Once Grand Baie was just a fishing village in Mauritius, but today it is one of the island’s most popular tourist destinations. The name, received in the 17th century (“The bay without end”), determined the future fate of this place.
There are plenty of water sports you can enjoy, like swimming in warm and calm ocean, sailing, windsurfing, kitesurfing and water skiing. If you’re a big fan of fishing – Grand Baie is the departure point for all deep sea fishing trips.
Here is the list of 10 best things to do in Grand Baie, Mauritius; keep reading to learn more about most popular tourist attractions you can visit.
Tourists are attracted to Grand Bay not only because of places to visit. The resort has everything you need for a high quality holidays.
The tourist infrastructure is perfectly developed. There are luxury hotels and villas, trendy boutiques and old craft shops, souvenir shops, restaurants and cafes with international and national Mauritian cuisine.
According to tourists, the best shopping in all of Mauritius is on Grand Baie. There are also many party places to visit in Grand Baie, so there will be no time for rest.
Grand Bay Location in Mauritius
Grand Baie is located in the northern Mauritius. If you’re going there from Port Louis, it will take about 30 minutes to drive by car. If you’re going there by bus, might be a little longer.
Actually, you can easily go there from other cities on the island. So, you can easily plan your itinerary using public transportation.
If you have enough time and ready to explore the island as much as possible, make sure you’ve planned your visit to the nearbly town Trou aux Biches (will take just 10 minutes drive or one hour walking distance).
Best Season to Visit
Tourists travel to the north of Mauritius all year round. There are no distinct seasons here, and the amount of precipitation is much less than in other regions.
But still, if you want to catch good weather the best time to plan your trip to Grand Baie is from April till December, expecting that in January and February there are many rainy days.
From December to February, the sun in the resort is not so scorching, but precipitation can occur.
The wind here blows from the sea. But thanks to the many picturesque bays, tourists can find windless places under the canopy of royal palms.
Things To Do in Grand Baie in 2024
If you get tired of lying on the beach, the resort will offer a huge amount of entertainment:
- windsurfing,
- kitesurfing,
- parasailing,
- sailing,
- skiing,
- deep sea fishing,
- yacht trips,
- diving and snorkeling,
- boat trips to remote islands and the resort itself.
1. Diving In Grand Bay
One of the most popular Grand Baie activities is scuba diving. There are about 20 dive sites located in Grand Baie, so you can easily find special places for first-time divers as well as for those with great diving experience.
Plenty of cliffs, coral reefs, pinnacles are waiting for passionate discoverers. The maximum depth in one of the dive locations, Black Forest is 50 m.
Actually, you can enjoy diving in any time of the year, but its better to plan it for Mauritius summer – from November till May. Click here to enjoy scuba diving in Grand Baie.
2. Swim With Dolphins
Diving in Grand Baie gained its popularity because of the opportunity to meet dolphins and sharks. If watch and swim with dolphins is on your list of things to do, its better to plan your visit during one of the following months, when the chances to meet these marine creatures are really high: April, May, August, September, October, November, December.
But one of the best places on Mauritius to meet dolphins is Tamarind Bay, located on the west coast of the island. Book this tour to swim with dolphins.
3. Shark Diving for Extreme Lovers
If you’re looking for some special attractions in Grand Bay, you should try shark diving. Before considering to include this activitiy in your list, make sure you have enough diving experience.
Companies, offering this tour don’t let first time divers and those with beginner diving level to participate.
Sharks are usually arrive to the coast of Mauritius in February and March, then you can meet them in October, November and December.
Except of Grand Baie in the North of the island, shark safari can be enjoyed from Tamarind Bay in the South West, Trou d’Eau Douce in the East.
4. Try Snorkeling in Grand Baie
There are plenty of snorkeling locations in Mauritius, some of them are in Grand Bay waiting for you to explore them. You can start with Pointe d’Azur and spend great time snorkeling in shallow warm waters, depth there is about 2 metres.
