Beaches in Mauritius

Internationally known as the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean, Mauritius has rapidly earned a solid reputation in the tourist industry for its pristine beaches and stunningly soothing waters. Indeed, tourists from all over the world fly to this island each year to enjoy a much-deserved break from reality. With an enchanting and relaxing atmosphere, Mauritius has more than 50 beaches, enabling you to enjoy some tranquil solitude. Most- if not all- of the Mauritian beaches are easily accessible by car or bus and all of the coastal hotels open directly on the sand. Below is your guide to the beaches in Mauritius.

Le Morne Beach

  • Features: Super-soft white sand, best sunsets on the island, plenty of greenery, flanked by mountain ranges
  • Activities: Surfing, swimming, snorkelling, mountain climbing for a bird’s eye view of the beach
  • Getting there: A straight road links Flic en Flac village to Le Morne beach. Half an hour by car, around forty-five minutes by bus. It’s that simple!
Best beaches Mauritius

Credit: Lukas von Daeniken on Flickr

Located at the foot of the famous Le Morne mountain – once home to runaway slaves – this is the best beach on the island to admire the enchanting beauty of the Mauritian sunset. With its typical stretch of white, silky sand, Le Morne beach is well-known for its lush greenery and rugged beauty. Le Morne Mountains form part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Many tourists like to enjoy an invigorating climb before they go for a refreshing dip in the ocean. If you like to surf, there is an almost all-year round wind which offers the ideal surfing conditions. You will find food vendors to discover traditional delicacies such as shaved ice with local syrup and the likes.

Riviere des Galets Beach

  • Features: An impressive collection of smooth decorative stones, coarse brownish sand, picnic areas, high waves
  • Activities: Exploring the lagoon on foot when the tide is low, picnics, nature walks, surfing
  • Getting there: 50 minutes from the centre of the island via the B102 main road
Mauritius beaches

Credit: @jeissifanchin on Instagram

Riviere des Galets Beach is the best place for windsurfing and surfing because of its excellent waves that crash on the rocky shore. This beach is known for its magnificent expanse of smooth stones, also known as “Galets”, that people often collect to use as a natural bath loofah. These stones can also be used for decorative purposes. Located in the south of the island, Riviere des Galets also offers a great view of the tiny islet known as Ilot Sancho. When the tide is low, it is even possible to walk over to this islet to enjoy a delicious picnic by the sea. While the current is too high for a dip, you can undoubtedly enjoy a relaxing time lounging by the waves, inhaling the salty ocean air.

St Felix Beach

  • Features: Soft white sand, nearby clubs and restaurants, picnic areas, food trucks, camp sites, breathtaking sunsets and sunrises, crowded during the weekend
  • Activities: Boat shuttles, clubbing, picnics, camping
  • Getting there: A short 10-minute drive between the villages of Belle Ombre and Soulliac. Around twenty minutes by bus.
Beaches in Mauritius

Credit: amreen1990_

Another amazing beach for sunsets, St Felix is actually comprised of two different beaches. Most people prefer the east side of the beach for sunbathing since the sand there tends to be softer. Several small benches and picnic areas can also be found, where you can enjoy some of the local treats. St Felix Beach is also known for its thick native plants and trees that surround the generous expanse of sand. One of the best beaches in Mauritius, St Felix is very popular among the locals. During the day, you can even book small fishing or glass bottom boats that will take you on an exhilarating ride near the coral reef.

La Cuvette Beach

  • Features: Coves, picnic areas, creamy beige sand, hotels and clubs, calm lagoon
  • Activities: Glass bottom boats, picnics, clubbing, snorkelling, scuba diving
  • Getting there: Just take a straight road from Pereybere to Grand Bay. 5 minutes by car, 10-15 minutes by bus
Mauritius beaches

Credit: iffs_boudchou on Instagram

Found in Grand Baie, the tourist hub of Mauritius, La Cuvette Beach offers the ideal conditions for swimming. It is famous for its calm lagoon and water activities such as water skiing, boating, scuba diving, snorkelling and the likes. Because this is one of the best beaches in Mauritius, you will undoubtedly see several food vendors that dot the green picnic area right at the edge of the beach. So, you can be sure to enjoy a typical Mauritian feast after the swim. Several hotels and villas overlook this beach. You can easily find an accommodation that’s only seconds away from the Indian Ocean.

