Is Mauritius good for a honeymoon?

Are you planning the honeymoon of your dreams and you picture it around palm trees, powdery white sandy beaches, tropical food and overall, paradise?

Then, Mauritius should be your choice! Mauritius is famous for its secluded and stunning beaches, luxury villas and resorts, tropical and fresh food, welcoming people and endless things to do. Having said that we get asked often, is Mauritius good for a honeymoon?

Yes, it is! Mauritius is one of the most paradisiac places in the world, very tourist-friendly, inexpensive, and full of stunning scenery. Moreover, the food in Mauritius is delicious, and very diverse, pairing well with the wide range of activities that the island offers to honeymooners.

Understandably, picking a honeymoon place is a challenging task, with all the exciting and enticing destinations around the world, but that's why we are here for!

Keep reading below to learn more about why Mauritius is an excellent choice of destination for a honeymoon.

Mauritius is a somewhat remote island located in the South West part of the Indian Ocean. It belongs to the Mascarene Islands archipelago together with other two islands, Réunion and Rodrigues.

Mauritius was colonised by the French in the 18th Century, reason why they speak French and they have such a French influence in their culture and cuisine. In 1968, it became independent and formed a stable democratic government. This, lead to a gain in wealth, and overall visibility and in the last 10 to 15 years the tourism industry has increased dramatically in Mauritius!

Mauritius is the perfect destination for those seeking a romantic honeymoon as it is a unique place that offers a tropical atmosphere on a dreamy island without the struggles of other similar places like crowds, high prices and unfriendly people.

Mauritius is different, it has a natural mind-blowing beauty that deserves the true name of paradise. It has an overall volcanic appeal surrounded by palm trees, green thick vegetation and sugarcane crops for that sweet rum! This is, without mentioning the breathtaking beaches which clear waters are to die for and the mountains in the background just leave you speechless.

Reasons why Mauritius is good for a honeymoon.

1. Top paradisiac beaches. Mauritius offers some of the most stunning beaches in the world.
   • Belle Mare beach. This is the top favourite beach in Mauritius, as it is also the longest beach on the east coast reaching 10km long. It is the stereotypical tropical beach with fine, powdery white sand and blue clear waters. Most of the expensive resorts, spas and golf courses are located around this beach. This is any honeymooner heaven!

     

   • Flic en Flac beach. If diving is the main focus of this honeymoon, this is the beach to do so! Clear blue waters, surrounded by coral reefs where visibility is fantastic and spotting diverse wildlife is not uncommon. Bordering the beach there are many eateries, low-key huts and bars cooking local dishes. In essence, this beach is a diver’s paradise.
   • Le Morne beach. This beach is one of our favourites, it is not only beautiful as Le Morne Mountain can be seen on the horizon but also, this beach is one of the kitesurfing meccas of the African continent. It is also perfect for snorkelling and diving.
   • Tamarin Beach. Tamarin Beach is a surfer's paradise in Mauritius. It is not only gorgeous and one of the best beaches on the island for romance and relaxation but also it is the top place to spot and swim with dolphins.
   • The La Cuvette beach. This beach is a hotspot place close to Grand Baie town, for those who wish to relax around calm clear waters where there are no coral reefs for which snorkelling might not be a top activity to do, but underwater scooter rides are a very popular and unique choice worldwide. There is amazing deep open water scuba diving from this beach and it is also excellent for relaxation.
   • The Grand Baie Beach. This one is in our opinion not the best beach in Mauritius, as it is the shortest and not as aesthetically pleasing, however, it is great for water sports, like kitesurfing, windsurfing fishing tours and even diving. Despite not being the best beach it is very popular and often it is crowded as many eateries and cafes are offering fresh seafood including local grilled lobster.
   • Other great beaches in Mauritius include Mont Choisy and Blue Bay beach.
2. Unique activities for honeymooners. Mauritius provides the best and most unique experiences for honeymooners and newlyweds.
   • Swimming with dolphins. This is one of the top things to do on a honeymoon in Mauritius, swimming with dolphins and whales from Tamarin Bay. There are really good and respectable tour operators organising these trips. We recommend doing it.
   • Scuba Diving. Fantastic place for advanced and beginner divers to spot a lot of sea wildlife in great visibility.
   • Catamaran Cruising. This is beyond the typical cruise at sunset with a drink. The sunsets in the Indian Ocean in Mauritius are special like nowhere else. Not just the striking colours but also the awesomeness of having non-stop schools of dolphins displaying a playful show as you cruise along with freshly made beverages on board.

