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Le Morne Brabant rising above a calm lagoon on the south-west coast of Mauritius, with two boats pulled up on a grassy shore under casuarina and palm trees

Where to stay in Mauritius

Photo: Jolaus, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Places to stay in Mauritius

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About Mauritius

The airport sits in the south-east, about 9 km by road from Mahébourg and about 72 km from Grand Baie in the north, so the base decides the first drive. This guide covers the island of Mauritius, not Rodrigues.

Mauritius. Guide last checked .

Facts and rules

Last checked . Each fact links to its source.

Airport
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International (MRU) at Plaine Magnien in the south-east, about 48 km by road from Port Louis and about 72 km from Grand Baie. Source
Tourist fee
EUR 3 per tourist aged 12 or over per night since 1 October 2025, in hotels, guesthouses, tourist residences and domaines, licensed or not. The accommodation collects it. It does not apply in Rodrigues. Source
Who does not pay the fee
Children under 12, guests who stay free of charge, residents of Mauritius, Mauritians with a Mauritian passport, and holders of a valid Premium Visa or residence permit. Source
VAT
15% standard rate on the taxable supplies of VAT-registered businesses. Letting a home for a continuous term of more than 90 days is exempt. Source
Licensed accommodation
The Tourism Authority licenses four types, hotel, guest house, tourist residence and domaine, each under a Tourist Accommodation Certificate valid for three years. Source
Entry
EU, UK and US passport holders need no visa. The immigration officer decides the length of stay on arrival, and a tourist can be granted at most six months in a calendar year, case by case. Source
British visitors
Up to 60 days without a visa, with the end date stamped on arrival. Fill in the Mauritius All in One travel form online before arriving. Source
Parking with a rental car
Town-centre street parking, as in Port Louis, is paid with paper coupons shown on the dashboard, sold in booklets at fuel stations and shops (via GetCar). No official rules were found for the coastal villages. Source
Cyclone season
Usually November to May. During a cyclone guests are not allowed to leave their accommodation, and car insurance policies often become invalid. Source
Currency
Mauritian rupee (MUR). Source
Emergency numbers
999 for any emergency; police and tourist police 112, ambulance 114, fire 115. Source

Areas of Mauritius

La Cuvette public beach at Grand Baie, with white sand, clear turquoise water, a few swimmers and a small house among trees on the rocky point
Photo: ZoschH, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Grand Baie

A coastal village in the north that the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority calls the centre of the action, with nightlife, beach clubs, bars, over 50 restaurants, malls and the Grand Bazar, and boats to Ilot Gabriel and Coin de Mire. It suits a lively holiday with restaurants on foot, less so a quiet week.

Mauritius airport
about 72 km
Port Louis
about 26 km
Cap Malheureux
about 5 km

Car and parking

No official parking rules for Grand Baie were found as of September 2026, so ask the hotel or host whether a space comes with the stay. Port Louis is about 26 km away by road.

Aerial view of Port Louis, with the harbour, its quays and ships in front, the city's towers and houses behind and mountains under a cloudy sky
Photo: Arne Müseler, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons

Port Louis

The capital and most populous city, the country's financial and political centre, built around its harbour. It suits business trips and a short city stay, less so a beach holiday: Flic en Flac, the nearest beach area in this guide, is about 24 km away by road.

Mauritius airport
about 48 km
Flic en Flac
about 24 km
Grand Baie
about 26 km

Car and parking

Street parking in the centre is paid with paper parking coupons shown on the dashboard, sold in booklets at fuel stations and shops (via GetCar). The Metro Express light rail between Port Louis and Curepipe is an alternative to driving in (via GetCar).

The public beach at Flic en Flac lined with casuarina trees, with a row of buoys in the calm lagoon and mountains on the horizon
Photo: dronepicr, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Flic en Flac and Tamarin

The west coast. Flic en Flac is a seaside village with one of the longest public beaches on the island and a lagoon inside the reef, geared to tourism with many hotels; Tamarin, a former fishing village about 10 km away by road, has become a residential area popular with surfers. It suits beach days, sunsets and a slower pace.

