Mauritius advice: hotels, areas and things to do

[Super Secret Stuff]

Any recomendations welcome for hotels, areas to stay and things to do. Not looking for uber luxury unless I can get it cheap on points!

Thinking more locally run hotels, booking.com seems to have some good options

[Roberto]

Been once so hardly an expert. The island can be windy and certainly was when we were there about 6/7 years ago in June or July.

Apparently the east coast is more sheltered than the west where we stayed at an all inclusive on “Long Beach”.

Location Location Location.

[Super Secret Stuff]

I’m going in November so hopefully wind shouldn’t be an issue! Thanks for the recomendation I’ll check it out

[marshy11]

We went last October and stayed at Shandrani (AI) in Blue Bay, it was fine, the resort staff were amazing, the beaches were fabulous (three different ones) and the food was sometimes great, sometimes good, sometimes meh. We had booked it direct and we felt it was very good value for money. It was our first venture out of the UK since Covid for a proper holiday and we did nothing but sunbathe, snorkel, swim, read, eat, drink and be happy and relaxed. It was perfect for that sort of stay.

[Super Secret Stuff]

I’m traveling solo and not really feeling all inclusive this time around, would rather get out and explore!

[NigelHamilton]

I’m going in July so will come back to you with recommendations. We’re going all inclusive at Bel Mare so limited scope for exploring food options, in terms of activities outside the resort, looking at visiting the Black Gorges National Park and driving up the East Coast road both of which are apparently stunning. We were also considering Casela but I’ve read mixed reviews and now doing a safari later in the year so will likely miss that one out.

I also have access to some excellent hotel rates but prefer to book places I’ve visited. So if you’re willing to wait till late July, happy to help further if you want to get back in touch.

[NorthernLass]

Are you doing this from MAN? I’m undecided about it as a destination, it’s a very long flight when places like Caribbean, Seychelles are closer and probably do the same thing!
I think Rob did a couple of reviews not so long ago? I think @Cat has also been a few times and explored quite widely, not seen her for a bit though.

[Tracey]

Stayed at Trou Aux Biches Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa. The plus was it has 5 different restaurants within the hotel. It is also on the beach where there are many sports available if that is your thing.

[Super Secret Stuff]

NigelHamilton wrote:

I’m going in July so will come back to you with recommendations. We’re going all inclusive at Bel Mare so limited scope for exploring food options, in terms of activities outside the resort, looking at visiting the Black Gorges National Park and driving up the East Coast road both of which are apparently stunning. We were also considering Casela but I’ve read mixed reviews and now doing a safari later in the year so will likely miss that one out.

I also have access to some excellent hotel rates but prefer to book places I’ve visited. So if you’re willing to wait till late July, happy to help further if you want to get back in touch.

that would be really useful thank you!

[Super Secret Stuff]

NorthernLass wrote:

Are you doing this from MAN? I’m undecided about it as a destination, it’s a very long flight when places like Caribbean, Seychelles are closer and probably do the same thing!
I think Rob did a couple of reviews not so long ago? I think @Cat has also been a few times and explored quite widely, not seen her for a bit though.

So I’ve recently got a guide dog, so will go down to Sussex and drop him off with my a relative or friend and then go from Gatwick on Saudia. The Seychelles and Mauritius are very close geographically

[Super Secret Stuff]

Tracey wrote:

Stayed at Trou Aux Biches Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa. The plus was it has 5 different restaurants within the hotel. It is also on the beach where there are many sports available if that is your thing.

Trou Aux Biches area is looking more and more likely! I’ve booked a refundable rate at the Easy Stay residence which looks nice and is cheap. Will check out the beachcomber

Edit: having looked, £400 pn on my dates doesn’t look worth it, as I’m a fidgety solo traveler and for 9 nights. Would rather spend the money scuba diving

[marshy11]

Apologies if this reply comes again but it’s Friday and I did try..

