, we went a bit offshore by boat to snorkel in a beautiful area of Blue Bay. After an hour of snorkelling, we boarded another boat led by Christoph, together with seven very nice French guys. We got chatting and had a few drinks, and it was really easy to relax and enjoy ourselves!
After sailing for a little while, we arrived at a spot with coral pinnacles that were great for snorkelling. We saw lots of anemones and clownfish (there were so many!).
After our snorkelling adventure, we visited a lighthouse situated on the ring of coral reef that surrounds Mauritius. This lighthouse provides invaluable protection from the tides. It is located at one of the few openings in the reef that allows boats to access it. From there, we captured some stunning photos of Mauritius and the lighthouse itself. Inside, it has an almost surreal atmosphere, frozen in time.
View of the interior of the lighthouse
Visit to the lighthouse
We then headed to the Grand River South East Waterfalls, which can be reached by boat through a canal surrounded by lush vegetation and populated by friendly monkeys.
After visiting the waterfalls, we finally arrived at Ile aux Cerfs, a little paradise on earth, where we enjoyed a delicious lunch of grilled chicken and lobster on the beach, followed by a refreshing swim in the sea. Ile aux Cerfs does not have many attractions inside, as it has been largely taken over by a golf course, but the surrounding sea is simply exceptional.
On the way back, we stopped at the Ile aux Oiseaux, an islet that is a marine reserve and a refuge for some rare bird species.
In the evening we returned to the Jardin de Beau Vallon for a memorable dinner.
The penultimate day of our 10-day itinerary in Mauritius began with a visit to the Bois Chéri tea factory. A visit to this factory will allow you to learn more about the economy of this island, which is not only based on tourism, but also on the export of tea!
Inside there is a small museum, the visit of which is included in the price of the ticket and which provides an overview of the tea production process.
The guided tour allowed us to take a tour inside the factory, understand how the machines work and also learn the complete process to obtain the different varieties of tea that are sold. At the end of the visit, we enjoyed a tasting at a café located near the tea fields, surrounded by nature. During the tasting, we were offered the different varieties of tea produced, some of which were then available for purchase in the adjacent shop.
If you want to change our itinerary, some tours propose a visit on the same day to the Trou aux Cerfs volcano, the Ganga Talao, the Tamarin waterfalls and finally the Bois Chèri factory. If you are interested, take a look at 👉 this link.
Opening hours: 9am to 5pm (closed on Sundays)
Entrance fee: 650 MUR (about 14.50$)
Our advice: consider at least two hours for the visit (tea tasting included). If you want to take home a different souvenir than usual, we recommend a stop at the shopping mall next to the café, where for example you can buy some of the tea produced on site!
After the tea factory visit, we headed to Le Morne, a beautiful place on the south-west coast of Mauritius. Le Morne beach is simply spectacular, with the green mountain from which it takes its name as a backdrop, a white sandy beach and a sea that is nothing short of wonderful. Without a doubt, Le Morne was one of the most beautiful beaches we saw in Mauritius.
Later in the evening, we returned to our apartment as the weather was not good and opted for a take-away dinner at Ajoupa. This restaurant is a typical place frequented mainly by locals. It might seem a little dark at first, but after only five minutes we were sitting at the bar sipping rum in the company of some friendly Mauritians!
If you are a sports enthusiast and want to see Le Morne beach (and not only) from another perspective, we recommend hiking up Le Morne mountain with an expert guide, who will take you to the top, for a truly unique view!
Bois Cheri Tea Factory
Le Morne beach
On the last day of our 10-day trip to Mauritius, we visited Rhumerie Chamarel.
This rum distillery is really well-maintained, and we have to say that we ate the best pork cheek of our lives here.
We also did a guided tour which lasted about an hour. We learned about how rum is made, from harvesting the sugar cane to distillation. At the end of the tour, we got to taste several types of rum (it was a big tasting, so make sure you don’t have an empty stomach!). You can find more detailed information about the tour and the rums produced on the official website of Rhumerie Chamarel at this LINK.
Opening hours: 9.30am to 4.30pm (closed on Sundays)
Entrance fee: 400 MUR (about 8.20$, tastings not included)
Our recommendations: if you stop to eat at the restaurant, we absolutely recommend the rum-braised pork cheek: something truly out of this world! As with Bois Cheri, here too you could buy an “alternative” souvenir, namely a very good bottle of Chamarel rum (we recommend the VSOP!)
🫖+🥃 HERE you can find the ticket for an excursion to Bois Cheri and Chamarel in one day
Next, we headed to Chamarel to check out the Earth of Seven Colors. We arrived in the afternoon, so the light wasn’t ideal, but the colors were still visible and the show was pretty impressive.
The park isn’t huge, so if you stop to take some photos, you’ll be done in about an hour.
If you want to avoid the queues at the entrance, we suggest you buy your tickets in advance, which you can find at this link.
After visiting the Earth of Seven Colors in Chamarel, we headed to the nearby Ebony Forest, where you can go for walks and a bit of trekking amidst nature and beautiful ebony trees.
Opening hours: 8.30am to 5.30pm (5pm in winter)
Entrance fee: 550 MUR (about 11.40$)
Our advice: visit this place in the middle of the day, when the colors are more vivid
Opening hours: 9am to 5pm
Entrance fee: 360 MUR non-guided tour (about 7.40$)
Our advice: There are various types of tours available to visit this forest. So, we recommend you visit the official website to choose the one that’s right for you (we recommend the guided trekking)
Mauritius travel itinerary: Chamarel Coloured Earths
In this article, we’ve outlined our 10-day itinerary for exploring everything Mauritius has to offer.
Mauritius is an island that has given us so many great memories and will always have a special place in our hearts. As you’ve read, this destination is known for its beaches, but there’s so much more to it. There are some places inland that are truly unique in the world!
We hope we’ve inspired you to plan a trip to this gorgeous island, which is well worth exploring in depth! If you’d like to learn more about Mauritius, such as which beaches to see and which places to visit inland, or what to know to organise a DIY holiday on this island, we recommend you read the related articles and, above all, take a trip there!
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