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Belle Mare
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Belle Mare, Mauritius, pairs a sweeping east-coast beach with lagoon waters, reef excursions, island cuisine and calm village life for relaxed sightseeing.

Beach and Lagoon

Belle Mare stretches along Mauritius’s celebrated east coast, where a broad sweep of pale sand meets a shallow, turquoise lagoon protected by offshore reefs. The settlement is less a conventional town centre than a coastal area of hotels, villas, small local businesses and tropical roads, with the beach providing its defining public space. Sunrises are especially striking here, as the open eastern horizon catches the first light over the Indian Ocean.
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Island Life and Heritage

Behind the shoreline, sugar-cane fields and quiet villages reveal the agricultural landscape that has long shaped eastern Mauritius. The nearby village of Flacq is the area’s principal commercial centre, while historic sites such as the Château de Labourdonnais and the former estate at Belle Mare’s southern end place the coast within the island’s colonial and plantation history. Mauritian Creole, French, English and other languages are heard across the island, reflecting centuries of migration and cultural exchange.

Exploring the East

Belle Mare suits travellers who want time beside the sea combined with easy access to lagoon activities and eastern-island excursions. Glass-bottom boat trips, snorkelling, diving, kayaking and sailing are among the possibilities offered along the coast, although conditions vary with wind and reef protection. Inland, markets, temples, sugar estates and villages provide a more textured view of Mauritius than the resort shoreline alone, while Île aux Cerfs lies offshore near the mouth of the Grand River South East rather than within Belle Mare itself.

When is the best time to visit Belle Mare?

Best: August–October · 26–27°C
Average daytime high and rainfall by month
MonthHigh (°C)Rainfall (mm)
January31235
February31233
March31227
April30158
May28101
June2670
July2671
August (best)2669
September (best)2650
October (best)2754
November2999
December30142

Getting to and around Belle Mare

How to get there

Most international visitors arrive at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport at Plaine Magnien in south-eastern Mauritius, roughly an hour’s drive from Belle Mare depending on traffic and the route taken. Taxis, pre-arranged transfers and hire cars are the most practical onward options. Public buses connect the east coast with larger settlements, but journeys can be slower and may require changes, making them less convenient with substantial luggage. Belle Mare is also reachable by road from Port Louis and the island’s central districts; Mauritius has no passenger railway serving the coast and no regular ferry connection to Belle Mare.

Transportation

Belle Mare’s beachfront can be explored on foot, although accommodation and services are spread along the coastal road rather than concentrated in a compact centre. Local buses serve Belle Mare and nearby villages, with Centre de Flacq an important regional transport and shopping point. Taxis and pre-booked drivers are widely used for airport transfers and sightseeing, while hire cars provide greater flexibility for visiting markets, temples and estates inland. Driving is on the left, and roads can feel narrow or busy near villages. Boat operators serving the lagoon generally arrange departures from coastal jetties or beaches, depending on the excursion.

Best attractions in Belle Mare

Belle Mare’s principal attraction is its long public beach, a broad strand backed by casuarina trees and facing a shallow, reef-fringed lagoon whose changing blues are especially clear in calm weather. The coast is a natural base for snorkelling, glass-bottom boat trips, kayaking, sailing and introductory diving, with conditions varying according to wind and sea state. Inland, the market and commercial life of Centre de Flacq provides a contrast to the resort shoreline, while nearby Hindu temples reveal the eastern district’s living religious culture. The historic Château de Labourdonnais lies farther north and is a regional excursion rather than a Belle Mare sight, offering gardens and plantation-era context. Île aux Cerfs, reached by boat from the east coast, is another popular outing, but it is offshore near Trou d’Eau Douce rather than part of Belle Mare itself. The coastal road also gives access to viewpoints, villages and sugar-cane country.

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Best landmarks in Belle Mare

Belle Mare’s most defining landmark is geographical rather than monumental: the sweeping beach and protected lagoon form a recognisable eastern-Mauritian coastal landscape. The nearby Hindu temple at Poste de Flacq, with its colourful imagery and active devotional setting, reflects the importance of Hindu traditions within the island’s public culture; visitors should treat it as a place of worship rather than simply a photographic site. In the wider north-east, Château de Labourdonnais preserves a nineteenth-century colonial estate house and gardens, while the Château de Bel Ombre represents another plantation-era property farther south and is not within Belle Mare. The old sugar economy is also visible in the region’s cane fields, estate roads and village architecture. For a more overtly historic landmark, the Dutch-era Frederik Hendrik Museum at Vieux Grand Port is a regional excursion in the south-east, not a local Belle Mare attraction, but it helps place the coast within Mauritius’s colonial history.