TAB is part of Beachcomber – give them a ring or email/webby and see what they can do. They matched our price for Shandrani (Beachcomber) with the lowest random we found on the web.

[Super Secret Stuff]

marshy11 wrote:

Apologies if this reply comes again but it’s Friday and I did try..

TAB is part of Beachcomber – give them a ring or email/webby and see what they can do. They matched our price for Shandrani (Beachcomber) with the lowest random we found on the web.

Sorry I’m confused by what you mean, who is TAB? They matched a random price on the Web or another random hotel?

[Tracey]

TAB= trou aux biches beachcomber resort

[meta]

NorthernLass wrote:

Are you doing this from MAN? I’m undecided about it as a destination, it’s a very long flight when places like Caribbean, Seychelles are closer and probably do the same thing!
I think Rob did a couple of reviews not so long ago? I think @Cat has also been a few times and explored quite widely, not seen her for a bit though.

Seychelles is close to Mauritius. 2.5h by plane. In any case options from MAN will always add extra time for SEZ and MRU.

[meta]

I can recommend Le Beach Club on Pereybere as a more affordable option. My parents spent three weeks there.

It’s right next to the best beach for swimming in the North East and it’s easy to get to Grand Baie, Cap Malheureux and other nearby places and attractions. I would avoid the north-west as the sea is full of dead coral and rocks which makes swimming impossible. South is also great, but can be windy and also expensive.

My partner and I rented a car and visited most of the island when we stayed two weeks in 2015. If you can drive, I would recommend that as it’s easier than relying on local buses and taxis.

[To dare is to do]

We stayed on east coast at Shangri-La Le Touessrok, Mauritius one of our best holidays ever. Not the kind of hotel you’re looking for but a really nice hotel. My advice buy beach shoes the island is surrounded by a coral reef and you need the shoes for swimming/on beach. We did some great trips went horse racing fab day out in private box but would have been great down on the track. Went and fed the monkeys by speedboat can’t recall where that is. Did a helicopter trip over island which was exciting. Took the hotel boat over to the private island and golf course several times, not so sure private island is that private lots of party catamarans there but golf course is great 72 par Bernard langer designed for those that play. Best bit was hiring our own catamaran for the day and seeing sea turtles and fishing in Indian Ocean.
We loved our holiday there I took my Son for ten days and it’s still in our top 5 of trips. You will have a great time.

[Super Secret Stuff]

meta wrote:

I can recommend Le Beach Club on Pereybere as a more affordable option. My parents spent three weeks there.

It’s right next to the best beach for swimming in the North East and it’s easy to get to Grand Baie, Cap Malheureux and other nearby places and attractions. I would avoid the north-west as the sea is full of dead coral and rocks which makes swimming impossible. South is also great, but can be windy and also expensive.

My partner and I rented a car and visited most of the island when we stayed two weeks in 2015. If you can drive, I would recommend that as it’s easier than relying on local buses and taxis.

Thanks for the advice. Not sure about pereybere, I dont know why but it doesn’t seem as good as Trou Aux Biches. Le Beach Clib looks great though, I also can’t drive as nearly blind

[Super Secret Stuff]

To dare is to do wrote:

We stayed on east coast at Shangri-La Le Touessrok, Mauritius one of our best holidays ever. Not the kind of hotel you’re looking for but a really nice hotel. My advice buy beach shoes the island is surrounded by a coral reef and you need the shoes for swimming/on beach. We did some great trips went horse racing fab day out in private box but would have been great down on the track. Went and fed the monkeys by speedboat can’t recall where that is. Did a helicopter trip over island which was exciting. Took the hotel boat over to the private island and golf course several times, not so sure private island is that private lots of party catamarans there but golf course is great 72 par Bernard langer designed for those that play. Best bit was hiring our own catamaran for the day and seeing sea turtles and fishing in Indian Ocean.
We loved our holiday there I took my Son for ten days and it’s still in our top 5 of trips. You will have a great time.

