The east coast around Belle Mare is Mauritius at its most postcard-perfect: long ribbons of powder-white sand, pale turquoise lagoons and some of the island's finest resorts, all wrapped in a calmer, more spacious atmosphere than the busy north or west. It is a place to slow down — and, precisely because everything is spread out, it is a place where a rental car makes all the difference.
Why rent a car in Belle Mare
Belle Mare's beauty comes from its openness: the beaches are enormous, the resorts sit well apart, and the towns, restaurants and attractions beyond the hotels are a drive rather than a stroll away. Public transport along the east coast is limited and slow, so without a car you can feel pleasantly but genuinely stranded on the resort strip. With one, you can seek out a quiet stretch of beach entirely to yourself, drive to a local restaurant for authentic Mauritian food, and reach the departure point for Île aux Cerfs without relying on an expensive hotel shuttle.
The east is also the gateway to one of the island's signature experiences — a boat day to Île aux Cerfs from Trou d'Eau Douce — and to the wild, less-visited south-east coast. A car lets you time these trips to beat the crowds and the heat, and to combine them with stops your fellow guests never see.
What to reach by car from Belle Mare
- Île aux Cerfs — the classic island-off-an-island beach day, reached by boat from Trou d'Eau Douce just south.
- Trou d'Eau Douce — a charming fishing village with good seafood restaurants.
- Poste de Flacq & the northern east coast — quiet beaches and the church of Saint Julien.
- Centre de Flacq — a lively inland town with a big market for local colour and produce.
- Bras d'Eau National Park — forest walks and birdlife a little to the north.
Airport pickup and hotel delivery
Belle Mare is roughly 50 minutes from SSR Airport (MRU), an easy transfer that takes you up the east side of the island. Collecting at the airport means arriving with your car ready for the whole stay. If you prefer, we deliver to your resort, villa or apartment along the east coast at the time you choose, and collect it from there or at the airport when you leave. Either way there is no deposit to block and no credit card required.
Driving and parking on the east coast
Driving around Belle Mare is relaxed and uncrowded — the coastal roads are quiet and the pace is gentle. Parking at beaches and public access points is easy and free, and the resorts have their own parking for guests. The main point to plan for is fuel: stations are more spread out on the east coast than in the busier regions, so fill up in one of the larger towns before setting off on a longer day of exploring. The roads are in good condition and simple to navigate with offline maps.
Best time to visit the east
The east coast catches the trade winds, which keep it fresh and are a joy for kitesurfers and sailors, though they can pick up in the winter months. The lagoon stays sheltered and swimmable year-round, and the beaches are at their most serene early in the morning — a perfect reason to have a car and drive to an empty stretch of sand before breakfast. Whenever you visit, your own transport is what lets you make the most of the east's calm, spacious beauty.
A perfect day exploring the east by car
The east rewards an early start, and a car makes it effortless. Begin with a sunrise walk on the empty white sand of Belle Mare, then drive south to Trou d'Eau Douce and catch a boat to Île aux Cerfs before the day-trippers arrive, returning in the early afternoon while the light is still golden. On the way back, stop in the fishing village for a seafood lunch, then explore the quieter beaches to the north around Poste de Flacq, or turn inland to the market town of Centre de Flacq for a taste of everyday Mauritian life. Because the car is always with you, the day flexes around the weather and your mood rather than a shuttle schedule.
On another day the east is a springboard: it is an easy drive across the island's waist to the central plateau, Grand Bassin and the highland viewpoints, or south to the wilder coast. The east's spaced-out geography, which makes it feel so peaceful, is exactly what makes a car so valuable here — everything worth seeing is a short, pleasant drive rather than an expensive taxi ride away.
Île aux Cerfs and the east-coast beaches
The east is famous for two things above all: the vast, powder-soft beaches of Belle Mare and Palmar, and the boat day to Île aux Cerfs, a picture-perfect islet of white sand and turquoise shallows reached from Trou d'Eau Douce. With a car you can reach the departure jetty early, before the crowds, and choose your own operator rather than paying resort prices. Back on the mainland, the public beaches at Belle Mare are among the most beautiful on the island and rarely crowded away from the resorts — and having a car lets you find the emptiest, most photogenic stretch.
Food and local life
Beyond the resorts, the east has a genuine, unhurried local character. The seafood restaurants of Trou d'Eau Douce serve the day's catch, the market at Centre de Flacq is a colourful weekly event, and small roadside stalls offer authentic Mauritian snacks. A car is what connects the resort strip to this real island life — a short drive brings you to family-run tables and village markets that no hotel shuttle would ever include, and lets you bring back fresh fruit and provisions for a self-catering stay.
Practical tips for driving on the east coast
- Fill up in Centre de Flacq or Belle Mare — fuel stations are more spread out on the east coast than elsewhere.
- The coastal roads are quiet and easy; parking at public beaches and the Île aux Cerfs jetty is simple and free.
- Head to the beaches early for the calmest water and the best light, before the trade winds strengthen.
- Offline maps help on the inland roads between the east and the central plateau.
- Keep small cash for the boat operators and village stalls, even though cards are common in the resorts.