Grand Baie, like Flic-en-Flac, entered my list of the best beaches in Mauritius, and it absolutely deserves it. Grand Baie is considered to be the most “party” beach in Mauritius and at the same time – the most unsuitable for swimming. The water here has an absolutely amazing light turquoise hue, but most vacationers prefer not to get into it, but to admire it from the shore, and below in the text you will find out why. I will also tell you where Grand Baie is located, what it can offer tourists, what are its pros, cons and main features, as well as in which Grand Baie hotels you can stay.
Grand Baie impresses with the color of the water in the bay. When I first arrived at the beach, I could not contain my delight!
7 reasons to choose the Grand Bay beach for your holiday in Mauritius
- Infrastructure. The most developed area of the island. There are supermarkets, shopping centers, casinos, and tour agencies with excursions, hospitals, ATMs, and public transport.
- Night life. The most lively and cheerful area of the island with bars and restaurants that don’t close at 8 pm.
- Hotels with their own beach. In Grand Baie there are several hotels on the first line with their own beach.
- Budget vacation. If you have a limited budget, then choose Grand Baie. In this area there are inexpensive housing and cafes, and you can get to neighboring beaches without having personal transport.
- Beaches for children. There are several good beaches for children within walking distance from Grand Baie. For example, Pereybere and La Cuvette.
- Fish market. Although small, you can buy fresh fish from fishermen here.
- Restaurants and cafes. There are a large number of different cafes and restaurants on the beach – both with local food and with a more European version of dishes.
Grand Baie Beach: location, description and photo
Grand Baie is a resort area in the north-west of Mauritius (point on the map), located on the shore of a small bay. Its central beach is called Grand Baie (point on the map). Also nearby are cozy La Cuvette, which can be easily reached on foot, and Pereybere.
The main beach of Grand Baie is quite small, only about 300 m long, but some hotels on Grand Baie have their own beaches, for example, Mauricia Beachcomber 4*. Along the edge of the main beach there are several rows of casuarina trees planted, which is not uncommon for the beaches of Mauritius.
Beach in Mauritius: review, description, photo
Catamarans and yachts in Grand Baie. Despite the pier, the water in the bay is of amazing color and clear.
Good hotels for a holiday in Grand Baie
It is very easy to find accommodation in Grand Baie, and for every taste and budget – from five-star hotels to cheap guesthouses or small apartments with a kitchen. Hotels with their own beach are more expensive. Guesthouses across the road from the sea are cheaper.
Here are some good hotels that are located a little further from the central beach, which has a lot of boats. All these hotels have their own swimming pools and beaches. The listed hotels can not only be booked on Booking, but also buy tours:
- Azure Beach Boutique Hotel – located right on the first line and next to shops and restaurants. The rooms have a direct view of the sea. One of the best locations in Grand Baie. Hotel photos and reviews can be found at Booking.
- Mauricia Beachcomber 4 * – a very conveniently located hotel, on the side of the main beach, with its small, cozy and beautiful beach with sun loungers and green palm trees. All the amenities of Grand Bay are within walking distance, and at the same time there is no fuss and noise. I recommend this hotel, as I really liked it! You can book your own hotel room at Booking.
- Canonnier Beachcomber 4 * – this hotel is located on the edge of the cape and farthest from all hotels from the selection from the center of Grand Bay and closest to Mont Choisy beach. But this hotel has its own sandy beach, a very beautiful green area and a coral reef for snorkelers. You can book your own hotel room at Booking.
- Veranda Grand Baie Hotel & Spa 3 * – three stars with a convenient location (next to Mauricia Beachcomber 4 *) and its own small beach. You can book your own hotel room at Booking.
- Royal Palm 5 * – a five-star hotel on the first line behind La Cuvette beach. Reviews about the hotel are great, one of the best places to stay. But you need to understand that the center of Grand Bay is about 15 minutes on foot. You can book your own room at Booking.
All hotels that are on Grand Baie are collected on this page.
Infrastructure Grand Baie
Grand Baie has everything you need for a civilized beach holiday – umbrellas, cabanas, toilets and other amenities. However, vacationers are not in a hurry to get into the water: there are too many boats in the bay due to the proximity to the pier, so swimming is not always convenient.