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Best restaurants in Belle Mare

Dining in Belle Mare is shaped by the full range of Mauritian food culture, from hotel kitchens interpreting island produce to small eateries serving everyday dishes. Seafood is naturally prominent along the east coast, while local menus may include fish vindaye, a turmeric-and-vinegar preparation; octopus curry; dholl puri, a flatbread filled with split peas; farata; samosas; and fragrant rice dishes influenced by Indian, Creole, Chinese and French traditions. Resort restaurants tend to offer polished international and Mauritian menus, whereas trips towards Centre de Flacq reveal more informal cafés, snack stalls and market cooking. Fresh fruit, chilli-laced pickles and sweet treats such as gâteau patate reflect the island’s layered culinary history. Dining areas are generally dispersed along the coast and within hotels rather than concentrated in a single restaurant quarter, so transport is worth considering when choosing an evening meal.

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Best bars in Belle Mare

Belle Mare’s evening scene is centred largely on hotel bars, beach lounges and relaxed restaurants rather than a dense nightlife district. Visitors can expect rum-based drinks made with Mauritian agricole or molasses rum, local beers, wine and cocktails, sometimes accompanied by sega performances or live music. Sega, a Mauritian musical and dance tradition with African and Creole roots, is often presented in cultural evenings, although performances vary by venue and season. Some resorts provide evening entertainment, including acoustic sets, themed dinners and dance events, while the public beach and village roads become quiet after dark. Travellers seeking a broader choice of bars, clubs and late-night venues generally need to travel towards Grand Baie or Port Louis, both outside Belle Mare and better suited to planned taxi journeys. The east coast is more naturally suited to an unhurried drink beneath the palms than to club-hopping.

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Best nightclubs in Belle Mare

Belle Mare’s evening scene is centred largely on hotel bars, beach lounges and relaxed restaurants rather than a dense nightlife district. Visitors can expect rum-based drinks made with Mauritian agricole or molasses rum, local beers, wine and cocktails, sometimes accompanied by sega performances or live music. Sega, a Mauritian musical and dance tradition with African and Creole roots, is often presented in cultural evenings, although performances vary by venue and season. Some resorts provide evening entertainment, including acoustic sets, themed dinners and dance events, while the public beach and village roads become quiet after dark. Travellers seeking a broader choice of bars, clubs and late-night venues generally need to travel towards Grand Baie or Port Louis, both outside Belle Mare and better suited to planned taxi journeys. The east coast is more naturally suited to an unhurried drink beneath the palms than to club-hopping.

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Best shops in Belle Mare

Belle Mare’s shopping is modest and dispersed, with resort boutiques, small coastal shops and craft stalls providing beachwear, gifts and island-themed souvenirs rather than a major retail district. For a more local experience, Centre de Flacq is the east’s principal commercial centre and its market is a useful place to encounter fruit, vegetables, spices, textiles, household goods and prepared snacks alongside everyday Mauritian trade. Typical purchases include vanilla and spice products, tea, rum, woven items, model boats and locally made craftwork, though quality and provenance vary. Larger shopping centres elsewhere on the island offer branded goods, while village shops provide a more practical selection. Bargaining may be possible at informal craft stalls but is not appropriate in ordinary shops or food markets. Visitors should distinguish genuinely local products from mass-produced souvenirs and pack foodstuffs according to airline and destination-country rules.

