Home / Experience Mauritius / Islands / Île aux Bénitiers
A long, low island of palms and pale sand lying inside the reef off La Gaulette — the anchor of every west coast boat trip, and the place grilled fish lunches on the beach are still done properly.
Île aux Bénitiers stretches for roughly two and a half kilometres inside the reef off the south-west coast, a narrow, flat island of coconut palms, casuarinas and pale sand, with Le Morne Brabant standing over the whole scene from across the water. It is privately held and largely undeveloped — there are no hotels and no roads, just a scattering of huts, a few coconut trees that get climbed for photographs, and long shallow shelves of turquoise water you can walk out into.
Almost everyone arrives on a boat trip from La Gaulette, ten minutes away, and the island is usually one stop on a full-day circuit: dolphin watching off Tamarin at first light, a pass by Crystal Rock, snorkelling on the reef, and then the island itself for a grilled fish or chicken lunch cooked on the sand. That lunch is the reason many people rate this the best organised day out on the island. Catamarans, speedboats and traditional pirogues all run the route, and what you pay varies enormously with the vessel and the group size. Conditions matter: the lagoon is glassy early and choppier once the trade wind builds after midday, so morning departures are worth the early start.
Shallow, warm and calm inside the reef, with long sandy shelves you can wade out along. No lifeguards. Snorkelling is done at reef stops on the way rather than off the island itself.
Reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, a dry bag and cash. Shade on the island is patchy and there are no shops — anything you need has to come with you or with the boat.
Trips leave from La Gaulette, Black River and the Le Morne hotels by catamaran, speedboat or pirogue. Most include a grilled lunch on the beach, drinks and snorkelling gear — confirm exactly what is covered, the group size and the return time before booking. Facilities on the island are basic.
In the same lagoon and on the same route — a pale outcrop standing alone in shallow turquoise water, and the most photographed stop of the day.
The monolith that dominates the view from the island: 556 metres of basalt, a UNESCO cultural landscape and a serious half-day hike.
Where the early leg of most trips begins, with spinner dolphins often in the bay just after sunrise.
Île aux Bénitiers,
in the lagoon off La Gaulette,
Rivière Noire District, Mauritius
Around 10 minutes by boat from La Gaulette
Approximately 40–45 minutes’ drive to La Gaulette from Flic-en-Flac
Around 1 hour from Port Louis to the departure points
There is no land access. Boats leave from La Gaulette, Black River and the Le Morne hotels; book ahead in high season and confirm that the island stop and lunch are included in the price.
By boat only, most commonly from La Gaulette on the south-west coast, about ten minutes across the lagoon. Catamarans, speedboats and traditional pirogues all run the trip, and departures from Black River and the Le Morne hotels are also common.
Usually a full-day circuit: dolphin watching off Tamarin at first light, a pass by Crystal Rock, a snorkelling stop on the reef, and lunch grilled on the island’s beach. Confirm what is covered, the group size and the return time before booking.
Very little, and that is the appeal. It is privately held and largely undeveloped — no hotels, no roads, no shops, just palms, sand and a few huts. Bring whatever you need, or check that the boat provides it.
Yes — the water inside the reef is shallow, warm and calm, with long sandy shelves you can wade out along. There are no lifeguards, and the snorkelling itself is generally done at reef stops on the way rather than off the island.
Morning. The lagoon is glassy early and gets choppier once the south-easterly trade wind builds after midday, and the dolphin leg only works at first light. Trips can be cancelled at short notice in strong wind.