Grand River South East Waterfall

The Grand River South East is the longest river in Mauritius, and near its mouth on the east coast a waterfall drops into a pool that is almost always visited from the water: boats come up the estuary from Trou d'Eau Douce or from the village at the river mouth, usually as one stop on a day trip that also takes in Ile aux Cerfs and the lagoon. The fall itself is modest, a few metres over a rock lip, and the appeal is the approach through the mangrove-lined estuary rather than the cascade. Long-tailed macaques come down to the rocks near the landing, drawn by food from boat crews, and the monkeys have become part of the standard stop.

The landscape

• The waterfall - a short drop into a pool at the river mouth.
• The estuary run - the boat approach through mangrove banks.
• Macaques - the monkeys that gather at the landing rocks.
• The east lagoon - the water the trip crosses to reach the river.

When to go

May to December for the calmer conditions; flow is stronger in the summer wet months but the sea crossing is rougher. Trips run in the morning as part of Ile aux Cerfs excursions.

Practical notes

The fall is small and often disappointing to anyone expecting a major cascade. It is almost always visited as part of a packaged boat trip, with limited time at the stop. Feeding the macaques is discouraged but done constantly, and the animals can be aggressive.

Nearby

Ile aux Cerfs lies north in the same lagoon; Mahebourg is south.