Surrounding the island of Mauritius are emerald-blue sea waters and beautiful sandy beaches. All within easy access of the major cities, and free for all to enjoy. The following provides information on some of the most popular beaches of the island.

Baie du Tombeau : 15 minutes by car away from Port Louis. Beach overgrown with cocos.

Belle Mare : White sandy beach with a deep lagoon at the east coast. The tourism centre extends to Trou d'Eau Douce.

Blue Bay : Long beach (Pointe d' Esny to Pointe Corps de Garde) with white sand and crystal-clear ice blue water. Suitable for sailing, surfing and snorkeling.

Cap Malheureux : Small fishing village at the north top of the island, has an amazing view of the little islands Ile Plate, Ile Ronde and Coin de Mire. The beautifully situated graveyard and the chapel on the beach are remarkable for a photo. The name Cap Malheureux arose after the Englishmen landed secretly there on September 2nd, 1810 and expelled the Frenchmen from Mauritius.

Grand Baie : The biggest tourist centre in Mauritius with a variety of accomodations, water sports offers, shops and excellent restaurants. One also finds a choice of discotheques and bars there. Several suppliers organize tours across the island and excursions on the sea; for example going to the island Coin de Mire.

The beaches lie in a large (deep to the country outgoing bay) which are protected from wind and waves.

Ile aux Cerfs : Small heavenly island at the East coast which can be reached by boats from Pointe Maurice (about 30 minutes trip). Splendid white sand and lagoons with water in all blue tones. Water sports offers and a restaurant are available. One meets wild living deer at raids over the island. Ile aux Cerfs is one of the most beautiful places in the Indian ocean.

Trou-aux-Biches : One of the most beautiful beaches in Mauritius. Nestled between Mont Choisy and Pointe-aux-Piments, is a short stretch of public beach next to one of the big hotels on the island, the Trou-aux-Biches Village Hotel. Trou-aux-Biches is a cozy white sandy beach, with blue waters and lazy filao trees to match.

It is also minutes away from The Aquarium, where you can acquaint yourself with quite a number of magnificent species of the Mauritian marine life. It is particularly suitable for children and also a nice place to snorkel, especially for beginners since the water isn't deep there. And you can reach the lovely coral-reefs and a variety of exotic fishes easily after only 50-100 m swim. The Indian temple of Maheswarnath in Triolet can be reached after a short walk of about 30 minutes.

Mont Choisy : Beautiful long beach at the northern coast, full of Filao trees. It is one of the best beaches around. The place is a favourite among the locals and the tourists. Locals enjoy spending the weekend there, relaxing in the sun, enjoying the sea and playing soccer on an adjacent field.

The entrance to the beach is guarded by a monument, commemorating the first airlink between Mauritius and Reunion Island on September 10, 1933, undertaken by a Frenchman by the name of Sutel, and a Mauritian, Jean Hily. The latter unfortunately lost his life on the second attempt held on October 4, 1934.

Pereybere : A small beach at the coastal road, between Grand Baie and Cap Malheureux, appreciated by Mauritians. The water is deep and clear. It is definitely most popular among young people, with some of the best beach action around. Pereybere attracts more people during school holidays and Sundays.

Riviere Noire : This is the centre of deep-sea fishing in Mauritius.

Flic en Flac : The name Flic en Flac is thought to come from the old Dutch name, 'Fried Landt Flaak', or 'Free and Flat Land'. Flic en Flac, off the Port Louis-Tamarin road, lies at the bottom of a 3Km straight road running through cane fields. It is not as cute and carefree as its name suggests.

Rather, it is an increasingly busy holiday village that lies and relies on a great stretch of beach, and caters for the middle range in the market rather than the budget level, which prefers Tamarin. There are lots of apartment blocks (a real eyesore) springing up in this area to cater to the increasing influx of tourists.

Tamarin : This is the surfing centre of Mauritius, although you can go for weeks without seeing a surfer. The character of the place is more laid-back than Flic en Flac and rougher around the edges. It has a good beach and is well situated for most of the other sights. Salt evaporation ponds encircle the village.

Tamarin Bay Beach : This is a small public beach with good views across the river estuary to Montage du Rempart.