Where to Stay in Mauritius

Grand Baie sits on the north coast and is the closest Mauritius gets to a proper resort town. Royal Road cuts through the centre, flanked by supermarkets, pharmacies, dive shops, and waterfront restaurants. La Cuvette beach is a sheltered cove two minutes from the main strip, calm enough for kids. The town fills up on weekends with locals and expats from Pereybere, half a kilometer north. Prices stay reasonable outside peak season (December and August). You can walk to a grocery store, a catamaran operator, and a proper espresso without renting a car. That convenience is hard to beat on this island.

Best for

First-timerssolo travelerscouples who want nightlife access

Walk times

La Cuvette beach 2 min
Royal Road restaurants 4 min
Super U supermarket 6 min

Skip if: You want total peace and quiet. Road noise at night is real on the main strip.

Local tip: Book a room set back from Royal Road. Front-facing rooms get generator and kitchen noise from the fish restaurant opposite after 10pm.

Compare prices across providers

Prices shown for 1 room, 2 adults. Click to see current availability.

Flic en Flac

Long beach, half the tourists, better sunsets

Budget $0-$0/night

Flic en Flac stretches along the west coast, about 25 kilometers south of Port Louis. The main Coastal Road runs parallel to a five-kilometer stretch of white sand. The sea here stays calmer than the east coast in winter (June to September) and sunsets face directly west over the Indian Ocean. The village has a small supermarket on Bambous Road, a handful of restaurants near the junction, and no pretension whatsoever. Wolmar, just south, has the luxury end with larger resort properties in gardens. This is where budget and mid-range travelers get the best beach per dollar on the island.

Best for

Budget travelersfamilies with young kidsanyone staying seven or more nights

Walk times

Main beach access point 3 min
Village restaurants on Coastal Road 7 min
Casela Park bus stop on Royal Road 12 min

Skip if: You want to bar-hop or need nightlife. After 10pm this area is quiet.

Local tip: Rent a bicycle from guesthouses near the Coastal Road junction. The flat road north to La Preneuse ruins takes 20 minutes and the ruins are free to enter.

Compare prices across providers

Prices shown for 1 room, 2 adults. Click to see current availability.

Belle Mare

The best beach on the island, and you will pay for it

Budget $0-$0/night

Belle Mare sits on the east coast, about 35 kilometers from the airport. The beach here, stretching from Belle Mare village through Palmar and down toward Trou d'Eau Douce, consistently ranks among the top beaches in the Indian Ocean. The lagoon is protected by a reef, the water is flat and turquoise, and the sand is powder-fine. Coastal Road runs the length of it, lined with five-star resorts behind private gates. Independent travelers need to look harder: a few guesthouses sit on Palmar Road and inside the village itself. Expect to pay 40 to 50 percent more here than Flic en Flac for equivalent quality.

Best for

Honeymoonsluxury travelersphotographers chasing that lagoon shot

Walk times

Belle Mare public beach access 4 min
Palmar village shop 10 min
Trou d'Eau Douce waterfront 25 min

Skip if: You are traveling solo or on a tight budget. Few guesthouses, expensive taxis, no bus direct from airport.

Local tip: Public beach access points are marked on Google Maps. You do not need to pay a resort day rate to access Belle Mare beach. Walk in through the village access road off Coastal Road.

Compare prices across providers

Prices shown for 1 room, 2 adults. Click to see current availability.

Port Louis

Business first, beaches second, but the food is the best on the island

Budget $0-$0/night

Port Louis is the capital and the island's commercial heart. Caudan Waterfront sits on the harbor, built around the original 18th-century dockyards, with restaurants, a casino, and a cinema. The Central Market on Queen Street is a ten-minute walk and is the single best place to eat in Mauritius at lunchtime. Dholl puri costs under $1, fresh fruit stalls and spice vendors from Tamil traders who have worked here for generations. Hotels cluster around the waterfront and along Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Street. The nearest beach is 30 minutes by bus. Stay here if you are transiting or love serious city food.

Best for

Business travelersfood loversanyone flying in and out within a few days

Walk times

Central Market on Queen Street 10 min
Caudan Waterfront 5 min
Company Gardens on Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Street 8 min

Skip if: You came to Mauritius for the beach. The nearest sand is 30 minutes by bus.

Local tip: The Central Market fish section closes by noon. Get there before 11am for best selection. Skip the tourist stalls at the entrance and go straight to the back hall.

Compare prices across providers

Prices shown for 1 room, 2 adults. Click to see current availability.