On your way you’ll see beautiful corals and different fish species, like boxfish and damselfish. But, for sure, the most popular snorkeling place is Grand Baie is public beach Pereybere. There are two reefs that you can reach entering the water from the shore.
These snorkeling places are great for beginners level, the depth of the sea doesn’t exceed 10 metres.
5. Join Catamaran Cruise
One of the most popular activities in Grand Baie – catamaran cruise, that you can easily join. Price starts from 70 USD per person, different cruise options are available.
If you’re traveling with large group of people you can even book private cruise.
Main advantage of catamaran cruises is that you’ll visit remote Mauritius islands, so nature lovers will be super excited. The next stop will be Coin de Mire island for snorkeling.
The coral conditions there are better comparing to the ones, located near the Mauritius island.
You can meet parrotfish, butterflyfish and other fish species in the shallow waters of Coin de Mire. All three islands visited during catamaran cruise are considered a part of nature reserve. Click here to book your seat on catamaran cruise.
6. Visit Grand Baie Bazaar
Visit to Grand Baie Bazaar should be included in your list of places to visit in the area. Its a great place to find souvenirs and gifts from local producers at great price.
Its super easy to find different things there, but make sure to walk around many stalls to find the best price.
There are plenty of clothes but most of them are from mock-designers, so don’t expect too much.
Its better to pay attention to local craft and buy some painted bags, bijouterie, beachwear, artwork.
Keep in mind, that this place is very popular and super crowded on weekends especially, so always take care of your belongings.
- Address: Grand Baie, Mauritius
- Opening hours: Mon-Sat – 9.00 – 17.00, closed on Sun
- On the map
7. Visit Notre-Dame Auxiliatrice de Cap Malheureux
About 10 minutes drive from Grand Baie there is one of the oldest churches on the island and one of the most famous one. Notre Dame Auxiliatrice, also known as Red Church, is one of the popular places to visit in the northern Mauritius.
It was founded in 1900s and witnessed many events that decide the fate of the island. Its architecture and mix of colours make Red Church the popular photo spot, this is also one of the must-see places for honeymooners.
- Address: 2J8C+365, Cap Malheureux, Mauritius
- Working hours: 9.30 – 19.00
- On the map
Join Full Day tour to discover the north coast of the island
8. Spend Time on Grand Bay Beaches
Enjoy your lazy time on the beach should be on your list of things to do in Grand Baie. You can choose the best option for you among several beaches or you can discover each of them.
Start your beaches discovery campaign from public beach La Cuvette.
Clear turquoise water and white soft sand are the distinguishing feature of beaches along Grand Bay. In some places you can see huge black rocks from lava.
There is another Grand Baie public beach located just in the center. Also, if you’re open to exploration, you can visit Mont Choisy beach and Troux Aux Biches beach, both of them are located 10 minutes drive from Grand Baie.
9. Include Tamil Surya Oudaya Sangam Temple in Your Itinerary
This colourful Hindu temple definitely should be on your list of places to visit in Grand Baie. It will impress you with the variety of colors used and attention to architectural details.
There are many Hindu deities, which figures were depicted on this shrine. Special atmoshpere is created by the songs of monks. On the territory of the temple you can meet monkeys, so please take care of belongings.
- Address: XHMC+XXW, Grand Baie, Mauritius
- On the map
10. Try Seabob Diving in Grand Baie
If you find snorkeling a bit boring, we reccommend you to try absolutely new experience – Seabob diving. Have you ever thought about being a dolphin, how cool it is to jump out of water and then again dive in.
Underwater scooter accelerates to speed of 20km/hour. You can dive to the depth of 2.5 metres to discover the beauty of marine life.
According to the organizers, its not so difficult to learn how to use this scooter. So, book this water excursion and be ready to have some fun. Book seabob experience here.
Another option is to try underwater sea walk. This type of experience is really unique, as it allows to observe the sea life without diving.
