The Best Beaches in the North of Mauritius, One by One
Pereybère, Bain Bœuf, Mont Choisy, Trou aux Biches, Cap Malheureux, Anse La Raie: a cove-by-cove guide to the north of Mauritius, activity by activity.
The north coast between Grand Baie and Cap Malheureux packs seven beaches into about fifteen kilometres, and each one suits a different plan: Pereybère for swimming with young kids, Trou aux Biches for snorkelling, Anse La Raie for kitesurfing, Bain Bœuf for getting away from the crowds. Here is how to pick the right one before losing a day of your trip on the wrong cove.
Pereybère: the family beach at the centre of it all
At around 150 metres, Pereybère is one of the smallest beaches in the north, but also one of the busiest: an offshore reef breaks the swell and keeps the water shallow and calm, which suits young children well. Sun loungers, pedal boats, water skiing and kitesurfing are all available on site, and boat trips to the northern islets or dolphin-watching outings often leave from here. Two names keep coming up in every local recommendation, La Plage and Bikini Beach, for lunch or a sunset drink. Access and parking are free, but the beach fills up fast on weekends and during western school holidays, so an early weekday visit works best.
Bain Bœuf: the quiet cove between Pereybère and Cap Malheureux
On the B13 road, halfway between Pereybère and Cap Malheureux, about ten minutes from Grand Baie, Bain Bœuf is a cove only a few hundred metres long, with white sand dotted with black basalt rocks and shaded by filao trees and palms. It draws mostly Mauritian families spending the day rather than tour groups, and suits calm swimming and light snorkelling better than long swims. A large shaded car park runs alongside the road, with stone steps down to the sand; access stays free, as on every public beach in the north.
Mont Choisy: three kilometres to spread out
Mont Choisy stretches for 3 km of white sand on the north-west coast, lined with century-old filao trees and protected by a lagoon that stays calm year-round. The mood shifts completely depending on the day: weekends bring Mauritian families out for picnics and barbecues, while weekdays leave the stretch nearly empty. Diving and snorkelling here are rated for visibility up to 20 m, and an 18-hole golf course borders the site for anyone who wants to alternate sand and green. It is about a ten-minute drive from Grand Baie.
Trou aux Biches: the best snorkelling spot in the north
A former fishing village turned into one of Mauritius’ best-known beaches, Trou aux Biches runs for 3 km along a lagoon between 200 and 800 m wide, shallow for the first hundred metres from shore. It is the north’s snorkelling reference: visibility rated at 15 to 20 m, green turtles regularly spotted in the morning, glass-bottom boats and transparent kayaks for those who would rather stay dry. Tourist infrastructure here is more developed than at Bain Bœuf or Mont Choisy, without reaching the buzz of Grand Baie.
Cap Malheureux: the northern tip and its chapel
At the very northern point of the island, Cap Malheureux is still a fishing village of around 5,000 residents, where fishermen can be seen mending nets right on the sand. Its Notre-Dame-Auxiliatrice chapel, built in 1938 at the initiative of Father Albert Glorieux, owes its fame to a bright red roof set against the turquoise lagoon and Coin de Mire, the nature-reserve islet visible offshore that no boat is allowed to land on, though catamaran trips skirt it for bird and reef watching. Cap Malheureux is also the departure point for trips to Île Plate and Îlot Gabriel, and the small seafront tables serve the day’s catch of red snapper, grouper or octopus.
Anse La Raie: the bay reserved for kitesurfing
Between Cap Malheureux and Grand Baie, Anse La Raie is a bay protected by a reef extending up to 2.5 km offshore, with areas shallow enough to stand even at low tide. It is a spot built for intermediate and advanced riders rather than a first session: beginners need supervision, since some areas carry currents. The best window runs from May to October, peaking June through September, with winds of 15 to 25 knots. Allow 10 to 15 minutes by car from Grand Baie or Cap Malheureux, with free parking shaded by filao trees right above the spot.
Grand Baie: the beach you do not need to pick
Grand Baie is not the best-looking beach in the north, but it is the hub everything else runs through: restaurants, shops, a night market and social life concentrate here, and every other cove on this list sits within twenty minutes. For an evening out or errands without a car, the best addresses in Grand Baie is the place to start; to check whether going car-free there actually works day to day, this real-world test answers it point by point.
Which beach fits your plans
Family with young children: Pereybère or Mont Choisy on a weekday, for the shallow water and filao shade. Snorkelling without a boat: Trou aux Biches first, Bain Bœuf as a quieter option. Serious kitesurfing: Anse La Raie, outside the low-wind months. Complete quiet: Bain Bœuf, on a weekday outside local school holidays. Evening out and daily errands: Grand Baie. A short visit and photos: Cap Malheureux, early morning before the coach tours arrive.
For anyone thinking beyond a single beach day in the north, the area holds a large share of the residential stock open to foreign buyers: our listings in Pereybère, Mont Choisy, Trou aux Biches and Grand Baie cover most of the sector. To rent for a season rather than buy, our long-term rental page details the process, and to place northern prices against the rest of the island, our price guide by region helps compare. For a wider tour of the island’s coastline, our pick of Mauritius’ best beaches rounds out this guide to the north.
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