Thank you for the activity tips, seeing the sea turtle is on my and a helicopter ride sounds awesome!!!

[To dare is to do]

Helicopter was fantastic we flew over a fish farm and the water is so clear you can see everything. You will have great time whatever you do.

[Super Secret Stuff]

To dare is to do wrote:

Helicopter was fantastic we flew over a fish farm and the water is so clear you can see everything. You will have great time whatever you do.

That sounds awesome.

I’ve just booked le Beach Club, into a one bedroom apartment with partial sea views. Sadly the full sea views had sold out!

[meta]

Super Secret Stuff wrote:

meta wrote:

I can recommend Le Beach Club on Pereybere as a more affordable option. My parents spent three weeks there.

It’s right next to the best beach for swimming in the North East and it’s easy to get to Grand Baie, Cap Malheureux and other nearby places and attractions. I would avoid the north-west as the sea is full of dead coral and rocks which makes swimming impossible. South is also great, but can be windy and also expensive.

My partner and I rented a car and visited most of the island when we stayed two weeks in 2015. If you can drive, I would recommend that as it’s easier than relying on local buses and taxis.

Thanks for the advice. Not sure about pereybere, I dont know why but it doesn’t seem as good as Trou Aux Biches. Le Beach Clib looks great though, I also can’t drive as nearly blind

Pereybere is better than Trou aux Biches as any local will tell you. There is no coral there in the sea. Another option would be Belle Mare which is a much bigger stretch of sand, also no coral until much further out. You don’t need beach shoes on those beaches.

[Super Secret Stuff]

meta wrote:

Super Secret Stuff wrote:

meta wrote:

I can recommend Le Beach Club on Pereybere as a more affordable option. My parents spent three weeks there.

It’s right next to the best beach for swimming in the North East and it’s easy to get to Grand Baie, Cap Malheureux and other nearby places and attractions. I would avoid the north-west as the sea is full of dead coral and rocks which makes swimming impossible. South is also great, but can be windy and also expensive.

My partner and I rented a car and visited most of the island when we stayed two weeks in 2015. If you can drive, I would recommend that as it’s easier than relying on local buses and taxis.

Thanks for the advice. Not sure about pereybere, I dont know why but it doesn’t seem as good as Trou Aux Biches. Le Beach Clib looks great though, I also can’t drive as nearly blind

Pereybere is better than Trou aux Biches as any local will tell you. There is no coral there in the sea. Another option would be Belle Mare which is a much bigger stretch of sand, also no coral until much further out. You don’t need beach shoes on those beaches.

Thanks meta, I’ve now booked Le Beachclub in pereybere. The more I’ve researched it the better it sounds!

[WaynedP]

I had my best scuba dive ever in Mauritius in the 90’s (mind you I learnt in Cape Town’s Atlantic waters where 14 deg C and 10m vis is considered a good dive 🙄).

Boat dive off a shoal in 22 deg C clear blue water with visibility for miles wearing nothing but a 3mm Farmer John wetsuit.

Most were tourists who ran out of oxygen pretty quickly but one of the dive masters spotted that a young bloke (I later found out was in the German Wehrmacht) and I still had plenty of juice and he took us on a little adventure that included stunning coral reefs, shoals of spectacular fish and a pod of eagle rays all at close quarters. It was magic and I’ll never forget it but I’d have to dig out my log book to reference exact location.

I’ve only ever dived Cape (of Good Hope), Mauritius and Canaries, so can’t comment on Red Sea or Asian waters, but Mauritius remains my all time best scuba dive and I hope you experience similar joy.

Do you have specially adapted lenses in your mask that enable you to take advantage of the underwater magnifying effect to enjoy an enhanced visual experience ?

[Nate1309]

Walking up Le Mourne at day break (with a guide), a visit to the Grand Bassin and a boozy stop at Chamarel run distillery.