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Belle Mare essentials

Currency and Payment
The currency is the Mauritian rupee, coded MUR. Hotels, larger restaurants, tour providers and many shops commonly accept major bank cards, while contactless payment is increasingly available but should not be assumed everywhere. Cash remains useful for buses, small cafés, market purchases, taxis and informal beachside services. ATMs can be found in larger villages and commercial areas, though visitors staying on the resort coast should not rely on finding one immediately nearby. International cards may apply their own foreign-exchange or withdrawal charges, so checking banking arrangements before travel is sensible.
Safety
Belle Mare is generally calm, but ordinary travel precautions remain appropriate. Keep phones, wallets and passports secure, particularly on beaches, in vehicles and around busy markets, and avoid leaving valuables unattended while swimming. Use marked crossings where available and take care on the coastal road, where traffic drives on the left. Sea conditions can change quickly, especially during windy weather or cyclones, so follow lifeguard, boat-crew and local authority guidance and do not swim beyond safe areas. At night, use a reputable taxi or pre-arranged transport rather than walking long, unlit stretches of roadside.
Emergency Situations
In Mauritius, call 999 for police assistance, 115 for the fire service and 114 for an ambulance; 112 may also connect callers to emergency services from mobile phones. State that you are in the Belle Mare area and give a recognisable hotel, road or landmark, as coastal addresses can be less precise than urban ones. For medical problems that are not immediately life-threatening, ask accommodation staff or a local clinic for current advice, and ensure travel insurance covers treatment and possible evacuation. During cyclones or severe weather, follow official warnings and accommodation instructions, and avoid the sea.
Do's and Don'ts
Beachwear is appropriate on the sand and at resort pools, but modest clothing is expected in villages, shops and religious sites; cover shoulders and knees when visiting temples or other places of worship and remove shoes where requested. Ask before photographing people, ceremonies or sacred objects. Do not touch coral or feed marine life, and follow operators’ instructions in protected lagoon areas. Tipping is not compulsory, but a modest amount for attentive service is appreciated; check whether a service charge has already been added. Mauritian hospitality is generally informal, although a polite greeting and patience in smaller businesses are valued.
Local Tips
Belle Mare is best understood as a coastal base rather than a self-contained town, so combine beach time with visits to Centre de Flacq, inland villages and the island’s eastern heritage sites. Early morning is often the most comfortable time for walking or swimming, while the afternoon can bring stronger winds. Markets offer a more grounded view of everyday Mauritius than resort retail areas, and local buses can be useful for short trips if schedules and routes suit. For lagoon activities, confirm the departure point, weather policy and included equipment before booking, as services vary by operator and season.
Eve, your Evendo local guide

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloBonjour[bon-zhoor]
GoodbyeAu revoir[oh ruh-vwah]
YesWi[wee]
NoNon[nohn]
Please/You're welcomeS'il vous plaît/De rien[seel voo pleh/duh ryehn]
Thank youMerci[mehr-see]
Excuse me/SorryExcusez-moi/Désolé[ehk-skew-zeh mwah/dey-zoh-leh]
How are you?Comment ça va?[kohm-mohn sah vah]
Fine. And you?Bien. Et toi?[byen/eh twah]
Do you speak English?Parlez-vous anglais?[par-leh voo ahn-glay]
I don't understandJe ne comprends pas[zhuh nuh kohm-prahnd pah]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseJe voudrais voir le menu, s'il vous plaît[zhuh voo-dray vwahr luh muh-nyuh/seel voo pleh]
I don't eat meatJe ne mange pas de viande[zhuh nuh mahnzh pah duh vee-ahnd]
Cheers!Santé![sahn-tay]
I would like to pay, pleaseJe voudrais payer, s'il vous plaît[zhuh voo-dray peh-yay/seel voo pleh]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Au secours![oh suh-koor]
Go away!Allez-vous en![ah-lay vooz ahn]
Call the Police!Appelez la police![ah-peh-lay lah poh-lees]
Call a doctor!Appelez un médecin![ah-peh-lay uhn may-duh-sahn]
I'm lostJe suis perdu[zhuh swee pair-doo]
I'm illJe suis malade[zhuh swee mah-lahd]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...Je voudrais acheter...[zhuh voo-dray zah-shey]
I'm just lookingJe regarde juste[zhuh ruh-gahrd zheust]
How much is it?Combien ça coûte?[kohm-byen sah koot]
That's too expensiveC'est trop cher[say troh shehr]
Can you lower the price?Pouvez-vous baisser le prix?[poo-veh voo bay-say luh pree]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?Quelle heure est-il?[kehl uhr eh-teel]
It's one o'clockIl est une heure[eel eh oon uhr]
Half past (10)Dix et demi[dees ay duh-mee]
MorningMatin[mah-tahn]
AfternoonAprès-midi[ah-preh mee-dee]
EveningSoir[swah]
YesterdayHier[yehr]
TodayAujourd'hui[oh-zhoor-dwee]
TomorrowDemain[duh-mahn]
1Un[uhn]
2Deux[duh]
3Trois[twah]
4Quatre[kah-truh]
5Cinq[sank]
6Six[sees]
7Sept[sept]
8Huit[wheat]
9Neuf[nuff]
10Dix[dees]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Où est le/la...?[oo eh luh/lah]
What's the address?Quelle est l'adresse?[kehl eh lah-dress]
Can you show me (on the map)?Pouvez-vous me montrer (sur la carte)?[poo-veh voo muh mohn-tray/sur lah kart]
When's the next (bus)?Quand est le prochain (bus)?[kahnd eh luh proh-shahn]
A ticket (to ....)Un billet (pour ...)[uhn bee-yay/poor]

