Blue Bay holidays

Blue Bay holidays revolve around a colourful marine park and white-sand beaches.

A sandy enclosed bay

You’ll find Blue Bay on the south-east coast of Mauritius – it’s made up of a sandy enclosed shoreline with hotels peppered around the place. It’s best known for being the home of Blue Bay Marine Park – which happens to be the biggest coral reef of the island. But it’s not just a favourite for tourists, locals also love this area, especially the nearby village of Mahebourg – which is a 10-minute drive away

Dive down under

This spot calls for snorkellers and scuba divers, thanks to the clear waters and colourful sea life that lives within the coral garden. The seabed is covered in twisty natural formations, and there are more than 50 varieties on show. The fish add a flurry of colour too, with schools of surgeonfish, metallic-looking parrotfish and Moorish idols. If you’re lucky, you may even spot lobsters and turtles in their natural habitat. If you want to see the fish without going underwater, there are glass-bottom boat trips, too.

One of the best beaches

Blue Bay’s coast puts you on one of Mauritius’ best beaches. A white sand cove nudges up against the bright blue lagoon, with giant green casuarina trees giving shady patches for sunbathing. It’s a popular spot for tourists all week round, but at weekends locals also come to take advantage of the sandy stretch. If you want to get away from other tourists, you can reach Pointe d’Esny Beach in a few minutes’ drive – it’s got white sand, a blue lagoon but a little less noise.

Ile aux Aigrettes Nature Reserve

You’ll find this wildlife-filled island a 10-minute boat ride from Blue Bay. The Mauritian Wildlife Foundation have recreated a picture of Mauritius from 400 years ago on a small patch of land. It’s smothered in forest and filled with endangered plants, flowers and animals. There are giant Aldabra tortoises, pink pigeons, weaver birds and geckos. The guided tours around the island usually take about two hours and often involve a pitstop at the wooden café hidden in the woods.