     

   • Underwater Waterfall. This is the ultimate romantic experience for honeymooners in Mauritius. This is experiencing an underwater waterfall from a helicopter with once-in-a-lifetime panoramic views. It is incredible!
   • Le Morne mountain. Exploring and hiking Le Morne mountain is on top of every honeymooner's to-do list when in Mauritius. Thi sis perfect for those couples who need a break from the ocean and all the swims. Reaching the top reward any hike with spectacular romantic views.
   • Chamarel Waterfall. This is a formidable place for honeymooners to enjoy their love by swimming in the Chamarel Waterfall also known as the Natural Pool of Mauritius. Not only the 100mt waterfall is impressive to see up close but also the pool formed at the of it is so beautiful to swim in.
   • The Seven-Coloured Earth. These are the colourful dunes due to the eruption of an active volcano in Mauritius. Due to its activity, there is a unique natural phenomenon as its outcome which creates rainbow-coloured dunes. This repeatable place is located in the Chamarel Plain of Riviere Noire District.
   • Horse Rides. Due to the impressive scenery of the island both coastal and mountainous, one of the most popular activities that will blow any honeymooner's mind is horse rides to explore Mauritius. The best-organised excursions happen at Domaine de L’Etoile and they can even prepare a catered dinner to embrace and celebrate such an epic vacation.

     

3. Safety. Mauritius is a very safe destination for a honeymoon. It is not a coincidence that Mauritius is one of the top-rated destinations for a honeymoon and this is among other things because of the low crime rates. Although some small crimes do happen such as occasional pickpocketing and bag snatching, particularly, in crowded public spots like markets or outdoor bars when belongings are left unattended. It is not a problem that affects tourists.
4. Island Hopping. Another must-do plan when spending your honeymoon in Mauritius is to dedicate a day to island hope to the little gorgeous islands around Mauritius. They are incredibly beautiful just like Mauritius but they are disinhibited and that makes those islands naturally beautiful and untouched.

   

   There are multiple tour operators that offer these guided trips for a very affordable price and you will get to snorkel with sharks, turtles, colourful fish, stingrays and much more. Simply incredible. We recommend the following islands as our top pick:
   • Deer Island (Île aux Cerfs).
   • Îlot Mangenie.
   • Île aux Benitiers.
   • Flat Island.
   • Îlot Gabriel.
   • Amber Island (Isla De Ambre).
   • Island of two cocos (Île des Deux Cocos)
5. The food is delicious in Mauritius. A super important part of your honeymoon is to free up the foodie in you to enjoy and thrive on the most beautiful foods during your trip. Mauritius is famous for its fresh, exotic and sometimes simple but very tasty food. This will take your honeymoon to the next level. The food in Mauritius is something to be explored. It has a mix of cuisines, as this island was not inhabited until the Portuguese colonised it, they don’t traditionally have a cuisine. Some of the most common dishes that can be found in Mauritius are:
   • Curries.
   • Farata.
   • Dim sums.
   • Mauritian Biryani.
   • Coconut Chutney.
   • Alouda.
   • Roti Chaud.
   • Boulettes.
   • Seafood.

There are many more as the range of foods is pretty diverse and will be able to please anyone. From street stalls to upscale dining, honeymooners can thrive in this paradise.

Our favourite restaurants for couples to try on their honeymoon are:

• La Plage Beach Club Restaurant
• Escale Creole
• Dix Neuf Restaurant
• Le Flamboyant: Most Unique Restaurant
• Le Chamarel Restaurant
• Mon Plaisir Restaurant
• Safran Restaurant

6. Tropical climate. Mauritius has a mild tropical climate, which is warm and sunny all year round. It does have two different seasons, but overall suitable for a honeymoon anytime in the year. See below for more details on the best time to travel to Mauritius for a honeymoon.
7. It’s an affordable island paradise. Despite being surrounded by turquoise blue waters and white sandy beaches among other outstanding scenery, Mauritius is a pretty affordable place. It is not as budget-friendly as Bali, but it is not as outrageous as other destinations like the Maldives. See below on this post for more information about how much it cost a honeymoon in Mauritius.

