Choosing where to stay in Mauritius is not only about finding the best beach or hotel. Your location also determines how easily you can explore the rest of the island.
If you plan to rent a car in Mauritius, you have much more freedom when choosing your accommodation. You do not necessarily need to stay close to organised excursions or within walking distance of every restaurant. Instead, you can choose an area that suits your holiday and use it as a base for discovering different parts of Mauritius.
Grand Baie, Flic en Flac, Tamarin, Le Morne, Belle Mare and the south-east all offer very different experiences. Here is how to choose the right one when you have your own car.
Grand Baie: a practical base for exploring the north
Grand Baie is one of the best-known tourist areas in Mauritius. Located in the north, it has a large choice of restaurants, shops, supermarkets, beaches and activities.
It is particularly convenient if you want a holiday where you can alternate between days on the road and days when you leave the car parked.
From Grand Baie, having a rental car makes it easy to explore the northern coastline. Pereybere, Cap Malheureux, Mont Choisy and Trou aux Biches can all be incorporated into short outings rather than full-day excursions.
You can also drive inland towards Pamplemousses and visit the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden before continuing towards Port Louis.
The main consideration is that Grand Baie is a busy area, particularly around the centre. If you are renting a villa or apartment, checking whether private parking is included can make your stay easier.
Best for: first-time visitors, couples, families and travellers who want plenty of restaurants and activities nearby.
With a car: ideal for exploring the north while still having plenty to do close to your accommodation.
Trou aux Biches and Mont Choisy: quieter alternatives in the north
If you like the idea of staying in northern Mauritius but would prefer somewhere calmer than central Grand Baie, Trou aux Biches and Mont Choisy are worth considering.
Both put you within easy driving distance of Grand Baie while offering a more relaxed setting.
Trou aux Biches is particularly popular for its long beach and calm lagoon, while Mont Choisy offers one of the most recognisable stretches of public beach in the north.
A car rental in mauritius makes staying here particularly convenient. You can enjoy a quieter base without giving up easy access to restaurants, shopping and activities around Grand Baie.
It also gives you the freedom to explore several beaches along the north-west coast rather than spending your entire holiday on the beach closest to your hotel.
Best for: families, couples and travellers looking for a quieter beach holiday.
With a car: a good compromise between tranquillity and easy access to the busier northern coast.
Flic en Flac: a good base for exploring the west
Flic en Flac is one of the most practical choices if you want to spend a significant part of your holiday exploring Mauritius by car.
The village sits on the west coast and combines a long beach with restaurants, supermarkets and a wide range of accommodation.
Its location is particularly interesting for travellers planning to explore the west and south-west.
From Flic en Flac, you can head towards Tamarin and Black River before continuing towards Chamarel and Le Morne. Another day can be spent travelling in the opposite direction towards Port Louis and the centre of the island.
This means you can see very different parts of Mauritius without changing accommodation every few nights.
Flic en Flac is also an easy place to return to after a day of sightseeing, with plenty of options for dinner without needing to plan another long drive.
Best for: families, couples and first-time visitors who expect to do plenty of sightseeing.
With a car: one of the most versatile bases for discovering western and south-western Mauritius.
Tamarin and Black River: ideal for nature and the south-west
Continue south from Flic en Flac and the atmosphere gradually changes.
Tamarin and Black River are particularly interesting if beaches, mountains and outdoor activities feature prominently in your plans.
Staying here puts you closer to some of the most impressive landscapes in Mauritius. Black River Gorges National Park, Chamarel and Le Morne are all natural choices for day trips from this part of the island.
A car hire Mauritius is especially useful here because attractions are spread across the region. Rather than relying on organised tours, you can decide how long you want to spend at each stop and combine several places during the same day.
For example, you might spend the morning around Chamarel, stop for lunch in the area and continue towards Le Morne in the afternoon.
Compared with Grand Baie, Tamarin and Black River have a more relaxed atmosphere. There are restaurants and shops, but the area feels less like a concentrated tourist centre.
Best for: independent travellers, couples, nature lovers and active holidays.
With a car: particularly convenient for exploring Chamarel, Black River and the south-west.
Le Morne: spectacular scenery but a more isolated base
Few locations in Mauritius are as distinctive as Le Morne. The peninsula is dominated by Le Morne Brabant and surrounded by lagoon, beaches and dramatic mountain scenery.
For travellers prioritising the setting of their hotel or resort, it can be difficult to beat.
However, Le Morne is quite different from staying in Grand Baie or Flic en Flac. There is less within walking distance outside the resorts, making a car particularly useful if you intend to explore beyond your accommodation.
From Le Morne, you can drive towards Chamarel, Black River Gorges and the quieter villages and coastline of the south.
