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Mauritius - North, South, East or West – Which is best?
We have all the answers to help you decide...
Alistair
Managing Director
Published on
28 Jan 2019
Updated on
04 Feb 2026
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If we divide the island of Mauritius into the four coastal areas plus Inland and match interests and expectations with the best stretch of coastline and the best places to visit.
Area summary
The northern and western beaches are generally busier and have more amenities and tourist attractions - if you’re after an action-packed, sightseeing vacation, this is where you'll want to head, while the eastern and southern beaches are quieter, have some of the most luxurious hotels and lend themselves to a ‘doing nothing much’ holiday.
Grand Baie & the North Coast
Best for: bustling energy, interesting shops, a fantastic selection of water sports and Grand Baie.
Although Grand Baie has evolved from a sleepy fishing village into a thriving tourist destination, it still retains its friendly small-town feel along with a fine collection of hotels, restaurants and bars that line the pretty bay. It is here that you will find nightclubs which get going after midnight and keep going until the early hours.
The waters around Grand Baie are dotted with fishing boats and while the beaches of La Cuvette and Grand Baie aren't ideal for swimming, just a short drive away is the peninsular of Pointe aux Canonniers, the start of an unbroken chain of sugar-white sand beaches running all the way down the island’s west coast.
Belle Mare & the East Coast
Best for: Exclusive, luxury hotels, beautiful beaches and great water sports.
Less built up and more exclusive than the west coast, the eastern coastline of Mauritius has some of the island’s most luxurious hotels and is home to the extremely beautiful Belle Mare region.
The mix of the softest powder-white sand and an emerald lagoon, makes it one of the prettiest beaches in Mauritius, and although the sea can get rough at times, you can always take a refreshing dip in the lagoon.
At the northern end of Belle Mare lies the Post de Flacq Peninsula, which has several top resorts and is where to go in Mauritius for a choice of golf courses.
To the south of the peninsula and only a short boat ride from Ile Aux Cerfs, lies Beau Camp, a tropical playground where you can enjoy all manner of water sports from parasailing to water skiing. Round off your day at Beau Camp with a seafood barbecue on the beach.
The East Coast catches the wind, so in summer (about November to April, you have a welcoming sea breeze, but in winter (about May to October) it can be a bit windy.
Bel Ombre & the South Coast
Best for: rugged scenery, fewer people and brilliant snorkelling/diving. An authentic Mauritius experience.
The south coast is more rugged than the rest of the island and its towering cliffs make for wonderfully dramatic scenery.
There are fewer swimming beaches here - and therefore less development - and many locals say that the Mauritius south coast still reminds them of the way most of the island used to be: wild, beautiful and authentic. This is the best place to visit if you want to get off-the-beaten track.
It's here in the south you’ll find the Blue Bay Marine Park (Blue Baie) which protects rich coral reefs offering some of the best snorkelling and diving in Mauritius. At least 50 different species of coral have been noted here and at least 80 percent of them are still alive.
Also, well worth visiting are Bel Ombre and nearby Chemin Grenier – both unspoilt stretches of sand in a lush green setting.
The south coast of Mauritius is for people who want to escape the crowds and enjoy genuine tranquillity.
The West Coast
Best for: great diving, safe swimming (family friendly), water sports including windsurfing, dramatic scenery and gorgeous sunsets.
For great diving & unforgettable sunsets - Flic en Flac, West Coast. Mauritius's west coast has unbeatable beaches ranging from the fine white sands of Trou aux Biches in the far north to the isolated Le Morne Peninsula on the south-west tip of the island.
It is Le Morne that has the most dramatic setting on the entire island: its long stretch of sand, reef-protected lagoon and superb golf course are all laid out at the foot of an imposing mountain. Also, this area is great for Kitesurfing and Windsurfing.
Trou aux Biches, clear water and safe swimming make this stretch of coast particularly popular with families, and with coral reef just a short swim from shore, it’s also great for snorkelling. For these reasons Trou aux Biches can get busy at times so you just need to go along the coast to neighbouring Pointe aux Piments – a refreshingly quiet stretch of sand, although it is rocky in places.
South of Port Louis lies the best known – and longest – beach on the west coast: Flic-en-Flac. Sheltered from the south-east winds, the calm waters of Flic-en-Flac are ideal for swimming, snorkelling, kayaking and diving while its palm-lined shore is home to a good selection of accommodation along with shops, restaurants and bars.
Inland - Chamarel & the Black Gorges National Park
Best for: Hiking and mountain biking, jungle vegetation and dunes. A different side to Mauritius!
Now for a different side to Mauritius: now you know about the various beaches and coastal areas, its also a good option to spend a few days inland at the Lakaz Chamarel Exclusive Lodge surrounded by forested hills, waterfalls, cool clear streams and nature trails.
The Black River Gorges National Park is well known for its walks through jungle-like vegetation and pretty waterfalls, hiking and mountain biking trails, plenty of tortoises and fantastic birdlife. Abseiling from the Chamarel waterfall is not for the faint-hearted but is fun if you can do it.
Other places worth leaving the beach for include the surrealistically striped sand dunes at the ‘Seven Coloured Earth’, which is also in the Chamarel region close to the Black River Gorges. These dunes are thought to date back approximately seven million years and vary in colour from the expected yellow and brown to the unexpected black, red and purple.
Take a drive/trip up into the north of the island, and spend a few hours at the ‘Jardin des Pamplemousses’, botanical gardens with shady trees and giant water lilies? On your drive, stop at local farm stalls to buy fresh coffee, sugar cane and sweet pineapples.
Can I visit multiple areas?
To give you an idea of the size of the island, Mauritius approx. 720 square miles and Great Britain is around 119 time larger.
The island is small enough that you can hire a car or take a driver and see some of the other areas. The coastal roads make for lovely driving and, along with a wonderful selection of beaches, there are plenty of places of interest, like welcoming towns to pretty gardens and nature reserves.
I want to go to Mauritius and another country
Mauritius twins particularly well with a Kruger safari in South Africa and gives you the perfect combination of a safari, followed by some relaxation on the beach.
