Top 10 Beaches in Mauritius
Mauritius is a volcanic island in the southwestern Indian Ocean, 2,000 kilometres east of Madagascar. The island is ringed by a barrier reef that creates a lagoon with calm, warm water on most sides — conditions ideal for the luxury resort model that Mauritius has developed since the 1970s. The fringing reef also means that the best snorkelling and diving is generally on the outer reef rather than in the lagoon.
The island has beaches on all sides with different characters: the east coast is windier and wilder (consistent trade wind from the southeast); the west coast is calmer and drier; the north is the tourist resort concentration; the south is wilder and has limited development.
1. Le Morne Beach, Le Morne Brabant
Le Morne is on the southwest peninsula, a dramatic location at the base of the Le Morne Brabant mountain — a basalt rock that rises 556 metres directly from the flat coastal plain. The beach is long, the lagoon is the primary kitesurfing venue in Mauritius (the reef channel creates ideal flat water), and the mountain backdrop makes every photograph distinctive. The Le Morne UNESCO Cultural Landscape designation reflects the mountain's significance as a refuge for escaped slaves. Le Morne is in the database.
2. Belle Mare, Flacq District
Belle Mare on the east coast is one of Mauritius's longest and widest beaches — a broad strip of pale sand backed by casuarina trees with the trade wind providing a consistent breeze that moderates the tropical heat. The lagoon is deep enough for swimming and the reef break at the outer edge produces consistent small waves. The major resort hotels on the east coast (Shangri-La, St. Géran, One&Only Le Saint Géran) are grouped around Belle Mare.
3. Trou aux Biches, Pamplemousses
Trou aux Biches on the north coast has calm, shallow lagoon water in a sheltered bay — one of the few Mauritius beaches where the lagoon is well-suited to non-swimmers and children. The beach has a Blue Flag certification and is lined with takamaka and casuarina trees providing shade. The Trou aux Biches Beachcomber hotel is one of the island's long-established luxury properties. Trou aux Biches Public Beach is in the database.
4. Flic en Flac, Black River District
Flic en Flac on the west coast is one of the longest beaches on the island and has the calmest conditions — the west coast is in the lee of the central plateau from the trade wind. The sunset from Flic en Flac is the best on the island, facing due west over the Indian Ocean. The town behind the beach has a good restaurant infrastructure. The reef offshore protects a resident population of spinner dolphins.
5. Blue Bay, Grand Port District
Blue Bay in the southeast is a marine park protecting a coral garden in the lagoon — one of the few places in Mauritius where snorkelling directly from the beach produces good coral encounters. The beach has Blue Flag status and clear turquoise water. No motorised water sports are permitted in the protected area.
6. Mont Choisy, Pamplemousses
Mont Choisy is a long public beach on the northwest coast backed by a casuarina forest, popular with Mauritian families on weekends. The north coast here is calmer than the east and the water colour is a consistent light blue over the sandy lagoon floor. The beach has good food vendors at weekends.
7. Pereybere, Rivière du Rempart
Pereybere is a small village beach north of Grand Baie — calmer and more local in character than the resort strip to the south. The beach is small but has good snorkelling on the shallow reef patch just offshore. The combination of low cost guesthouses and the beach's relative quietness makes it popular with long-stay visitors.
8. La Cuvette, Grand Baie
La Cuvette is the public beach in Grand Baie, the island's main tourist resort town. The beach is small, the water calm, and the setting — surrounded by the town — is urban. It serves as the accessible beach for Grand Baie's accommodation and restaurant visitors.
9. Ile aux Cerfs, Mahébourg
Ile aux Cerfs (Stag Island) is a tourist island in the southeast lagoon, accessible by boat from Mahébourg or Pointe aux Biches. The island has good sand beaches and shallow lagoon water, with water sports and beach restaurant infrastructure. It is busy — most Mauritius resort packages include a day trip here — but the beach quality justifies the traffic.
10. Bel Ombre, Black River District
Bel Ombre on the south coast is more secluded than the north and east resort areas. The Heritage Bel Ombre resort complex occupies a historic estate with a private beach facing a lagoon. The south coast's rougher character — bigger swells reaching the reef — makes it less suitable for swimming in some conditions but more dramatic in terms of coastal landscape.
Season
Mauritius is best from May through November (the dry, cooler season). December through April is the cyclone season and the hotter, more humid period, though significant storms are not guaranteed.
Choosing the right side of the island
The practical decision when planning a Mauritius beach visit is which coast to stay on. The east coast has the widest beaches (Belle Mare, Pointe d'Esny) and the consistent trade wind, which keeps temperatures comfortable but makes sunbathing less peaceful in strong wind periods. The west coast (Flic en Flac, La Preneuse) is in the lee of the central plateau and is calmer — the sunsets are better and the water more consistently flat. The north coast (Grand Baie, Trou aux Biches) has the highest concentration of tourist infrastructure and the most activity options. The south coast is wilder with more dramatic scenery and better surfing.
For kitesurfing, Le Morne on the southwest peninsula is the dedicated zone and it is specifically designed for riders: the flat shallow lagoon inside the reef, the consistent trade wind, and the IKO-qualified schools make it the most organised kite destination in the Indian Ocean.
The reef-protected lagoon character of Mauritius beaches means that snorkelling directly from the beach is generally disappointing — the inner lagoon supports relatively few fish and limited coral due to water circulation constraints. The best snorkelling and diving is at the reef edge and on the outer reef, accessible by boat. Day trips to the offshore islands (Ile aux Cerfs, Ile aux Cocos, Ile Plate) offer the best reef quality accessible without a liveaboard.
Rodrigues Island, 560 kilometres east of Mauritius, is part of the same nation but has a substantially different character — smaller, less developed, and with a lagoon that is in better ecological condition than the main island's. The island is accessible by a 2-hour direct Air Mauritius flight from SSR Airport. For visitors who want the Mauritius experience without the resort density, Rodrigues provides a quieter version with the same lagoon geography.
Explore on the map
Open the map to find Mauritius beaches by coast and identify the lagoon areas suitable for specific activities.