Mauritius - North, South, East or West – Which is best?

We have all the answers to help you decide...

Alistair
Alistair
Managing Director
Published on
28 Jan 2019
Updated on
25 Apr 2025
Mauritius Aerial View

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 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, sight-seeing 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.

To discuss which area of Mauritius is best for you, call our experts on 01768 603 715 and they will happily help guide you and plan your holiday.

La Morne Lagoon
Crystal Rock, Le Morne Lagoon
Mauritiius Sailing
Mauritius Sailing

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.

Combine spotting lemurs in Madagascar with relaxing on the beach in Grand Baie in this island hopping adventure. 13 nights from £3,385pp.

Grand Baie
Grand Baie
Grand Baie Fishing Boats
Grand Baie Fishing Boats
Pointe Aux Canonniers Beach
Pointe aux Canonniers Beach

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, 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.

Combine Cape Town, Kruger National Park and then some wonderful relaxation at the Constance is Mauritius with this fantastic holiday. 16 days from £6,995pp.

Or stay at the residence on the east coast in this family island adventure. 10 days from £1,368.

Belle Mare Beaches
Belle Mare Beaches
Mauritius Beach Bbq
Beau Camp Beach BBQ
Ile Aux Cerfs
Ile Aux Cerfs

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.

Discover more about Bel Ombre and our favourite places to stay including the Four Seasons.

Blue Bay Marine Park
Blue Bay Marine Park
Underwater At Blue Bay Marine Park
Underwater at the Blue Bay Marine Park
Bel Ombre Beach Heritage Awali
Bel Ombre Beach and the Heritage Awali

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.

Le Morne
Le Morne
Sunset
West Coast Sunset
Port Louis
Port Louis

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.

Jardin Des Pamplemousses
Jardin des Pamplemousses
Seven Coloured Earth In Chamarel
Seven Coloured Earth in Chamarel
Lakaz Chamarel View
Lakaz Chamarel Lodge

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.

If you are planning a holiday to Mauritius, give our friendly team a call on 01768 603 715 and speak to a Mauritius expert today.

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Elizabeth Spells

I have just returned from the most amazing trip to Tanzania, booked with Far & Wild. Everything went so smoothly from the first time I spoke with them. The planning was great, the itinerary was perfect for us, and the lodges were amazing. We spent 10 nights with an amazing guide, travelling through Northern Tanzania and even got to see the migration, which was a lifetime ambition of mine. This wasn't our first safari, so we were nervous as to how it would compare, but it was spot on. We're particularly grateful that she suggested a private 'bush lunch' in the Ngorongoro Crater as the public picnic spot was very busy! I will certainly be using them again to book our next trip....we're thinking of a relaxing beach stay next time to get over the excitement of safari!

Sep 17, 2025
Orla Rhodes

Just back from another amazing F&W organised trip to Namibia with the family (8 adults). Having been there before, Alistair tailored our trip to include our favourite locations and added a new one for us, Okonjima Plains camp, which we loved.The quality of accommodation and guiding, activities, food and drinks was exceptional throughout. Although not inexpensive I felt it was good value for the level of luxury we had. Kwessi Dunes, Shipwreck lodge, Ongava, Okonjima with pit stops Windhoek (city tour recommended ), Swakopmund (Sandwich Harbour and Walvis Bay tour) and Grootberg lodge (best sundowner drive )

Jul 31, 2024
Arnhild Schia

We had a wonderful trip to São Tomé and Príncipe - a small island nation in the Gulf of Guinea with paradise (almost empty) beaches and jungle forest. It was all well organised by Far and Wild and we stayed at Omali lodge at Sao Tome, then on Roca Sundy, and Sunday Praia at Principe - a great combination of different types of resorts/hotels. Omali is close to Sao Tome town with its colonial buildings, markets, hustle and bustle. Roca Sunday gives an old plantation experience and Sundy Praia a luxury beach experience. Very friendly (from time to time a bit slow) service, great fresh food, specifically if you like fish/seafood, vegetables and fruits (almost all sourced locally). Nice temperature between 23 and 30 degrees Celsius, nice swimming conditions. We really recommend this for those who want to experience a pristine destination with few other tourists and friendly and welcoming people. The islands also feel (and I believe are) very safe. At Principe, there are no dangerous animals, snakes or whatever, and it was great to be able to hike in the jungle without being very conscious of where to put your hands and feet. Go before everyone else does!

Jul 3, 2024
Henri Papenfus

Back home again, basking in the joys of a superb safari. Every aspect you arranged for us, including linking up with Mack Air and Wild Horizons locally to transport us. The choice of camps, Camp Hwange in Zimbabwe and Muchenenje Safari Lodge in Botswana, was spot on and exactly what we had hoped for - ideally situated, comfortable, in good surroundings, and with excellent wildlife on the doorstep and throughout the wider country. The service staff in each looked after us very well, catering was excellent, and the game guides were professional, knowledgeable and helpful. The weather was, as usual for that part of the world, also good at the time of our visit. Blue skies and stunning sunsets. Warm but not too hot during the day, although quite cold at sunrise when viewing game. The viewing started. You made us happy, and we recommend you to similar safari enthusiasts with confidence.

Jun 28, 2024
AC

Far and Wild went above and beyond to make sure my trip to Zambia was special. I would definitely recommend them and their services to anyone wanting to travel to Africa.

Jun 5, 2024
Tiny

Lovely holiday at the amazing Almanara on Galu beach, a beach like no other. Far and Wild excelled themselves from beginning to end of our holiday in beautiful Kenya.... What a country!,

Jun 5, 2024
Stodge

Wow! These guys are amazing. Can’t recommend them highly enough. Friendly AND efficient! Sorted out our trip (last minute and lots of different family member needs, sorry!) in record time and everything worked like clockwork. Trip of a lifetime to the Masai Mara. Will be back (and use F&W again!)!

Jun 5, 2024
Fiona C

It was a dreamy holiday on the Kenyan Coast - Far and Wild, their efficiency and professionalism allowed us to relax and be the happiest family alive !! We cannot fault them, their care and understanding of what we wanted from a holiday ensured we had the most memorable trip. We will be booking with them again for sure!

Jun 5, 2024