Grand Baie attracts tourists in another way: on the beach itself and in the immediate vicinity there are many eateries, bars, souvenir shops, nightclubs, shops and various tourist attractions. Almost at the water’s edge is the Café de la Plage, where you can not only eat but also enjoy the magnificent view, and very close to the bar/nightclub Banana Beach Club, open around the clock.
Money changers, travel agencies, massages – Grand Baie has it all
At the end of the beach there is a fish market where fishermen bring their catch to sell. It is advisable to come here after one in the afternoon, and even better – around 15:00. At this time, fish and other marine life on the shelves are fresh, recently caught. Due to the high competition, prices here (as, by the way, in most stalls) are very modest.
Not far from the beach in the city itself, there are two large shopping centers La Croisette Shopping Mall and Couer de Ville with a Super U hypermarket, dozens of boutiques, a cinema, a Ti Vegas casino, a bowling alley, game rooms, restaurants and fast-food counters.
One of the malls in the heart of Grand Baie
Other places of interest include the nightclubs Zanzibar, Les Enfants Terribles, OMG Club and Buddha bar, as well as the Grand Baie Chinese market. It is better not to buy clothes on the market – there are many low-quality fakes – but you can get a variety of souvenirs that are made by local craftsmen.
Excursions worth visiting at Grand Baie Beach
What is great about Grand Baie is the choice of excursions and boat trips. There is diving, walking on the seabed, trips on an underwater scooter, diving in a submarine, fishing, watching marine life in a glass bottom boat. You can read more about them in this article →
I advise you to definitely visit 3-day tours:
- Underwater excursion. In Mauritius, there are 3 types of underwater excursions that do not require a diving certificate. This is a walk along the seabed, underwater scooters and diving in a bathyscaphe. Most often, tourists choose to walk along the seabed, but if you have the opportunity, it is better to take a dive on a bathyscaphe.
- Boat trip on a catamaran to the neighboring islands. Excursions to the neighboring islands – Serpent Island, Gabriel Island, Flat Island and Round Island are in particular demand. Such trips usually include snorkeling and lunch, personally prepared by the crew of the vessel. You can read a detailed description on this site (you can also order there).
- Sightseeing tour of Mauritius. Right now, the best review is this Instagram tour of Mauritius.
What to do on Grand Baie Beach?
In addition to the entertainment already mentioned – shopping centers, massages, casinos, bars, nightlife – Grand Bay has several beaches and convenient transport to travel around the island.
From Grand Baie you can walk to the nearby La Cuvette beach or take the bus a couple of stops to the beaches Pereybere, Mont Choisy and Trou aux Biches. You can also reach by public transport Port Louis, the island’s capital.
I advise you to rent a car and travel around the island on your own. Learn about the features of traffic and car rental in Mauritius and here is a list of 25 main attractions of the island. There you’ll find an interactive map of the island with pins of beaches and attractions.
What you might not like on Grand Baie Beach
You already know some of the disadvantages of Grand Baie, but there are a couple more.
Firstly, stray dogs are often found on the beach. This problem exists on many beaches in Mauritius, but here, due to the proximity to the market and dozens of eateries, it is especially pronounced. Do not think that packs of homeless hungry dogs attack people, no. But dogs can relax on the beach like this:
The second problem of Grand Baie is the constant noise. No wonder this is the liveliest beach of the island. If you are used to a peaceful holiday, it is unlikely that this beach will suit you.
Thirdly, there are no mountains for hiking. If it’s important to someone to go trekking and hiking, it is better to choose Tamarin beaches for relaxation, Flick-n-Flac or Le Morne.
Fourthly, in the evening, Grand Bay in some places looks like a green area with an incomprehensible contingent.
Hello!
My name is Tatiana, and I am glad to see you in my Mauritius travel guide.
For more than 12 years I have been traveling and creating travel guides to different countries. For the first time I got to Mauritius in 2018. I got inspired by the island so much that I decided to create this guide.
I personally visited all the places described on this site. Photos and texts are also taken and written by me. I update articles regularly to keep them up to date.
I hope you’ll forgive any errors or awkward phrasing, as I am not a native English speaker.
Websites to help organize your trip to Mauritius:
- Find the best flight to Mauritius – Trip.com.
- Score a sweet deal on a hotel – Booking.com
- Hire a car – Localrent.
- Book a taxi from / to the airport – GetTransfer or KiwiTaxi.
- Find interesting or unique tours & activities – GetYourGuide.