La Cambuse Beach

  • Features: White sand, clear and cool sea, choppy waters, picnic areas, luxury hotels, beach huts, green space
  • Activities: Surfing, water ski, kite-surfing, upscale dining, camping, football, beach volley
  • Getting there: A 15-minute fairly straightforward drive from Plaisance SSR Airport to La Cambuse
La Cambuse - best beaches Mauritius

Credit: zohra_peeroo on Instagram

Head over to the South Eastern part of Mauritius where you will find La Cambuse Beach. It surely is the kind of beach that certainly belongs on the back of a postcard. La Cambuse is just as exotic as it sounds, with clear skies virtually all year round and a delightfully soft, warm sand to dig your toes into. Because this stunning Mauritian beach is quite immense, you can easily avoid the crowd and enjoy your own private space. La Cambuse is actually one of the best-equipped beaches on the island. It comes with its own sites for campfires, picnic benches, restrooms and even a sprinkling of straw-thatched beach huts that you can rent. You’ll also find a fairly large expanse of green lawn where, occasionally, you might spot locals indulging in an exciting game of football.

The sea at La Cambuse is pleasantly cool and clear, with virtually no algae. However, since the currents in the area are quite strong, it might be more suited to experienced swimmers.

If you want to stay near La Cambuse beach, check out Veloutier Blanc Beachfront VillaEolia Beachfront Villa and Villa Alizee.

Bel Ombre Beach

  • Features: Grainy golden sand, luxury hotels, clubs, upscale restaurants, calm waters, picnic areas
  • Activities: Snorkelling, kayaking, clubbing, fine dining, barbeque picnics
  • Getting there: From the airport, take the long straight road all the way towards the sugarcane fields that fringe the village of Bel Ombre. If you’re taking the main M1 road, bear in mind that you won’t be able to directly access the beach through the main entrance because part of it has been sealed off by one of the hotels. In this case, you’ll need to take the road leading to the St Martin Bridge, drive past the Bel Ombre police station where you will find a public parking that provides a second entrance to this beach.
Bel Ombre beach Mauritius

Credit: Adrian Scottow on Flickr

Another excellent beach found in the southern part of Mauritius, Bel Ombre is colloquially referred to as ‘St Martin’ by the locals- so keep that in mind if you’re asking for directions. This stretch of sand is also among the largest in Mauritius, offering no less than 6km of pristine beauty. Because it is surrounded by coral reefs, the sea is quite calm. If you fancy choppier waters, though, you can always swim all the way to the reef. Most locals and tourists like to kite surf here. Bel Ombre is an excellent beach to camp on since the sand is quite silky and clean, plus there are quite a few amenities like restrooms and barbeque spots.

Pointe aux Roches Beach

  • Features: Coarse brownish sand, clear and calm waters, historic sites and monuments, food trucks, hidden cove
  • Activities: Snorkeling, guided architectural tours, glass-bottom boat rides, picnics
  • Getting there: From the southern village of Mahebourg, drive ten minutes from the main road towards the red-roofed chapel, beneath which lies Pointe aux Roches
Beaches in Mauritius - Pointe Aux Roches

Credit: diyaanush on Instagram

Pointe aux Roches may be one of the many beaches that lie on Mauritius’ Northern shoreline, but this is the one spot that attracts quite a lot of tourists because of the popular attractions found in the surroundings. The famous red chapel of Cap Malhereux, for example, is always in demand for weddings since it is the only chapel on the island that directly overlooks the ocean. Because of its shallow and calm lagoon, Pointe aux Roches Beach is also ideal for the kids. Snack stands, public restrooms and rental beach huts are also available all-year round.

Additionally, Pointe aux Roches also cleverly conceals a secret that’s fiercely guarded by the locals. A mere 250 meters away from this beach, right beneath a stretch of large black boulders is a hidden and unnamed heavenly- beach. This is where you can enjoy as much tranquillity and privacy as you want. The lack of sharp corals and seaweed also makes Pointe aux Roches an excellent snorkelling spot.

Beaches in Mauritius: Getting around

If you’re renting your own vehicle, all you’ll need is a map (or a GPS) and maybe a few pointers from your villa. Don’t be afraid to occasionally ask for directions since the locals are extremely friendly. Another option to go beach-hopping is by bus. In fact, you’ll notice that literally, every beach in Mauritius is near a bus stop. Taxis are also readily available but be warned that it’s quite costly if you’re planning on booking a cab to visit the beaches.


See our villas in Mauritius. Inspected and selected by Villa-Finder.com

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *