The 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
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Tamarin Bay Beach - Mauritius
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
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Belle Mare Beach - Mauritius
When we heard about
Belle Mare, we also heard about the
urbanization. Some were quite adamant about it, saying that the
old Mauritius was now gone and that in its place will be high rises and blacktop that will forever change the beauty and innocence of this place.
Belle Mare is one of those places that you hear about. Everyone rushing to cash in on the real estate explosion. And although its been going on for a few years, now,
Belle Mare still has a lot to offer if you don't mind getting an earful from one of the locals. In our opinion, we leave best alone. If it's a paradise without the condos,
why change things?Affected by build-out is
Belle Mare. City sprawl; with
mortgage rates as high as the market will bear -
residences are popping up in places affecting the natural lay of the land. Could this beauty go the way of the dodo bird?
This beauty lies on Mauritius' east coast. It's known for calm waters as there is a great, deep lagoon that runs between the shoreline and the beach. Quite possibly the reason for
new mortgage offers here is because the deep water
affords homeowners the ability to port a boat.
In addition to the lovely beach, Belle Mare has perhaps the
best golf course on the island. There are
two courses close by - one
18 hole, especially for the guests of the
Belle Mare Plage Hotel and another 9 hole with some respectable greens.
The
sand is pristine, and very white. This beach lies vacant for most of the week. Weekends bring
residents from the surrounding
homes and
neighborhood. Get here early in the day and spend the whole time along the strand. Pictures don't do justice. It's simply breathtaking.
Belle Mare - BEACH INDEX:- Sand - fine grain powder, coral based.
- Facilities - close, but must walk a bit.
- Shade - hundreds of coconut palms.
- Sports - none offered.
- Notes - locals love this beach; can get crowded on weekends.
There's a reason they call the next bay "blue". It's that hue you see and have no words to describe. One of those world class postcard beaches is our next stop! >>
Labels: Belle Mare Beach, indian ocean, maritius beaches, tropic of capricorn
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Blue Bay Beach - Mauritius
Mahebourg is a larger town in
Mauritius and
Blue Bay Beach is close. Because of this,
Blue Bay Beach can get kind of
crowded on weekends. But during the week, you may have this long beauty all to yourself - well, almost.
Blue Bay is named for the
crystal-clear ice blue water. This is one of those beaches in the world where it is simply
hard to get a bad picture. The contrasts are simply
amazing.
To get the
best shots, make sure your camera is set to "beach" or "sun" or "outdoors". Best times are
mid morning and late afternoon. You can sneak in a great shot at other times, as well. Just make sure you don't position yourself where you'll get too much
glare.
Next, compose your shot with
plenty of contrast. For beach shots here, it's easy. Get about
half sand and half sky. And make sure you get some great sky - with few clouds. The
blues are amazing here (and at other beaches as well).
Blue Bay Beach is located on the southeast side of the main island and is very easily accessible. When in
Mahebourg, just ask the directions to
Blue Bay... and
take the camera.
Blue Bay - BEACH INDEX:- Sand - medium powder, all coral based.
- Facilities - full.
- Shade - trees line the coast here. Nice.
- Sports - snorkeling, diving, and a few others - ask at hotels - their venue changes with seasons.
- Notes - will get crowded on weekends.
We make our way to a small fishing village next. Hard work as a fisherman, but what a view! Let's visit the Cap, Next! >>
Labels: blue bay beach, indian ocean, mahebourg, maritius beaches, tropic of capricorn
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Flic-en Flac Beach - Mauritius
Not far from the
capital city of
Port Louis is a nice beach for swimming, snorkeling and diving. It faces west, so you get grand sunsets. This is
Flic-en Flac, Dutch for
Free and Flat Land.
Ask any local and you'll get a different opinion. First, there's the
tourism community that wants to
exploit it. Hundreds of rooms, generally apartments and condos, have sprung up over the past five years, angering those who want
Mauritius to remain
ecologically beautiful.
For or against the development, you must be united on one opinion, and that is that
Flic-en Flac is gorgeous. It stretches for a mile or so along the coast -
white sand and a
deep, blue lagoon. Here, you'll find
tourists from every walk, enjoying
holidays in Mauritius.
Okay, the name sounds cute, but this
isn't considered
a beach for the locals. For one, it's not as inviting as, say,
Tamarin Bay Beach. Driving south down the
Port Louis to
Tamarin road, you'll see the signs for
Flic-en Flac. After a tour through sugar cane fields, you are in the
Flic-en Flac village.
Many websites have
Flic-en Flac on the wrong side of Mauritius. It is not in Flacq province. It's just southwest of Port Louis facing Madagascar. If you want to visit, don't head out the wrong way.
Okay - another beauty lies along the
northern coast and sports a
long strand of sand, as we make our way to
the most popular beach - NEXT >>
Flic-en Flac BEACH INDEX:- Sand - white, coral based, clean
- Facilities - full
- Shade - umbrellas, some palms
- Sports - available along the beach. Great for snorkel along the fringes (not in the sand), and diving in the lagoon. Calm surf makes this an excellent swimming beach.
- Notes - many consider Flic-en Flac over-developed. Can get crowded at holiday peak season.
Labels: Flic-en Flac, indian ocean, maritius beaches, port louis
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Mont Choisy Beach - Mauritius
Back along the northern coast of island nation
Mauritius is
Mont Choisy Beach. It's located on the northwest tip, just north of
Trou aux Biches and is the
longest beach in Mauritius. The resort area here is also named
Mont Choisy.
What makes this special is the gentle way the strand of white sand bends around the coast creating a bay of
beautiful, turquoise water, lined with
casuarina trees. These trees provide shade and a perfect backdrop for the ocean. A word about the casuarina tree: it's nice and shady, but has a
thorny pine-cone-like seed pod that can be found under the branches. They don't feel good when you step on them.
Since this beach is
very accessible, it's a
favorite among both
tourists and locals. And, little wonder. There's the beach and also a nice
soccer field close by. Relax, people watch, enjoy, repeat.
The entrance to
Mont Choisy Beach is guarded by a
monument which commemorates the very
first manned flight between
Mauritius and Reunion Island. The competition took place on September 10, 1933 in the early days of aviation, between a Frenchman named Sutel and a Mauritian named Jean Hily. The record books do not show who won, however, Hily lost his life when attempting the second round, held October 4, 1934.
Mont Choisy - BEACH INDEX:- Sand - white, coral based. Medium to fine grain. Some debris.
- Facilities - near by.
- Shade - mature trees.
- Sports - snorkeling, swimming.
- Notes - gets crowded on the weekends.
The
happin' beach is
Next - Pereybere! >>Labels: casuarina trees, indian ocean, maritius beaches, Mont Choisy Beach, reunion island, tropic of capricorn, Trou aux Biches
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Pereybere Beach - Mauritius
Along the coast (of course), between
Grand Baie and
Cap Malheureux is spectacular
Pereybere Beach. The waters here are deeper than most of the lagoons that surround
Mauritius. Because of that, there is a
deeper blue hue to enjoy.
Pereybere Beach is a favorite among the young people. Because of this, it's a
"happin'" beach. Noted as the fun beach,
Pereybere is fuller during school holidays and weekends. Sand soccer games and kite surfing along with some great swimming keeps everyone in shape on
Pereybere.
Because the
water here is deep and
crystal clear, it makes for
great snorkeling. Make sure you stay along the rocky outcroppings as that is where the coral begins and fish hang out.
Pereybere Beach is also excellent for families because the surf is normally calm.
Pereybere Beach - BEACH INDEX:- Sand - medium to fine grain, coral based, some debris.
- Facilities - close by.
- Shade - casuarina and palm trees.
- Sports - you'll find lots going on here. Swim, snorkel, dive, kite boarding.
- Notes - can get crowded
The
Cerfs beach is next, and no, no "surf"ing here. Just
ultimate paradise! >>Labels: Cap Malheureux, Grand Baie, indian ocean, maritius beaches, Pereybere Beach, snorkeling, tropic of capricorn
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Ile aux Cerfs Beach - Mauritius
Just off the
east coast and
easily accessible by boat is the
island paradise called
"Cerfs".
Ile aux Cerfs Beach is located almost all around the island that sits within the lagoon near the town of
Trou d'Eau Douce.
This beach is
recommended because I believe you will experience an unforgettable time here. Make plans to
go early in the day and
spend the whole day on Ile aux Cerfs.
Ile aux Cerfs Beach has full facilities. There are restaurants that cater to almost every palate. Try some of the local cuisine. In addition, there are water sports kiosks along certain parts of Ile aux Cerfs Beach. You can get in some
great snorkeling here, because there are large,
black rocks that protrude into the water making an
ideal place for coral and fish to hang out.
Ile aux Cerfs has a complete
golf course as well. So, if you want to try Mauritian golf - here you go. Complete with that unforgettable
Indian Ocean view.
Get to Ile aux Cerfs Beach by taking the
small boats located at
Pointe Maurice. Ask the operators what the best time is to come back - when you end your day. The fee is minimal and you will enjoy yourself.
Make sure you
take your camera here - this is one spectacular beach after another.
Ile aux Cerfs - BEACH INDEX:- Sand - white powder, coral based, very clean.
- Facilities - full service.
- Shade - umbrellas, trees along the beach line.
- Sports - full service.
- Notes - a recommended beach, not that hard to get to.
We're almost there - to the
number one beach in Mauritius - but first a stop at
Trou-aux-biches! Next >>Labels: Ile aux Cerfs Beach, indian ocean, maritius beaches, snorkeling, tropic of capricorn, Trou d'Eau Douce
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