Is the East Coast of Mauritius Worth It with Kids? What to Do and Where to Stay
- minna
- 2 days ago
- 8 min read
If you are debating whether the east coast of Mauritius is actually worth adding to your family itinerary, you are entirely not alone. We already had the North booked for beaches and boat trips, the South for spectacular mountains and wildlife, and the West for Flic en Flac and dolphin watching. We joked that adding the East Coast felt like we were doing it to tick off the whole island but it turned out to be the most memorable part of our entire two weeks!
We stayed at two completely different properties in the same area: glamping in the dense jungle at Otentic, and then sleeping on a private island in a transparent bubble at Bubble Lodge! The two nights together made for a magical experience.
This guide covers exactly what the East Coast is actually like with young children, the best family-friendly activities, and the most memorable places to stay.
What is the East Coast of Mauritius Like?
The east coast has a totally different feel to the rest of the island. As it is less developed here, the landscape is greener with more trees and undisturbed forest than the West Coast and it feels calmer and slower paced. The beaches here are beautifully framed by the largest lagoon in Mauritius, meaning the water is calm, clear, and shallow making it ideal for young kids.
The famous Île aux Cerfs sits just offshore from the charming village of Trou d'Eau Douce, easily accessible by a short speedboat or catamaran crossing. The island boasts some of the most spectacular beaches in Mauritius. The shallow natural pool located between Île aux Cerfs and the neighbouring Île Marguerite is easily one of the best public spots for young kids to swim safely. But our favourite beach was the private beach right next to Bubble Lodge where we stayed for the night. You can stay the night here and be the only ones on the island meaning you get to enjoy this all to yourself!
The Grand River South East waterfall, easily reached by kayak from the riverbank or by speedboat on a tour, is another massive highlight of the area.
The East Coast is also where you will find some of the most iconic luxury resort hotels in Mauritius. It is a slightly more exclusive, much less developed side of the island. For families who want to be based somewhere quiet while still having easy access to places like Île aux Cerfs, it's the perfect spot.
Read the full guide for Île aux Cerfs: Île aux Cerfs with Kids: How to Visit, What to Do, and Why We Stayed the Night
Best Things to Do on the East Coast with Kids
Explore Île aux Cerfs
This gorgeous island is the main highlight on this side of Mauritius and it is definitely worth visiting however you choose to do it. The public beach is on a massive long white stretch of sand inside the lagoon, with lively beach bars, great restaurants, and a small playground area for young children. Day trips typically combine Île aux Cerfs with the Grand River South East Waterfall in one single full day excursion.
Recommended tour: Île aux Cerfs Full Day Catamaran Cruise
(Use code TODDLERTRAVELDIARIES5 for 5% off via the GetYourGuide app.)
Kayaking to the GRSE Waterfall
The Grand River South East flows straight from the lush inland mountains right down to the coast, and the waterfall is about 500 metres upstream from the sea. You can easily reach it on a speedboat as part of a typical tour, but because we stayed at Otentic Eco Tent and there were free kayaks (with kids life jackets too) we decided to paddle there ourselves. The river is calm and wide and the gentle paddle takes just 15 minutes each way. On the way back from one of our trips, we saw monkeys in the trees but we drifted slightly too close so the monkeys warned us not to get any closer!
Read our review for our stay at Otentic here: Otentic Eco Tent Experience Review: Glamping in Mauritius with Kids
Blue Bay Marine Park
Down at the far southern end of the east coast, the Blue Bay Marine Park is widely considered one of the absolute best snorkelling spots in the entire Indian Ocean. The highly protected lagoon features exceptional coral and rich marine life, and the water is calm enough to swim with young children (our daughter swam both from the beach and from the boat, and me and my husband took it in turns to snorkle/stay with our daughter) . It is about 45 minutes to an hour from the main east coast resorts by car and it's a great family day trip.
Ile aux Cerfs Golf Club
If you happen to play golf, the Île aux Cerfs course features two gorgeous championship courses with breathtaking views over the Indian Ocean. We were staying at Bubble Lodge which included some complimentary golf lessons so I had my first ever go playing whilst my husband stayed with our daughter at the beach!
Where to Stay on the East Coast
The east coast spans all the way from Poste Lafayette in the north straight down to Mahébourg in the south. Trou d'Eau Douce is the main departure point for Île aux Cerfs and acts as the absolute most convenient base. Belle Mare features a massive long beach packed with iconic resort hotels.