8. Cultural activities. There is a lot to see in Mauritius besides all the incredible beaches and islands around. They have a beautiful history and background worth checking out. Among many historical sites to explore, the best ones are:
   • Port Louis city walk. You will explore all the markets, and stores and admire their architecture from French influence and try the Creole cuisine available. You will have an incredible day.
   • Blue Penny Museum. Also located in Port Louis city, this museum gives a perfect in-depth overview of Mauritius’ historical background and the economical growth of the island. Worth checking out.
   • Chamarel rum distillery. We recommend this activity when wishing to take a break from the ocean! It is very fun, you get to learn about the rum production history and you will get to sample it too!
9. Stunning honeymoon resorts. Our top-rated ones are:
   • Salt of Palmar.
   • LUX* Belle Mare.
   • One&Only Le Saint Géran.
   • The Oberoi Beach Resort Mauritius.
   • The JW Marriott Mauritius Resort.
   • Villa of Constance, Prince Mauritius.
   • Iko Mauritius Resort & Villas.

When is the best time to travel?

Mauritius is an exotic destination with a tropical maritime climate good to be visited all year round. Mauritius's beautiful weather provides a minimum of eight hours of sunshine every day.

That said, there are two different seasons in the year, the wet and the dry seasons where tourists and visitors can experience more or less rainy days and cooler or hotter average temperatures.

The wet season goes from November to April, when temperatures are about 28°C-30°C degrees, particularly December and January being the hottest months with temperatures above 35°C degrees.

Like any other tropical destination, the wet season has very high humidity and more rain frequency. The good news is that these showers tend to be short and sharp and leave a clear day afterwards. There can be risks of cyclones although they don’t happen that commonly. It is also the high peak season, as most of the tourists that Mauritius receive are from Europe, and in those months, it is the winter season when the island is most popular.

In contrast, the dry season goes from May to October, when temperatures are cooler going down to 22°C- 24°C degrees average, particularly in July and August when there is a calming cooler breeze happening on the island. This period of the year is much less humid and makes for the off-season, where prices are cheaper and activities like hiking are much easier as the cool winds allow for them to be pleasant.

In conclusion, no matter when you choose to celebrate your honeymoon in Mauritius, couples will enjoy warm temperatures, sunshine, tons of activities to do and endless places to explore.

How much does a honeymoon in Mauritius cost?

It is everyone’s dream to spend as many days as possible in Mauritius but to make it affordable 7 nights are a pretty good compromise.

There is a good range of accommodation options. Most hotels both in a budget plan or upscale have different meal inclusion options such as going all-inclusive, breakfast only or accommodation only.

From here, we would recommend not pay hotel food and drinks because they are expensive (this is of course if you are budget mindful).

There are tons of dining options while on your vacation that offer much more complete meals and drinks and will deliver higher value for a lower price.

The average night price for a budget to moderate plan is about £60 per person, whereas a more upscale 5 stars hotel would round up to £250 per person. These are the averages for an accommodation-only type of inclusion.

If you were to consider an all-inclusive plan, then the first one would go up to about £70-£100 per person and the more upscale range would go up to £350.

Lastly, if you are to consider the higher accommodation scale, like the top lux villas with infinity pool and spa (and if your budget is a bit broader, we recommend you consider them because they are amazing) then the average cost per night can go up to £850 to £1000 per person.

When it comes to the flight costs in and out of Mauritius, it depends on where you are coming from. Unless you live in a neighbouring country, unfortunately, this is the bulk of the cost for the honeymoon trip. Mauritius although reachable is not a direct flight and it is a bit remote. However, most big airlines like British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Emirates will fly to Mauritius. From most places in Europe, the flight length is 12-15 hours on average and the price would be between £800- £1000.

For taxi or car hire on your honeymoon trip, the prices usually vary between £50-£100 a day. Eating out in a street stall for a quick meal would be about £5, whereas it would be around £50 in a more fine restaurant. Activities like guided snorkelling tours, dolphin cruises and so on may go around £100 to £150.

Besides that, there are no other added or hidden costs for this trip as you don’t need any special paperwork like visas or special permissions to visit Mauritius. If you don’t wish to withdraw all the money budgeted for the honeymoon trip at once, don’t worry, there are many ATMs all over the island and they will accept most of the known credit cards.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Mauritius is an excellent choice for a honeymoon. If you are the type of couple who is seeking a tropical paradise surrounded by palm trees, lush green forests and marvellous beaches, on top of year-round summer weather, then Mauritius is the perfect place for you!

There are many activities for couples to do on their honeymoon. These include but are not limited to, a sunset catamaran cruise, sunset romantic dinner, dolphin watching, dolphin swimming, island hopping, snorkelling, scuba diving, surfing, kitesurfing, hikes, glass-bottom boat rides, horse rides and many more!

Not only is it a gorgeous place but also it is an amazing place for couples to balance their romantic beach time with all the possible adventures that the island offers.

Lastly, for a memorable honeymoon, don’t forget to explore the city centre, the small islands around and all the food options available in Mauritius!