With it’s cosmopolitan buzz, sweeping golden beaches, wide choice of bars, restaurants and thriving nightlife, the resort of Grand Baie (or Grand Bay) offers couples a lively setting for a honeymoon or romantic getaway.
Known for its thriving nightlife, Grand Bay boasts most of the island's best bars and night-clubs such as Banana Café, Zanzibar, Les Enfants Terribles and Buddha Bar.
Grand Bay is also renowned for its choice of fashion boutiques, traditional craft shops and modern shopping centres where it’s easy to browse for clothes, jewellery, textiles and souvenirs.
The best public beach for swimming is La Cuvette Beach, while Grand Bay Beach is best for water sport activities.
Framed by rocks and a vegetation covered headland, La Cuvette is a small and intimate white-sand beach fronting calm and crystal clear water.
Behind the 80-metre long beach lies a small park complete with food vendors, benches and manicured walkways. The restrooms, changing rooms and shower facilities are all well maintained during high season.
Should the main beach get busy, stroll to the southern end where you can find a couple of quiet white-sand beaches hidden by rocky outcrops and lapped by shallow, crystal clear waters.
La Cuvette Beach is also known as Royal Palm Beach or La Mauricia Beach (owing to the neighbouring resorts).
Located on the bay’s north side adjacent to the Beachcomber Royal Palm Hotel, La Cuvette is easily reached when heading from Grand Bay centre to Pereybere.
Grand Baie Beach (also known as Grand Bay Beach) is probably the most popular beach in Mauritius due to the abundance of tour operators, tourist shops, restaurants, bars, nighclubs and accommodation options.
While not the best swimming beach (try nearby La Cuvette), this is the place to hook up a game fishing charter or dolphin cruise, go scuba diving and try kite surfing.
For gourmet dining, pub-crawling, night-clubbing and action packed nights out, Grand Bay Beach is where to head.
Besides lounging on the beach or beside the swimming pool of your luxury hotel, Grand Bay offers an excellent range of water sport activities for adventurous couples, including swimming, sailing, water skiing, parasailing, windsurfing and scuba diving – numerous dive sites lie within a few kilometres of the beach.
Alternatively, check out colourful coral gardens teeming with rainbow-hued reef fish through the mask of a diving helmet on an underwater sea walk along the ocean floor. Or perhaps try a submarine tour or underwater scooter to view the rich native sea life.
Grand Bay is also the departure point for deep-sea fishing adventures as well as excursions to the nearby islands of Gunners' Quoin, Flat Island, Round Island, and Serpent Island.
Grand Baie offers an excellent choice of 5-star resorts that typically front a pristine white-sand beach, including the following…
Beachcomber Royal Palm Hotel
Location: Grand Baie
Rating: 5-star
Ave nightly price: AUD1,198 per room
Description: Overlooking the Grand Bay, the hotel features a private beach, outdoor swimming pool, and tennis courts. It also has a spa centre, and offers a number of land and water sports to guests. All of the suites at the Beachcomber Royal Palm Hotel have a private patio with views of the tropical gardens and Grand Bay. They include free Wi-Fi, private bathrooms with double basins and separate baths and showers. The 3 à la carte restaurants include Le Bar Plage on the beach and La Goélette overlooking the bay. There is also a hotel bar with live music in the evenings. The Royal Palm offers guests a range of activities, including water-skiing, snorkelling, and glass-bottom boat tours. Transfers can be arranged on request, including via Rolls Royce Phantom and helicopter. Beachcomber Royal Palm Hotel is 24 km from Port Louis and 70 km from the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport.
Hôtel 20° SUD
Location: Pointe Malartic, Grand Baie
Rating: 4-star
Ave nightly price: AUD636 per room
Description: Featuring a spa & wellness centre, a swimming pool and 3 restaurants, Hôtel 20° SUD offers intimate luxury accommodation along a private beach at the mouth of Grand Baie. The elegant suites and rooms all come with a terrace and views of the sea or garden as well as en suite bathrooms with a bath. The suites also feature a private plunge pool or a spa bath. The hotel’s spa offers 4 massage rooms, a Turkish bath and a spa bath. The restaurants serve a range of fresh seafood and meat dishes, and homemade cake with tea or coffee is available daily in the afternoon. Hôtel 20° SUD is just 1 km from Pointe aux Canonniers. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Gardens are a 20-minute drive away and SSR International Airport is 1 hour and 20 minutes’ drive away.
Clos du Littoral by Evaco Holidays
Location: Grand Baie
Rating: 5-star
Ave nightly price: AUD550 per room
Description: Just a stones throw away from Grande Baie Beach, Clos du Littoral by Evaco Holidays offers luxury accommodation in Grand Baie. The villas have an outdoor pool and BBQ facilities. There is a spa and wellness centre and grocery delivery service. Each villa has an open plan living area which includes a dining area and living room with a flat-screen TV with satellite channel. There is a well-appointed kitchen featuring a dishwasher, s coffee machine and modern finishes and equipment. The villas are air conditioned and have a terrace with garden views. Each private bathroom is has luxurious fittings, equipped with a shower or bath and come with a hairdryer. You can enjoy pool view and garden view from the rooms. At Clos du Littoral by Evaco Holidays you will find free shuttle service, and other facilities like a shared lounge and an ironing service are offered. Activities in the surrounding area include cycling and snorkelling. The property offers free parking. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport is an hour's drive from the property, and Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden is 13 km away.
Baystone Boutique Hotel & Spa
Location: Grand Baie
Rating: 5-star
Ave nightly price: AUD412 per room
Description: Baystone Boutique Hotel & Spa is located in the heart of Pointe aux Cannoniers, 2km from the centre of Grand Baie. It features a spa, outdoor swimming pool and panoramic sea views. The modern, bright and spacious suites offer a terrace and are equipped with a telephone, flat-screen satellite TV, iPod station, minibar, electric safe, and tea-and-coffee-making facilities. Le Lounge beachfront restaurant serves breakfast lunch and dinner and it has a bar. Le Lagoon overlooks the ocean and serves all meals including light fare. In-room dining is available. The spa and wellness centre features a floating tank, a turkish bath, massage and treatment rooms and a hair salon. A range of water activities are available at Baystone, including wake boarding, kayaking and snorkelling. Bicycle rental is also possible. Baystone offers free Wi-Fi and private parking. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport is 73 km away. Airport transfers can be arranged on request.
Beachcomber Le Mauricia Hotel
Location: Grand Baie
Rating: 4-star
Ave nightly price: AUD230 per room
Description: Situated on a beach in Grand Bay, this 4-star Beachcomber resort offers bright rooms with views of the garden or Indian Ocean. It features 2 restaurants and a pool bar surrounded by 2 infinity pools. Relaxing treatments can be enjoyed at the wellness centre, which includes a modern gym and a sauna. There are 3 flood-lit tennis courts and a volleyball court. Guests can also make use of the facilities at Beachcomber Le Canonnier. A variety of trips, including glass-bottom boat tours and diving can be arranged. Bike rentals are also available. The air-conditioned rooms and suites at Le Mauricia are set in Mediterranean-style buildings. Each includes a seating area with a satellite TV. Free toiletries and a hairdryer are in the modern bathrooms.
Latest update: about Grand Baie, Mauritius: 30 December, 2022
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