The North Coast

The north coast is the heart of Mauritian tourism. White beaches run from Pointe aux Piments and Trou aux Biches to Grand Baie, sheltered by a reef that keeps the lagoon calm and clear most of the year. Trou aux Biches was named the World's Leading Beach Destination at the 2011 World Travel Awards.

Grand Baie is the social centre of the north: a harbour for boats and yachts, restaurants and cafés, and shopping close by at Mahogany, beside the Beau Plan lake. Boat trips to the small islands off the coast leave from here.

At the northern tip, the red-roofed church of Notre-Dame Auxiliatrice at Cap Malheureux is one of the best-known landmarks of the north. A short drive south, the Pamplemousses botanical garden, the oldest in the southern hemisphere, is known for its giant water lilies.

The north suits travellers who want a calm beach with a choice of restaurants nearby, and it is the closest coast to Port Louis. Its resorts include Royal Palm Beachcomber and LUX* Grand Baie in Grand Baie, and The Oberoi and Le Méridien at Pointe aux Piments.