History of Belle Mare

Mauritius Before European Settlement

Mauritius was uninhabited when Portuguese sailors recorded the island in the early sixteenth century, although it was known to Arab navigators and appeared on earlier maps. The volcanic island’s forests, lagoons and reefs supported no permanent indigenous population, so the villages and agricultural landscape now associated with Belle Mare developed only after European colonisation. The eastern coast’s sheltered waters and fertile interior later made it suitable for settlement and cultivation, while the lagoon remained an important geographical feature rather than the setting of an ancient town.

Dutch and French Foundations

The Dutch occupied Mauritius, then known as Mauritius after Prince Maurice of Nassau, from 1638, but abandoned the island in 1710 after repeated difficulties with cyclones, isolation and limited economic returns. France claimed it in 1715 and developed it as Île de France, establishing Port Louis as the principal harbour and introducing plantation agriculture with enslaved labour from Africa and Madagascar. French settlement spread beyond the capital, and the eastern districts acquired the estates, roads and rural communities that form the historical background to present-day Belle Mare.

British Rule and Plantation Society

Britain captured Île de France in 1810 during the Napoleonic Wars and retained the island under the Treaty of Paris in 1814, while allowing French civil law, language and landholding customs to continue. Sugar became the dominant commercial crop, and estates transformed much of the island’s lowland landscape, including the east. Enslaved people were emancipated in 1835; indentured workers from India subsequently arrived in large numbers to labour on sugar plantations. Their descendants, alongside Creole, Chinese and Franco-Mauritian communities, helped shape the religious, linguistic and culinary diversity visible around Belle Mare today.

Roads, Estates and Eastern Villages

During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Mauritius developed a network of estate roads, railways and port connections that linked sugar districts with Port Louis and other commercial centres. Eastern Mauritius remained predominantly rural, with villages, temples, fields and plantation properties surrounding the coast. Historic estates such as Château de Labourdonnais, farther north in the district of Riviere du Rempart, and the former Belle Mare estate landscape preserve reminders of this period, although the original plantation economy has been reshaped by mechanisation, diversification and land conversion.

Independence and the Tourism Coast

Mauritius became independent from Britain in 1968 and a republic in 1992. After independence, the economy diversified beyond sugar into manufacturing, financial services and tourism. The east coast, including Belle Mare, gained international recognition for its beaches, lagoons and resort development, while nearby Île aux Cerfs became a popular excursion destination. Tourism has brought new roads, employment and hospitality infrastructure, but the surrounding sugar fields, village communities and religious sites remain essential to understanding Belle Mare as part of a lived Mauritian landscape rather than simply a beach complex.

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Evendo: Your Ultimate Travel Guide to Belle Mare, Mauritius

Discover Belle Mare like a local with Evendo, your 100% free app-based travel guide. Explore top attractions, restaurants, and more, all at your fingertips.

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Welcome to Belle Mare, Mauritius, a paradise of pristine beaches and vibrant culture. With Evendo, your journey begins the moment you land. Imagine strolling through beautiful Belle Mare Beach, visiting the serene Belle Mare Plage Golf Club, or exploring the lush Domaine de l'Etoile. Evendo's comprehensive travel guide covers all the must-see landmarks and hidden gems.

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