Located on the east coast of Mauritius, Belle Mare is a must-visit for those looking for a relaxing beach holiday away from the crowds.
This part of the island is home to some of the most exclusive hotels and resorts, making it popular among couples and honeymooners, while also offering accommodations catering to families with young children.
Belle Mare features long sandy beaches with crystal-clear water, as well as offshore islets with even more stunning beaches.
Visitors can also enjoy a selection of water activities, including snorkeling, diving, undersea walk, parasailing, and more.
If you’re looking for things to do in Belle Mare and its surroundings, this guide will show you 13 attractions and activities to do along with practical tips on how to get there, where to stay, and the best time to visit.
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How to get to Belle Mare?
For those traveling from the airport to Belle Mare, you can book an airport transfer in advance on GetYourGuide here. It costs around USD 50 and the trip takes around 1 hour.
Alternatively, you can pick up your rental car directly at the airport, which is super convenient and affordable, costing only around Rs 1,000/USD 21 per day (check rates for renting a car here).
While you can also get to Belle Mare by bus, keep in mind that it comes only every 30 minutes to 1 hour and the last stop is at the public beach near the police station.
If you’re staying at Solana or Ambre Resort, for example, you’ll have to walk around 30 minutes or hire a taxi to get to your hotel.
Where to Stay in Belle Mare?
In Belle Mare, you’ll have no shortage of hotels to choose from, most of which are located directly on the beach and offer an all-inclusive package, which is great since there aren’t that many restaurants in Belle Mare.
If you’re on a tight budget, you can find a few apartments and B&Bs about a 5-10-minute walk from the public beach.
Below are some of the best places to stay in Belle Mare:
Luxury: Constance Belle Mare Plage is perfect for those looking for the ultimate luxury, featuring 7 restaurants, 6 bars, 4 swimming pools, and a kids club. It’s located away from the public beach area so it feels more secluded and quiet. Connecting rooms and private pool villas can accommodate up to 4 adults and 2 children.
Mid-Range: Ambre Resort is an adults-only resort with 297 rooms and suites, 2 swimming pools, 3 restaurants and bars, a gym, and spa. Hotel guests can take advantage of the free water and land activities like kayaking, windsurfing, snorkeling, SUP, and tennis.
Budget: Although not a beachfront hotel, Sunrise Attitude is located just a few steps from the beach and is one of the few hotels that cater to vegans. They also offer free snorkeling and glass-bottom boat trips.
B&B: Alba Mauritius B&B is located about a 10-minute walk from the beach and close to restaurants and street food stalls. Rooms are basic but clean and breakfast is included in the room rate.
FIND MORE HOTELS IN BELLE MARE
Things to do in Belle Mare
Belle Mare Beach
Along with Flic en Flac and Mont Choisy, Belle Mare is one of the longest beaches in Mauritius, stretching over 5 km.
This beautiful white-sand beach is lined with some of the most luxurious hotels and resorts, which gives it a somewhat exclusive feel.
Plus, the fact that Belle Mare Beach isn’t as popular as the north and west beaches, makes it the ideal place for a relaxing beach vacation.
The only time that it can get busy is on the weekends but since the beach is quite long, you won’t have any trouble finding an empty spot.
There are many things to do in Belle Mare Beach, from swimming to snorkeling, scuba diving, undersea walk, and parasailing.
You can also hop on a glass-bottom boat to admire the colorful fish and corals that Belle Mare is famous for.
If you want to swim, I recommend wearing water shoes as there are some sharp corals scattered along the shore.
For those who don’t have water shoes, you can instead swim at the beaches in front of hotels like Sunrise Attitude and The Residence as the beach is cleaner there.
If you get hungry, there are a few food stalls on the beach or you can head to one of the restaurants along the main road. One of my favorites is Chinese Gourmet which serves delicious Sino-Mauritian dishes.
You’ll find several parking lots along the beach as well as changing rooms and toilets.
Palmar Beach
For a quieter alternative to Belle Mare Beach, I recommend heading to Palmar Beach which is located less than a 5-minute drive away.
This is my favorite beach for swimming in Mauritius as the sand is super soft and the water is crystal-clear, making it great for snorkeling.
There’s a hotel nearby that offers kayak rentals to the public for about Rs 500 per person as well as snorkeling and glass bottom boat trips.
There aren’t that many dining options in Palmar apart from a small fruit/juice stall, so be sure to pack a picnic lunch to enjoy by the shore.
Near the beach entrance is a parking lot, toilet, and changing room.
Undersea Walk
If you don’t know how to swim but still want to experience the underwater world, I recommend booking yourself an undersea walk activity.
You’ll hop on a boat from Belle Mare Beach which will take you to the middle of the lagoon where you’ll spend about 15-20 minutes walking between the colorful fish and corals.
No prior experience is needed as you’ll be accompanied by a guide who will ensure your safety for the whole duration of the trip.
CHECK PRICE FOR THE UNDERSEA WALK HERE
Ile aux Cerfs
One of my favorite things to do in Belle Mare is to visit Ile aux Cerfs.
The island boasts stunning white-sand beaches and calm shallow waters and is accessible by a short boat ride from the mainland.
Those on a budget can opt for the public ferry from Pointe Maurice Jetty or Trou D’Eau Douce which costs between Rs 450 and 800 per person for a roundtrip ticket.
Alternatively, if you’d like to have everything organized for you, you can instead book a speedboat tour or catamaran cruise which includes a BBQ lunch, drinks, and a visit to GRSE Waterfall (mentioned below). These tours may also include hotel transfers at an extra cost.
