Photo: K T via Google
The verdict
- Best forTravellers who want white sand and a calm lagoon away from the resort fences
- Top pickBelle Mare for long early morning sand, Trou aux Biches for soft sand and sunsets
- One thing to knowPublic beaches are open to all in Mauritius, so the resort stretches are not the only option
Published 2 April 2026. Last reviewed 4 May 2026
Mauritius is ringed almost the whole way round by white sand and a shallow lagoon held back by a coral reef, which is why the swimming here is so calm and the colour so reliable. The good news for an independent traveller is that all beaches in Mauritius are public, including the sand in front of the big resorts, so you are never locked out of the best stretches. The skill is knowing which public access points lead to the finest sand and the gentlest water.
We ranked the beaches on the quality of the sand and lagoon, the shade and the room to breathe, and we leaned toward the ones where you can still find a quiet patch. Early morning is the secret on almost all of them, when the lagoon is glass, the light is soft and the casuarina shade has the beach to itself.
The white sand beaches of the lagoon
Six public white sand beaches, calm and shaded.
Belle Mare
A long ribbon of pale sand and a wide calm lagoon on the quieter east coast, with public stretches between the resorts. Come at sunrise, when the light is gold, the water is still and the long beach is almost yours.
Trou aux Biches
Soft white sand, a gentle shallow entry and famous west coast sunsets make this one of the easiest and most rewarding public beaches on the island. The casuarina shade behind the sand keeps it comfortable through the day.
Mont Choisy
A long graceful curve of white sand backed by a deep band of casuarina trees that gives rare natural shade. Popular with local families at the weekend, which is part of its easy, unfenced charm.
Flic en Flac
One of the longest white sand beaches on the island, open and west facing for big sunsets, with a calm lagoon for swimming. It is lively in places and quiet in others, so walk along until you find your stretch.
Le Morne
White sand beneath the dramatic basalt mountain, with flat lagoon water inside the reef and the island's best kite and windsurf wind outside it. A striking, partly wild setting that doubles as a natural and cultural landmark.
Pereybere
A small, lively white sand bay in the north with easy swimming and a relaxed village feel. A good, compact alternative when the longer northern beaches feel too spread out.
Where to go, and when to be there
For a long, calm, quiet beach day, Belle Mare on the east coast is hard to beat, especially early before the wind and the day trippers arrive. For soft sand, easy swimming and a sunset, Trou aux Biches and Flic en Flac on the west are the reliable picks. The honest variable is the wind, which tends to favour the west and north for calm afternoons and pushes the east coast around in the windier months, so check the day rather than the brochure.
Because every beach is public, you do not need a resort to enjoy the best sand, and we would encourage you not to assume the fenced look of a hotel frontage means the beach is private. Walk in from a public access point and the same sand and lagoon are yours. Just keep to the beach itself and respect the hotel's own loungers and service area.
The nature minded reward is at Le Morne and the wilder southwest, where the white sand sits beneath a mountain that is a listed cultural landscape and the reef and lagoon teem with life for snorkellers. Use reef safe sun protection in the lagoon, give the coral room, and take everything home with you. The lagoon is a living system, not a swimming pool.
Sunbeds and the club question
On the public beaches you bring your own towel and shade, since the loungers and service you see usually belong to the resorts behind the sand. Mauritius does not run a dense independent beach club scene in the Mediterranean sense, and resort facilities, day passes and any minimum spend vary widely and change often, so treat specifics as to be confirmed before you rely on them. For a full lounger and kitchen day with service, a resort day pass is the usual route, and we gather what we can verify in the Mauritius beach clubs directory.
Plan a Mauritius beach club day
Before you go
Are Mauritius beaches public?
Yes. All beaches in Mauritius are public, including the sand in front of resorts. You can reach the best white sand through public access points without booking a hotel. Keep to the beach itself and respect the resorts' own loungers and service areas.
Which Mauritius beach has the best white sand?
Belle Mare on the east coast offers a long calm stretch best at sunrise, while Trou aux Biches on the northwest has soft sand, gentle swimming and sunsets. Mont Choisy and Flic en Flac are also excellent long white sand beaches.
Where is the calmest water in Mauritius?
The lagoon held back by the reef keeps most beaches calm, but the west and north coasts tend to be calmest in the afternoon, while the east can be breezier in the windier months. Le Morne has flat lagoon water inside the reef and wind outside it for kitesurfers.
Is Le Morne worth visiting?
Yes. Le Morne combines white sand, a calm lagoon and a dramatic basalt mountain that is a listed cultural landscape, plus the island's best kite and windsurf wind. It is one of the more striking and partly wild settings on the island.
When is the best time to visit Mauritius beaches?
The cooler, drier season from roughly May to November is pleasant and good for the west coast, while the warmer months suit swimming but bring more humidity and the chance of cyclonic weather. Conditions are typical rather than guaranteed, so check the local forecast.