The town of Grand Baie on Mauritius is one of the most popular tourist regions and is located in the northwest of the island. During our four-month trip to Mauritius, we spent the first part of our time in the north. We wanted to look around and find a region that would be our home for the next few weeks and months.
Grand Baie is one of the lively places on the island and awaits you with beautiful beaches, many activities, bars, clubs, shopping opportunities, and plenty of restaurants. In the following article, we would like to introduce you to this region of the island in more detail. Enjoy browsing!
- General information about Grand Baie
- Arrival and rental car
- Accommodation in Grand Baie
- Grand Baie – The most beautiful beaches
- Restaurants & Cafes
- Highlights of Grand Baie
- Excursions and Tours
- Conclusion: Grand Baie, Mauritius
General Information about Grand Baie
Grand Baie is located in the northwest of the island, on a beautiful bay in the Rivière du Rempart district. It is only 25 kilometers from the capital, and you should allow around 30 minutes for this. The bus will, of course, take a bit longer.
The beautiful town of Grand Baie lies between the villages of Pereybere (east) and Trou aux Biches (west). In the 17th century, the Dutch also called this bay “De Bogt Zonder Eyndt,” which means “Bay Without End.” A stroll along the bay will immediately show you why.
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Arrival and rental car
You should allow sufficient time for your journey to Grand Baie from the airport. During rush hour, the journey by car or taxi can take a good 1.5 to 2 hours. If you want to take the public bus, allow considerably more time. We drove a full 6 hours from the airport to the north. We first went to Port Louis and then took another bus further north. The cost: approximately €2.50 per person for the entire journey.
You can also book a private shuttle from the airport to Grand Baie, which costs from €25-€30. During our time in Mauritius, we also rented a car several times to explore the island ourselves. It’s not as complicated as you might think. You can find a detailed article about it here: Rental Car in Mauritius.
Staying in Grand Baie
Would you like to stay overnight in Grand Baie? No problem, there are many great hotels and vacation apartments here. In the following overview, we’ve selected some accommodation options that we would also book ourselves. And should we tell you something? Mauritius isn’t nearly as expensive as you might think. Apartments start from €25 to €40 per night.
Book a room here*
This small 3-star hotel is just 150 meters from the beach and offers spacious rooms, an outdoor pool, a bar, sea views, and other amenities. Previous guests particularly praise the friendly staff, the delicious breakfast, and the cleanliness. Rooms are available from €125 per night.
8.5 out of 10 points on Booking.com
Book a room here*
We think this small boutique hotel is really cool and would have loved to have checked in there ourselves. A fantastic infinity pool, panoramic views of the lagoon, a wooden terrace with a restaurant and bar, and bright, stylish rooms with private terraces, bathrooms, TVs, and telephones await you. The restaurant serves delicious food around the clock. Rooms are available from €180 per night.
8.2 out of 10 points on Booking.com
Book a room here*
The 4-star Hotel Domaine de Grand Baie awaits you with an outdoor pool, terrace, spa and wellness area, indoor pool, fitness center, sauna, and beautiful outdoor grounds. The very modern accommodations feature a kitchen, seating area with sofa, bathroom with shower, balcony, and comfortable bed. We would love to move in ourselves right away! Rooms are available from €196 per night.
8.4 out of 10 points on Booking.com
Book a room here*
If you have a bit more budget, you should check out the Mauricia Beachcomber Resort & Spa. This luxurious 4-star hotel awaits you with a beautiful beach, 2 restaurants and a pool bar, 2 infinity pools, a wellness and fitness center, and numerous leisure activities, such as tennis, volleyball, and diving. The accommodations are very modern. Prices start from €329 including half board.
8.5 out of 10 points on Booking.com
Grand Baie – The Most Beautiful Beaches
Trou aux Biches Beach
There are several beautiful beaches in the Grand Baie region. Let’s start with Trou aux Biches Beach, which is known primarily for its white sand, coconut palms, and turquoise sea. There’s always something going on here, especially if you want to try out water sports.
You can also marvel at beautiful sunsets and go on the occasional snorkeling tour. There are also numerous apartments, restaurants, beach clubs, and hotels lined up next to each other.
Mont Choisy Beach
Next up is the almost 3-kilometer-long beach in Mont Choisy. This beautiful sandy beach awaits you with shady trees, numerous food trucks from the locals, ample parking, and free showers. Since the water along the shore is very shallow and the current is very weak, the beach is also ideal for children.
Bay of Grand Baie
We also really liked the beautiful bay of Grand Baie. Although there are always lots of boats in the water, they didn’t bother us while swimming. The sand is very soft and the water wonderfully clear. Here you’ll also find numerous restaurants, restrooms, and showers. What we always liked best were the many local street food and fruit stalls. Here you can always get a cheap and, above all, delicious snack.
