The Beaches and Lagoons

A coral reef runs around almost the entire island, broken only along parts of the south, and it makes the water: inside it the lagoon is shallow, warm and calm, outside it the open Indian Ocean. Each coast is different. The north around Grand Baie and Trou aux Biches is the most developed, with the calmest water and the boat trips. The west at Flic en Flac and Tamarin is sheltered and has the sunsets. The east from Belle Mare to Trou d'Eau Douce catches the trade wind, which makes it cooler, breezier and the base for kitesurfing. The south around Gris Gris has no reef at all and no swimming. Public access to all beaches is protected by law, though resorts occupy long stretches.

What you actually see

• The reef lagoon - shallow protected water around most of the coast.
• The windward east - the breezier coast used for kitesurfing.
• The sheltered north and west - the calm swimming and boat departure coasts.
• The unprotected south - open ocean breaking on cliffs with no lagoon.

When to go

May to December is cooler and drier, with the strongest trade wind for kitesurfing. January to April is hot, humid and inside the cyclone season, but the water is warmest. The east is always windier than the west.

Honest expectations

Long stretches of the best coast sit in front of resorts, and while access is legally public it is awkward in practice. Coral has suffered from bleaching and from a 2020 oil spill in the southeast. Beach vendors are persistent in the developed areas. Seaweed accumulates on some east coast beaches seasonally.

Nearby

The interior, Chamarel and Port Louis lie inland from the coast.