The eastern seaboard of Mauritius stretches from Poste de Flacq down through Belle Mare and Trou d'Eau Douce, a succession of fishing villages and powdery beaches sheltered by an almost continuous coral reef. This is the island's windward coast, where the trade winds keep temperatures pleasant year-round and kite surfers congregate at Palmar. The lagoon here runs shallow for hundreds of meters, its waters shifting between pale jade and deep aquamarine depending on the hour and the clouds.
Development arrived later than in Grand Baie to the north, which means larger plots, more breathing room between properties, and direct beach access that doesn't require navigating crowded public stretches. Belle Mare's four-kilometer beach remains the benchmark — a crescent of fine sand backed by casuarina trees and a handful of well-established resort properties. South toward Île aux Cerfs, the coastline fragments into smaller coves and inlets. Local life persists between the hotels: fishermen selling the morning catch at Trou d'Eau Douce, Hindu temples tucked behind bougainvillea hedges, roadside stalls selling dholl puri and samosas.
