Best Beaches of Mauritius

One of the most exotic beach destinations we've reviewed is Mauritius. Sometimes, maybe what makes these places so attractive is that they are so hard to get to. It's like digging for gold. When you do find it, it is a pleasure not many have experienced. So we invite you to take a few minutes and see the pictures and videos of one of our favorite spots on earth. You will be delighted and intrigued by what may be your next vacation destination. Enjoy.


Just north of the Tropic of Capricorn lies the island country of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. It's actually a few islands; a main island and three other islands, and about 22 largely uninhabited islands.

Mark Twain, who visited the island in 1896, so impressed by its beauty, said, "God first made Mauritius and from it, He created Paradise."

Mauritius is striking because it once was a volcano. Extinct for some 100,000 years, you have peaks and rock strutting right down into the sea. And, as if icing on the wondrous landscape, a coral reef surrounds the islands.

Trivia: The Dodo bird, a large, flightless critter, once lived here. When the Dutch arrived around 1600, they killed off most of them. Their pets killed the rest and they were extinct by 1681. Yes, the Dutch sailors might have eaten a few, but it was actually something else that did them in.

In the 17th century, the Dutch cut down most of the ebony trees and sold them in Europe. This was home and food source for the Dodo bird. Along with the animals brought from the ships; rats, cats, dogs, pigs... these destroyed most of the nests.

The Dutch did bring one thing you may see while you're on Mauritius: deer. The Sambhar Deer is actually a protected species. For pictures of deer and their habitat, we'll post more pictures of Mauritius Sambhar shortly.

You're here for the beaches, and we have a total of 13. If you're anxious to go, know that December to April are generally hot and humid. June to November are the cooler, drier months. A cyclone could arrive during the warm season.

Let's visit some of these wonders, shall we? NEXT >>

Labels: dodo bird, indian ocean, maritius beaches, mauritius, sambhar deer, tropic of capricorn

Huge surf comes right through a break in the surrounding coral reef and finds its way to the Bay of Tamarin on Mauritius' southwest shore. Because of the topography of the island at this point, the breakers can be sweet. But don't count your surfers, just yet.

They are few and far between, mainly because Tamarin Bay, or Baie du Tamarin, is shallow salt flats. Yes, the beach is very nice, and there are some nice facilities nearby. But Tamarin Bay has sort of a rough around the edges feel for Mauritius.

Nonetheless, Tamarin Bay Beach is worth a visit. Beyond the palm and casuarina trees lies some grand landscape. Close by you'll find the forest and mountains - well, part of the volcano that was here eons ago. It's worth the time to check it out by trekking to the trees and taking in nature at its best.

You'll see Montage du Rempart across the river. Tamarin Bay is special, and worth a visit - especially if you want to boogie board or surf.

We're off to see a deep lagoon with crystal clear water - so special they called it "Belle", or "beautiful" - up NEXT! >>

Tamarin Bay - BEACH INDEX:

• Sand - medium grained, coral/rock based.
• Facilities - none close.
• Shade - coconut palms.
• Sports - the main sport here is surfing, but no rentals available at the beach.
• Notes - beware of surrounding salt ponds which can give off a little odor depending on the tide level.

Labels: baie du tamarin, indian ocean, mauritius, montage du rempart, tamarin bay beach, tropic of capricorn