Riambel

Riambel is a long, quiet beach on the south coast where the defining feature is just how shallow the lagoon is. At low tide the water barely reaches your knees a long way out, and you can wade across a wide expanse of warm shallow sea before it begins to deepen. Backed by a line of casuarina trees and rarely busy, it is a gentle, unhurried beach that suits paddling and pottering more than proper swimming.

That shallowness shapes the whole experience. Small children can splash safely in ankle deep water, and the warm shallows are pleasant for a slow wade, but anyone wanting to swim laps or float in deeper water will find themselves walking out a very long way to find it. The tides matter here more than at most beaches, so it is worth timing a visit for higher water if a deeper dip is the goal. Like much of the south coast, the beach carries a little local folklore, which adds to its quiet character.

It suits families with small children, paddlers and travellers who want a calm, low key beach away from the crowds. It is less suited to keen swimmers, anyone after a beach club with loungers and service, or visitors who want deep clear water close to shore, because the shallows define it. Come knowing what it is and it is a relaxed and pretty stretch of southern coast.

Bring a mat, sun protection and water, and make use of the natural shade under the casuarinas, because facilities on the sand are minimal. There is no beach club and no lifeguard, though the shallow water keeps things gentle. The southern coast around Souillac offers other sights for a fuller day. For daybeds and table service elsewhere, use the Mauritius beach clubs directory.