It is therefore an excellent choice for travellers who want to combine a peaceful resort stay with independent days out.
If your priority is exploring the entire island every day, however, Le Morne may not be the most practical single base because of its position in the south-west.
Best for: couples, honeymoons, watersports and travellers prioritising scenery and tranquillity.
With a car: much easier to explore beyond the resort and discover the wider south-west.
Belle Mare: a peaceful base on the east coast
Belle Mare offers a very different experience from the busier north and west.
The east coast is known for long beaches, large resorts and a quieter atmosphere. It can be an excellent choice if relaxation is the priority but you still want the option of exploring independently.
A rental car makes a significant difference here because many places of interest are spread along the coastline rather than concentrated around one tourist centre.
You can drive south towards Trou d’Eau Douce, one of the main departure points for trips to Île aux Cerfs, or explore smaller coastal villages at your own pace.
Staying on the east coast also gives you a different perspective on Mauritius. Instead of treating this part of the island as a single day trip, you have time to explore it without rushing.
Best for: couples, families and travellers looking for quieter beaches and resort-style accommodation.
With a car: recommended if you want to leave the resort regularly and explore the east independently.
Mahébourg and Blue Bay: a different side of Mauritius
The south-east is often overlooked by visitors choosing where to stay, yet it offers an interesting alternative to the island’s major resort areas.
Mahébourg has a more local atmosphere, while nearby Blue Bay is known for its lagoon and marine park.
The area is also relatively close to Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, making it an interesting option for the beginning or end of a holiday.
With a rental car, you can use the south-east as a starting point for exploring the less-developed southern coastline. Rather than driving directly between your hotel and the island’s most famous attractions, you can stop in villages, visit beaches and discover places that are easily missed on organised excursions.
For travellers spending two weeks in Mauritius, the south-east can also work well as part of a two-base holiday.
Best for: independent travellers, quieter stays and visitors interested in seeing a more local side of Mauritius.
With a car: particularly useful for exploring the south and south-east at your own pace.
Should you stay in one place or choose two bases?
Mauritius is small enough that changing hotels every couple of days is usually unnecessary. Having a rental car gives you the flexibility to visit different regions while keeping the same accommodation.
For a stay of around one week, choosing a single well-positioned base will often be the simplest option.
For longer holidays, however, dividing your stay between two parts of the island can make sense.
You could, for example, spend the first part of your holiday around Grand Baie or Trou aux Biches before moving to Le Morne, Black River or Belle Mare. This reduces some of the longer drives and allows you to experience two very different sides of Mauritius.
There is no need to turn the holiday into a road trip. Two carefully chosen locations are usually enough.
What should you check before booking your accommodation?
If you know you will be renting a car, look beyond the hotel photographs when choosing where to stay.
Check whether your hotel, guesthouse, apartment or villa provides parking. In busy areas, having a reserved space can be considerably more convenient than looking for somewhere to park each evening.
It is also worth checking the exact location rather than relying solely on the name of the nearest town. A property advertised as being in a popular resort area may actually be several kilometres from its centre.
Finally, think about the places you most want to visit. If most of your plans involve Chamarel, Le Morne and Black River, staying in the far north will mean more time on the road. If beaches and attractions in the north dominate your list, Grand Baie, Mont Choisy or Trou aux Biches will make more sense.
Where is the best place to stay in Mauritius with a rental car?
There is no single area that works for every traveller. Grand Baie is particularly convenient if you want restaurants, activities and northern beaches nearby.
- Trou aux Biches and Mont Choisy offer a quieter alternative without moving far from Grand Baie.
- Flic en Flac is a versatile choice for travellers who plan to explore the west and south-west.
- Tamarin and Black River work particularly well for nature, outdoor activities and access to Chamarel.
- Le Morne is better suited to travellers who value scenery and tranquillity over being centrally located.
- Belle Mare is a strong choice for a peaceful east-coast holiday, especially when a car gives you the freedom to explore beyond the resort.
- Mahébourg and Blue Bay offer something different again, with convenient access to the south-east and a more local atmosphere.
The advantage of having your own car is that your hotel does not have to determine your entire holiday. You can stay by the beach you prefer, leave when you want and spend each day discovering a different part of Mauritius.
Explore Mauritius with Hosram Car Rental Mauritius
Wherever you decide to stay, renting a car gives you the freedom to discover Mauritius beyond your immediate hotel area.
Hosram Car Rental Mauritius offers a selection of automatic vehicles suitable for couples, families and longer stays, with car rental services available across Mauritius.
If you are staying in Grand Baie, Flic en Flac, Le Morne, Belle Mare or elsewhere on the island, arranging your car in advance means you can start exploring Mauritius from the beginning of your stay, and plan each day around what you want to see rather than a fixed excursion schedule.