Right in the heart of the center is the Sunset Boulevard with shops and boutiques. Tip: At the end of the bay, you’ll reach the small La Cuvette Beach, which is also very beautiful. The small bay in front of it is also very picturesque. Here you can lie in the water and enjoy the sun.
Pereybere Beach
In the north of Grand Baie you will reach Pereybere Beach, a beautiful public beach popular with tourists and locals. Although the beach is not particularly large, it has everything you need. You will find plenty of shade and can get delicious snacks and drinks from the food trucks.
The sand is very soft and the water very calm. For this reason, there are always many families with their children here. There’s always something going on, especially on weekends. You might even see locals hosting a big family BBQ or playing their drums to spread good cheer. Various boat tours and water sports are also offered here on the beach.
Restaurants & Cafés
Along the bay of Grand Baie there are numerous restaurants, bars and cafés. You will also find various shopping centers, some small and large supermarkets, casinos and various bazaars here. We visited a few restaurants back then and would like to give you a few recommendations in the following paragraph. Which restaurant can you recommend? Feel free to write it in the comments box.
- Beach House Restaurant & Bar
- Blue Lagoon Cafe
- La Rougaille Creole
- Seb’s Kitchen
- The Trojan Horse
- La Croisette Food Court
- Coffee Nut Café
- Café Eighty 83
- Café Müller
- Italian Pizza da Mario
- Eden Beach Restaurant Lounge Bar
- Cocochill
Highlights Grand Baie
In the town of Grand Baie, you can not only enjoy the sun and cool off in the sea, but also try out numerous activities, such as diving, snorkeling, and horseback riding. There are also a few other attractions nearby. If you’re traveling with your own rental car, you can explore the surroundings at your leisure and just let yourself go.
Cap Malheureux
We recommend a trip to Cap Malheureux, which is a little further north of Grand Baie. This cape is surrounded by the Indian Ocean and is truly beautiful: black lava rock, white sandy beaches, and turquoise water. Although swimming here isn’t particularly good due to the currents, you’ll still find small bays to cool off in.
From here, you can also see the islands of Coin de Mire, Il Plate, Ile aux Serpents, and Ile Ronde, four kilometers off the coast. Directly on the water, you’ll also find the beautiful Chapel of Notre Dame Auxiliatrice with its distinctive red roof. Incidentally, “Cap Malheureux” means “Cape of Unhappiness.” Nobody really knows why the chapel was given this name. Most likely, though, because the French lost their battle against the English here.
Pamplemousses Botanical Garden
The Pamplemousses Botanical Garden is also a highlight. The Pamplemousses Garden is one of the most beautiful gardens in the world and a colorful backdrop, especially in the spring months of October and November. The garden was originally intended solely for growing vegetables, until a clever businessman began using it to cultivate a variety of wonderful spices.
Today, the garden is home to giant water lilies, 80 different palm species, and a total of more than 800 plant varieties. It’s a perfect place to learn more about Mauritius’s flora and fauna and unwind in nature.
The capital, Port Louis
Port Louis is the capital and cultural center of the island. Maybe you’ve already seen the photo of the colorful umbrellas or the bustling markets? There’s a lot to discover in the capital, and that’s exactly why you should take at least a day to explore the various highlights in Port Louis.
We recommend the Central Market, the Caudan Waterfront, Little Chinatown, and the Craft Market, among others. It’s best to read our detailed travel report about the capital: Our highlights in the island’s capital, Port Louis.
Excursions and Tours
There are plenty of recreational opportunities in the Grand Baie region. Whether diving, snorkeling, horseback riding, swimming, SUP, volleyball, windsurfing, sailing, shopping, partying, and much more – you’re guaranteed not to get bored here.
You can book various tours in advance on our favorite platforms GetYourGuide and Manawa. We have selected the most popular offers and linked them below. Alternatively, you can of course also book the right excursion on site with numerous tour operators.
- Seabobbing excursion in Mauritius*
- Scuba diving in Grand Bay, Mauritius*
- Day trip by catamaran to the northern islands*
- Port Louis & North Mauritius Day Tour*
- Mauritius: Scuba Diving on the North Coast*
- Grand Baie: Guided Culinary Tour*
- Seaplane Flight over the Northeastern Lagoon of Mauritius*
Conclusion: Grand Baie Mauritius
We very much hope that we have been able to give you a good first impression of the Grand Baie region of Mauritius. It is a very lively, touristy, yet also very beautiful area. Here you can find practically everything a package tourist’s heart desires.
We especially liked the beautiful beaches in the area, the shopping opportunities, and the possibility of finding affordable accommodation. If you prefer a more relaxed approach, check out the regions of Flic en Flac, Albion, Pointe aux Piments, and Mont Choisy.