Northern Mauritius Tourism Information

Quick Facts: Northern Mauritius

• Northern Mauritius is the most developed region of Mauritius
• Northern Mauritius is a popular place for water sports activities due to the flat lagoon
• Northern Mauritius houses many luxury, all-inclusive hotels
• Although known for its beaches, the interior of Northern Mauritius is home to many tourist attractions
• The Pamplemousses Botanical Gardens can be found in Northern Mauritius

Introducing Northern Mauritius

The north coast of Mauritius is best known for its turquoise lagoons and white, sandy beaches. Northern Mauritius is the most developed section of the island’s coastline as it houses the greatest number of luxury resorts. Northern Mauritius is popular with younger groups and couples as it is known for its variety of exciting water sports and its trendy nightlife. Although Northern Mauritius is home to many all-inclusive hotels, the surrounding area is alive with many tourist attractions.

Home to a variety of colourful coral reefs, snorkeling and scuba diving are popular activities in the area. With a number of smaller islets surrounding this picturesque coastline, a number of charter boats, sailing, diving and fishing activities are on other at Northern Mauritius. At the very northern point sugar cane plantations and volcanic boulders decorate this less populated area.

Major places of interest

Grand Baie is the biggest tourist centre in Northern Mauritius. The bay is surrounded by boutique shops, galleries, market places, bars, restaurants and night-clubs. Cap Malheureux is situated further north of Grand Baie and is a small fisherman’s village with a tiny chapel and spectacular views over the north islets. L’Aventure du Sucre is an old sugar factory that has been converted into an exhibition space that gives insight into the culture and history of the Mauritian people.

The Pamplemousses Botanical Garden is one of the most visited attractions in all of Mauritius. The gardens are home to a rich variety of exotic flowering plants and the famous giant water lilies. Choisy Beach is one of the longest beaches on Mauritius and is free from any hotels, making it the perfect, intimate spot to laze away the day. La Nicolière Lake is found on the north planes and offers views over the sugar planes and forest areas of Northern Mauritius. The Mauritius Aquarium can be found at the quaint coastal village of Pointes Aux Piments.

People

The people of Northern Mauritius come from a variety of cultural and religious backgrounds. The Northern tip and more inland areas are dotted with sugar cane fields and volcanic boulders. Here many old slave trade villages can be found. The people here work in a range of industries include agriculture, tourism and the financial and economic industries. Smaller pockets of poverty can be found in the inland areas.

Topography and climate

In the summer months Northern Mauritius experiences very high temperatures which can exceed 34 degrees Celsius during the day and seldom drop below 22 degrees at night. Winter day temperatures are still nice and warm and vary between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius thus making Northern Mauritius a popular year-round destination. The humidity in the north varies between 70 and 80 percent. The wettest months of the year are October and November while February and March can bring tropical cyclones to the area.

The Northern Plains region is very flat and the land simply melts into the sea in this region. Due to the large coral reefs, the lagoons stretch on for ages and provide very flat, multicolored waters for visitors to explore. These waters are famed as the best in the island for water sports.