Where to book accommodation if you come to Mauritius for a holiday? Our simplest answer is always that it doesn’t matter, just not on the east coast.
Most travel agencies offer accommodation in the same hotels. They offer more beautiful and cheaper accommodation, which they themselves don’t know is on the east side of the island, but it’s not by chance that there is a discount on accommodation. The hotels themselves are wonderful, often with amazing luxury, but they actually have a very big disadvantage.
The east side of the island – Poste Lafayette, Belle Mare, Maheburg, Trou d’Eau Douce – where accommodation is often offered, unfortunately, not only is it exposed to the vagaries of the weather, but there is usually nothing else in the area except the hotel. Imagine this, leaving the hotel and not being able to go to a good beach to walk, choose between restaurants or go shopping.
But this is not the travel agencies’ fault, as I mentioned above, they offer a beautiful hotel, but they have never been to Mauritius, they are not aware of its climate or geographical features.
Of course, you can also have a good time on the east coast, because summer lasts from October to April and during this period the weather is also pleasant there, and the wind can even relieve the heat, but keep in mind that the western and northern sides generally have more opportunities for a sunny holiday than elsewhere.
Why is this? Because the wind mostly blows from the east, southeast and brings the clouds, which condense in front of or in the mountains in the middle of the island. The western and northern sides get little rain, not to mention that the mountain ranges catch most of the wind.
In the first figure above, you can see which areas have the highest expected number of hours of sunshine, marked in dark red. In the second, you can see the annual wind speed and direction, which most often blows from the east (marked E) and southeast (marked SE).
So, where is the best place to vacation if you are planning to go to Mauritius?
When booking your trip through a travel agency or even privately, make sure your hotel is on the west or north side, i.e. Le Morne, Flic en Flac, Balaclava, Pointe Aux Biches, Trou Aux Biches, Mont Choisy, Grand Bay (or Grand Baie), Pereybere, Bain Boeuf.
Give yourself a chance to have a sunny, good-weather vacation. If you decide to stay on the east coast, choose Belle Mare, as it has the largest and most beautiful public beach. Rent a car or expect to have to take a taxi regularly if you want to go to the cities for restaurants, shopping, walking or hiking.
If you want to spend your vacation without renting a car, Flic en Flac, Mont Choisy, Trou aux Biches, Grand Bay or Pereybere are the best choices, as you can also use local bus services to take you on certain trips and sightseeing tours.
