Grand Baie Beach

Roughly 25 kilometres north of Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius, in Rivi-re du Rempart district, Grand Baie Beach lies at the centre of a curving bay of the same name. Probably the largest complex of hotels and resorts on the island, there is also a very good range of shops, including international brands. There’s no shortage of restaurants either, for when you’re looking for some time away from the beach itself. Grand Baie is also the island’s premier night spot.

Surrounded by native greenery, Grand Baie Beach stretches for approximately 300 metres of soft white sand. Its warm, clear waters are good for swimming, although the level of boat activity on the beach does mean this is limited to a small area of sea. For this reason, the beach is predominantly used by locals rather than tourists looking to enter the water.

The level of boat activity here is the result of the number of water-based activities on offer. These include sailing, water skiing, big-game fishing expeditions, wind surfing, and day trips to some of the small islands that are scattered around Mauritius’ northern reaches.

There are a variety of scuba diving sites just a few kilometres offshore, while Black River Gorges National Park is also nearby.