Home / Experience Mauritius / Beaches / Pointe aux Piments Beach
A low, rocky stretch of north-west coast between Trou aux Biches and Balaclava — quieter than its neighbours, better for snorkelling than sunbathing, and one of the reliable places to see turtles.
Pointe aux Piments is a village and a coastline rather than a single beach. The shore here is a mix of small sandy pockets and low black basalt, with the lagoon coming right up to the rock in places, and public access points scattered between hotels along the coast road. It has none of the sweep of Mon Choisy or Flic-en-Flac, and that is precisely why it stays quiet.
What it has instead is water. The lagoon is shallow, clear and calm, with coral and seagrass close in, and this stretch of the north-west is one of the more dependable places in Mauritius to snorkel with green and hawksbill turtles — the same waters covered by the Balaclava Marine Park a little further south. Dive and snorkel operators work out of the village and from Trou aux Biches next door. Because the coast faces west, the sunsets are excellent, and there are enough small restaurants and guesthouses along the road to make an evening of it. Bring water shoes: the entry is rarely pure sand.
Shallow, calm and clear, with coral and seagrass close in. Entry is often over rock rather than sand, so water shoes are worth having. No lifeguards.
Mask, snorkel and water shoes above all. Reef-safe sunscreen, and cash for the small restaurants along the coast road.
Roadside parking at scattered public access points between the hotels, with limited shade. Restaurants and guesthouses along the road; snorkel and dive operators in the village and at Trou aux Biches.
Just south: a protected lagoon and reef, and the turtle habitat this stretch of coast is known for.
Fifteen minutes inland: the oldest botanical garden in the southern hemisphere, with giant water lilies and palm avenues.
At Beau Plan: the old sugar factory turned museum, with the original machinery in place and a sugar tasting at the end.
Pointe aux Piments,
Coastal Road, Pointe aux Piments,
Pamplemousses District, Mauritius
Around 25–30 minutes from Port Louis
Approximately 15 minutes from Grand Baie
Around 1 hour from the airport
On the coast road between Balaclava and Trou aux Biches, with several small public access points and roadside parking between the hotel frontages.
Only in parts. The shore is a mix of small sandy pockets and low black basalt, with the lagoon coming right up to the rock in places. Bring water shoes — entry to the water is rarely over clean sand.
This stretch of the north-west is one of the more dependable places in Mauritius to snorkel with green and hawksbill turtles, in the same waters covered by the Balaclava Marine Park just south. Operators in the village and at Trou aux Biches run trips.
Better than it is for sunbathing. The lagoon is shallow, clear and calm, with coral and seagrass close in, and the rocky shoreline holds more life than a sandy bottom would.
Quiet by north-coast standards. There is no single large public beach here, so visitors spread out across scattered access points rather than concentrating in one place.
Yes — the coast faces west, and the low rocky shoreline gives an open view. There are small restaurants and guesthouses along the road if you want to stay on into the evening.