Here is a quick reference guide to the absolute best family properties:
Property | Location | Price From | Best For |
Deux Frères | £140 per night | Glamping, river kayaking, and incredible local food | |
Île aux Cerfs | £400 per night | Sleeping under the stars in a bubble on a private island | |
Grand River South East | £130 per night | Budget friendly all inclusive option | |
Trou d'Eau Douce | £400 per night | Ultimate luxury with a private guest only island | |
Beau Champ | £350 per night | Villas with private pools and shallow lagoon swimming | |
Belle Mare | £350 per night | World class sandy beaches and a fantastic kids club |
1. Otentic Eco Tent Experience (prices from around £140 per night)
This was the completely unexpected standout of our entire two weeks in Mauritius. Otentic Eco Tent is set right on the beautiful bank of the Grand River South East in a tiny village called Deux Frères. You sleep in spacious safari tents set on raised wooden decks, completely surrounded by swaying coconut palms making you feel like you're in the jungle. There is a great swimming pool, a fun games room, free kayaks, archery and a free daily shuttles to Île aux Cerfs.
The highlight here however is the food which is cooked with locally sourced produce. You see the kitchen staff busily cooking all day and they would often play or sneak snacks (carrots and fruit) to my daughter whilst we were there. All of these things make Otentic Eco Tent feel like you're part of the community, and that massive difference is what makes it so entirely special.
One practical note: the official listing states that children over five are welcome. We visited with our three year old daughter and simply made sure to contact them and confirm this was okay before booking. The team are wonderfully responsive and highly accommodating. There are no cots available, but the tent had one large king bed and two single beds meaning there was plenty of space.
2. Bubble Lodge Île aux Cerfs (prices from around £400 per night)
How often do you get to stay on a private island all alone? There are just four spectacular transparent bubble structures on the island, each sitting beautifully on a private raised deck with direct beach access. They feature a queen bed, a comfortable sofa bed, a stunning private open sky shower, air conditioning (which you absolutely need), and a dedicated personal butler who arrives on a golf cart whenever you call!
Read the full review here: Bubble Lodge Île aux Cerfs Review with Kids: Sleeping Under the Stars on a Private Island
The day trippers all completely left at around 5pm, and after that, the entire island belonged to us completely. We walked the private beach at sunset, enjoyed a delicious three course dinner at the golf club restaurant, and went to sleep with our daughter happily watching the bright stars through the transparent walls above her sofa bed. Because there are only four bubbles, they fill up incredibly fast. You absolutely must book early if you want to experience this magic.
3. Laguna Beach Hotel & Spa (prices from around £130 per night)
We spent our very last night here at the end of the trip and it was an easy way to end two busy weeks of moving around. Laguna Beach is a comfortable all inclusive three star resort on the south east coast near the Grand River South East. It features a massive outdoor pool, a dedicated children's pool, kids play area, and fun evening entertainment including traditional Sega dancing. As an all-inclusive it does the job and there was enough variety in the food to keep us happy for our stay.
4. Shangri La Le Touessrok (prices from around £400 per night)
This is the most famous luxury resort hotel on the east coast and one of the most highly recommended in the whole of Mauritius. Set beautifully in Trou d'Eau Douce, the huge resort has its very own private island perfectly open exclusively to hotel guests! It features six stunning beaches, five world class restaurants, and highly comprehensive water sports totally included in the rate. The kids and teen clubs are a massive, proper operation with highly structured fun programmes.
5. Anahita Golf & Spa Resort (prices from around £350 per night)
Set perfectly across a massive private lagoon at the southern end of the east coast, Anahita actually has its very own private beach club sitting right on Île aux Cerfs, easily accessible by the resort boat. The kids club runs fun activities for totally different age groups from a highly equipped facility that includes great pools, scooters, and trampolines. The gorgeous luxury villas come with their own private pools and full kitchen facilities. The amazing lagoon right in front of the hotel is calm and shallow, which makes it one of the absolute best hotel beaches on the entire island for very young children.
6. Constance Belle Mare Plage (prices from around £350 per night)
Stretching beautifully along a massive stretch of private beachfront on Belle Mare, this gorgeous hotel is a massive long established family favourite. It boasts seven fantastic restaurants, six lovely bars, two massive championship golf courses, amazing watersports, and a brilliant well run kids club. The stunning beach here is the absolute standout feature. It is incredibly wide, beautifully sheltered, and features completely calm lagoon water that works perfectly for young children.
The Best Combination for Families
If I were planning this exact trip again, I would do exactly what we did: Otentic Eco Tent for one or two incredible nights, beautifully followed by a magical night at the Bubble Lodge. The gorgeous contrast between the two stays is exactly what makes each one feel so entirely special. You simply take the free morning shuttle boat directly over to Île aux Cerfs and effortlessly check in at the Bubble Lodge that afternoon!
For a much longer east coast stay or a family that simply wants full luxury resort infrastructure, the Shangri La Le Touessrok and Constance Belle Mare Plage are absolutely the two properties with the most incredibly complete facilities and the absolute strongest track records with families.
For everything else we did during our amazing two weeks in Mauritius, read our full How to Spend 2 Weeks in Mauritius with Young Kids itinerary. For the absolute best accommodation guide across the whole island, read our Where to Stay in Mauritius with Kids: The Ultimate Island-Wide Guide!