Mauritius airport
about 47 km
Port Louis
about 24 km
Tamarin, from Flic en Flac
about 10 km

Car and parking

No official parking rules were found as of September 2026, so ask the host whether the stay has a space. Fixed speed cameras operate at Flic en Flac and Tamarin, among around 60 sites on the island (via GetCar).

Cars parked in an open car park by the public beach at Le Morne, below the rock face of Le Morne Brabant, under a cloudy sky
Photo: AmyAbroad, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Le Morne

The peninsula at the south-western tip, largely surrounded by a lagoon, under a basalt mountain 556 m high that has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2008. The tourism promotion authority sends kitesurfers here, to spots such as One Eye and a choice of schools. It suits kitesurfers and a beach week under the mountain.

Mauritius airport
about 54 km
Port Louis
about 45 km
Flic en Flac
about 30 km

Car and parking

The public beach at Le Morne has an open car park below the mountain, pictured in 2024; no parking rules or fees were found as of September 2026. Flic en Flac is about 30 km away by road.

Aerial view of Belle Mare on the east coast, a long white beach between a turquoise lagoon and casuarina trees, with low buildings and fields inland
Photo: Arne Müseler, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons

Belle Mare and Trou d'Eau Douce

The east coast. Belle Mare beach is one of the longest stretches of sand on the island, on a large lagoon, and Trou d'Eau Douce, about 8 km away by road, is a fishing village lined with restaurants; boats run from the east coast to Ile aux Cerfs. It suits a beach holiday on the east side, away from the north's nightlife.

Mauritius airport
about 48 km
Port Louis
about 41 km
Trou d'Eau Douce, from Belle Mare
about 8 km

Car and parking

No official parking rules were found as of September 2026, so ask the hotel or host. Port Louis is about 41 km away by road and the airport about 48 km.

Boats moored at a concrete jetty by the public beach at Blue Bay, with swimmers in the shallow water and houses among trees along the shore
Photo: dronepicr, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Mahébourg and Blue Bay

The south-east near the airport: Mahébourg, the main town of the Grand Port district, and Blue Bay, a marine park of 353 hectares that the tourism promotion authority lists among the island's best snorkelling spots, with glass-bottom boat tours. It suits early or late flights and a quieter base.

Mauritius airport
about 9 km
Port Louis
about 51 km
Blue Bay, from Mahébourg
about 7 km

Car and parking

The airport is about 9 km away by road, the shortest transfer in this guide. No official parking rules were found as of September 2026, so ask the host whether the stay has a space.

Guides

Questions

Which part of Mauritius is best for a first visit?

Grand Baie in the north for restaurants, shops and nightlife, or Flic en Flac on the west coast for one of the longest public beaches on the island. Both are about 47 to 72 km from the airport by road; Mahébourg and Blue Bay, about 9 to 11 km away, suit early or late flights.

How much is the tourist fee in Mauritius?

EUR 3 per tourist aged 12 or over for each night in a hotel, guesthouse, tourist residence or domaine, since 1 October 2025. The accommodation collects it. Residents, holders of a Premium Visa or residence permit and guests who stay free of charge do not pay, and the fee does not apply in Rodrigues.

Do visitors need a visa for Mauritius?

Not with an EU, UK or US passport. The immigration officer sets the length of stay on arrival, and UK travel advice gives British citizens up to 60 days. Visitors need a return ticket and a confirmed accommodation booking, and fill in the All in One travel form online before arriving.

How can a guest check that a villa in Mauritius is licensed?

The Tourism Authority licenses hotels, guest houses, tourist residences and domaines, and a licensed business must display its licence at a conspicuous place in the premises. UK travel advice recommends renting only accommodation registered with the Tourism Authority.