The final option is to book a 5 islands tour by speedboat if you want to visit other nearby islands like Ile aux Aigrettes, Ile aux Phares, Ile de La Passe, and Ile aux Flamants.
You can find more details on how to visit Ile aux Cerfs here.
Once on Ile aux Cerfs, you can swim and snorkel in crystal clear waters or try some activities such as parasailing, water skiing, undersea walk, and tube ride.
The island also features a 19 holes golf course, two restaurants (although somewhat overpriced), and a small craft market.
Just note that Ile aux Cerfs can feel crowded during the weekend and public holidays so I highly recommend visiting on weekdays.
Scuba Diving
Thanks to its crystal-clear waters and diverse marine life, Belle Mare offers an unforgettable diving experience for both beginners and experienced divers.
Consider joining this scuba diving tour that provides all the necessary equipment, expert guidance from a professional diving instructor, and free hotel pickup for those staying within a 10-km radius of Belle Mare.
CHECK PRICE FOR A SCUBA DIVING TOUR
GRSE Waterfall
As mentioned above, if you’ve booked a tour of Ile aux Cerfs, you’ll also have the opportunity to visit GRSE Waterfall.
This small waterfall is located near the ocean and can be reached by boat or by hiking from the mainland.
At the top of the waterfall are several rock pools, providing the perfect setting to unwind and soak in the lush surroundings.
Keep an eye out for the diverse wildlife that call this place home, including monkeys and Mauritian fruit bats.
Parasailing
Another fun activity to do in Belle Mare is parasailing, which is the perfect way to admire the coastline from a bird’s eye perspective.
If you want to save money, I recommend booking a watersport combo ticket which includes parasailing, undersea walk, and tube ride.
CHECK PRICE FOR A WATERSPORT COMBO TICKET
Things to do near Belle Mare
Trou D’Eau Douce
One of the best places to visit near Belle Mare is the small fishing village of Trou D’Eau Douce.
Trou D’eau Douce has more of a local and authentic feel compared to Belle Mare, plus it’s great for budget travelers as you’ll find a wider range of affordable hotels here.
You can spend the day swimming at the beach or eating at one of the many local restaurants by the water.
Go to Chez Tino for authentic Mauritian dishes, La Pizza de L’Est for the best pizza, or Les Alizés for dumplings and noodles.
Trou D’Eau Douce is also the perfect jumping-off point to Ile aux Cerfs Island (mentioned above).
You can take a boat taxi from the beach or book a catamaran or speedboat tour.
Flacq Market
One of the best places to visit if you want to immerse yourself in the local culture is Flacq Market.
This huge covered market is packed with stalls selling everything from fruits to vegetables, spices, clothes, accessories, and souvenirs.
There’s also a food court section with seating areas where you can try out some street food like dholl puri, faratha, samosa, gateaux piments, and drink refreshing coconut water.
Although the market is open every day, it’s best to visit on a Wednesday or Sunday when most stalls are open.
After you’re done at Flacq Market, I also recommend exploring Flacq Village.
There are several shopping malls to explore like Coeur de Ville, Flacq Retail Park, or VIP Commercial Center (tip: if you need to buy groceries, you’ll find supermarkets in the shopping malls).
You can also visit Sainte Ursule Church or check out the local restaurants and food stalls along Royal Road opposite the taxi stand.
Sagar Shiv Mandir
Sagar Shiv Mandir (also known as Shivala Poste de Flacq) is a small Hindu temple located on an islet that’s connected to the mainland by a bridge, making it easily accessible on foot or by car.
The atmosphere here feels very serene and it’s a great place to visit if you want to get a glimpse into the Hindu religion.
Bras D’Eau National Park
Smaller and less famous than the Black River Gorges, Bras D’Eau National Park is a great place to visit if you want to get active during your vacation.
At the park entrance, you’ll find a visitor’s center and the ruins of an old sugar mill as well as a small enclosure with a few Aldabra tortoises.
There are two main hiking trails here – the Coq de Bois Trail and Coq de Bois Loop. Both are very easy and can be completed within 1-2 hours.
If you’d like to extend your hike, you can follow the signs to Mare Sarcelle, which is the biggest lake in the national park.
After your hike, you can then go for a swim at the nearby Bras D’Eau Beach.
Poste La Fayette
If you want to see the wild side of Mauritius, then be sure to check out Poste La Fayette Beach.
The beach is divided into two sections – a rocky area where you can watch the huge waves crash against the shore and a sandy portion where you can swim or kitesurf.
Roches Noires Caves
Not too far from Poste La Fayette are the Roche Noire Lava Tubes, commonly referred to as Roche Noire Caves.
These are underground tunnels that were formed several thousand years ago during a volcanic eruption.
One of them, called La Cave Madame, is filled with water while the rest are completely dry.
You can easily visit the smaller caves on your own but be sure to bring a powerful flashlight and to wear close-toe shoes as the terrain is uneven in places.
If you want to visit the bigger caves, it’s best to hire a guide to avoid getting lost.
Best time to visit Belle Mare
Belle Mare can be visited year-round as Mauritius boasts a tropical climate with temperatures hovering around 25-31°C in summer and 23-28°C in winter along the coastal regions.
One thing to note is that Belle Mare can be a bit windy and cold during the winter months, especially between July and September.
If you get cold easily, I recommend visiting Belle Mare in the summer (November and April).
Just keep in mind that the cyclone/rainy season is between mid-December and mid-April, so it rains slightly more but luckily it rarely lasts all day.
I hope you found this guide to the best things to do in Belle Mare helpful. If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments below.
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