With kids · Mauritius

Mauritius with kids

Family-tested sights, a calm base and the practical details that make travelling with children easier.

Updated 23 October 2026By the AMZBooking editorial team

Quick answer

Mauritius suits families well: reef-sheltered lagoons with gentle waves, short drives, giant tortoises, dolphins and kids' clubs at most resorts. The north-west and west coasts have the calmest water. Top picks: Casela Nature Parks, Chamarel Seven Coloured Earths and waterfall and Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden. Families usually base themselves in Trou aux Biches and Mont Choisy.

Family picks: 7
Best area for families: Trou aux Biches and Mont Choisy
Rainy-day options: 0
Busiest months: December

Best things to do with kids

Theme park · Flic en Flac

1.Casela Nature Parks

A large wildlife and adventure park near Cascavelle with safari drives among zebras, giraffes and antelope, aviaries, a petting farm, ziplines and quad-biking. It is the island's most popular family day out after the beach.

Arrive early in the morning before the midday heat, and pre-book activities such as ziplines on busy holiday weeks.

Time needed: Half a day
Cost: Mid-priced

Kids
Active
Outdoors

Nature · Chamarel

2.Chamarel Seven Coloured Earths and waterfall

A small patch of rippled volcanic dunes in shades of red, brown, violet and yellow, formed by the weathering of basalt, inside a nature park that also has a viewpoint over the 100-metre Chamarel waterfall and a pen of giant Aldabra tortoises.

Visit in the late afternoon when the low sun brings out the colours, then stop at the rum distillery down the road.

Time needed: 1.5 hours
Cost: Low cost

Iconic
Kids
Photo spot
Nature

Garden · Pamplemousses

3.Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden

Founded in the 18th century, this garden in Pamplemousses is famous for its pond of giant Victoria water lilies, avenues of royal and talipot palms, spice trees and a pen of giant tortoises. Official guides at the gate explain the plants and their uses.

Hire one of the licensed guides at the entrance; without one it is easy to miss the spice trees and rare palms.

Time needed: 1.5–2 hours
Cost: Low cost

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Kids
Nature
Outdoors

Nature · Blue Bay and Mahébourg

4.Blue Bay Marine Park

A protected lagoon in the south-east with branching and brain corals, reef fish and clear, shallow water. Glass-bottom boats leave from the public beach, and snorkelling trips visit the coral gardens a short way offshore.

Snorkel in the morning before the wind picks up, and choose a glass-bottom boat if you have young children.

Time needed: 2–3 hours
Cost: Low cost

Kids
Nature
Outdoors

Island · Blue Bay and Mahébourg

5.Île aux Aigrettes nature reserve

A small coral island off Mahébourg where the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation has restored native coastal forest. Guided walks show pink pigeons, Telfair's skinks, ornate day geckos and giant Aldabra tortoises, and explain how conservationists brought species back from near extinction.

Wear closed shoes; the coral-rock paths are sharp and uneven.

Time needed: 2 hours
Cost: Mid-priced
Book ahead: Visits are by guided tour only, run by the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation; book ahead in high season.

Nature
Kids
Off the beaten path

Island · Trou d'Eau Douce

6.Île aux Cerfs

A small island in the east-coast lagoon with white-sand beaches, a golf course and water-sports centres, reached by boat from Trou d'Eau Douce or on catamaran day trips that stop at a waterfall on the Grande Rivière Sud-Est on the way.

Walk away from the jetty to the far beaches for quieter sand, and avoid weekends when local excursions fill it up.

Time needed: Full day
Cost: Mid-priced

Kids
Couples
Outdoors

Experience · Tamarin and Black River

7.Dolphin watching off Tamarin

Spinner and bottlenose dolphins rest in the bays off Tamarin and Black River in the early morning, and boat trips leave at dawn to see them. Many trips continue to snorkelling spots or the Île aux Bénitiers sandbank.

Pick an operator that keeps its distance and limits boats around the pods; early departures see more dolphins and calmer water.

Time needed: Half a day
Cost: Mid-priced

Kids
Nature
Outdoors

Where families should stay

$$$ · Best for families, beach and first-timers

Trou aux Biches and Mont Choisy

These neighbouring villages have some of the longest and calmest beaches in the north, with snorkelling off Trou aux Biches and a two-kilometre sweep of sand at Mont Choisy. Hotels range from family resorts to small apartments, and Grand Baie's restaurants are about 10 minutes away.

Good: Calm, shallow water for children; Good snorkelling; Sunset views
Watch out: Public beaches crowded on Sundays; Some traffic on the coast road
Nearby: Grand Baie, Pamplemousses, Port Louis

Family travel tips

Pack reef shoes; stonefish and sea urchins live in the lagoons and coral can cut feet.
Choose a north-west or west-coast base for calmer, warmer water in the winter months.
Sunscreen and hats are essential: the tropical sun is strong even on cloudy days.
Hire car seats in advance from rental companies or ask your taxi company to provide them.
Many resorts offer free stays and kids' clubs for young children; compare family packages.

Day trips for families

Chamarel and the south-west (About 1.5 hours from Grand Baie by car) — A loop through the Black River Gorges viewpoints, the Seven Coloured Earths and Chamarel waterfall, a rum distillery lunch and the coast road under Le Morne Brabant.
Grand Bassin and Curepipe (About 1.25 hours from Grand Baie by car) — Drive up to the cooler central plateau to see the sacred lake of Grand Bassin and its giant Shiva statue, the Trou aux Cerfs crater and the colonial town of Curepipe with its model-ship workshops.
Mahébourg and Blue Bay (About 1.5 hours from Grand Baie by car) — The south-east combines the historic town of Mahébourg, a guided walk on Île aux Aigrettes and snorkelling or a glass-bottom boat in Blue Bay Marine Park.

When to go with children

The best months overall are April–May and September–November. December is the busiest, so book the big sights early. Weather by month.

Questions travellers ask

+Is Mauritius good for kids?

+What can kids do in Mauritius?

Casela Nature Parks, Chamarel Seven Coloured Earths and waterfall, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden, Blue Bay Marine Park and Île aux Aigrettes nature reserve.

+Where should families stay in Mauritius?

Trou aux Biches and Mont Choisy: Long casuarina-shaded lagoon beaches on the north-west coast.