Where to stay in Mauritius

[mummTum]

We’re thinking of booking flights to Mauritius for next Feb half term. Does anyone have any advice on good areas to stay? DH and me plus our 2 dc (2 and 5).

Looking at Flic en Flac at the moment but not sure! We don’t necessarily want a big resort, just a nice area with a good beach and a choice of restaurants / beachside bars!
Thanks

Too far to go for a week surely or do you have 2 weeks?

We stayed in Belle Mare which was lovely.

Thanks will have a look at Belle Mare.

Anyone been to Flic en Flac?

I used to live there, My favourite place was Trou aux Biches. We all used to go there as a treat for the weekend.
If you want massive waves, lovely grey sand and surfing do a day trip to Tamarin Bay it is absolutely fabulous. I wouldn't stay there as a premier resort as the waves are so big but it's lovely to visit.
When I lived there flic en flac was the locals beach and a bit rough but I've heard it's quite a nice resort now.

We stayed in Baclava at the Intercontinental - was fabulous. 5 restaurants and great beaches and lots for kids to do (we went with our 16 week old!) they love kids.

All beaches in Mauritius are public but didn't bother us!

Thanks, I’ve had a look at Trou aux Biches. There seem to be quite a lot of nice self catering apartments with pools. But I don’t want to be cooking so are there enough independent restaurants to go to?

There do seem to be a lot of very reasonable apartments on the whole island but if we do that we would like to be able to wander about a town for lunch and dinner. Would prefer not to be in a place where you can’t have lunch on the beach because there are only big hotels there.

Flic en Flac or Trou aux Biches.

The public beach is very long at Flic en Flac, with a big choice of cafes and restaurants.

The public beach at Trou aux Biches is smaller but it is a two stop bus to Mon Choisy, a long beach.

All beaches are public but the hotels make it hard to use the beaches in front: they remove the trees so that the only shade is the parasols on their sun beds. But you can walk along and swim anywhere.

The public beaches have trees for shade.

Mauritius is lovely.

It is an 11 hour flight.

Also the cyclone season is Jan - March. You will at the very least get periods of heavy rain in the middle of the day and may get a full on cyclone with a 3 or 4 day tropical storm, high winds, sea out of bounds....

October or May half term is a much better bet

@mummTum to ensure you see the cyclone season info.

We stayed a t the Shandrani Beachcomber hotel, and loved it, went for two weeks though,

Heritage Awali Beach and spa resort is lovely with amazing restaurants and you get a spa treatment everyday included in the price. Can't wait to return.

I stayed at Sugar Beach Hotel a few years back which is in that area. It was AI, but as I recall, it was good value for money. Went in February (so took the risk with the weather) & only had a couple of days with short bursts of rain. Some days were very cloudy, but still saw people get sunburnt as not topping up the suntan lotion.

Thanks @TheRedBarrows, have indeed heard that Feb is wet but also that there is generally a lot of sun. Not really feasible to go later in the year.

Trou aux Biches looks like the best bet for us

I travel to Mauritius occasionally for work, so we weren't looking to leave the hotels as staying for a night or two at a time.
The only hotel I've used at Flik en Flak was Aanari. It was fine but quite basic compared to some of the others we used.
Are you set on local restaurants or would you consider all inclusive if it's only a week? Tamassa at BelOmbre seemed well set up for small children.

We stayed here www.paradisebeach.mu/en/ which was beautiful and in a very quiet area with a stunning and quiet beach. If I remember rightly (it was about 5 years ago) there were restaurants reasonably close but we tended to drive/get taxi.

Feb can have loads of sun, yes. And it would be hot. Tropical rain bursts are OK, very wet, then quickly dried up. Btu a full on cyclone would wreck your holiday and they are not rare. There is always a series of them at some stage in the wet season. Some more minor than others. But the beach can be wrecked, flooding, roads closed, high winds, water contaminated. But on the other hand it could be fine. Impossible to say.

I think Flic en Flac would be a great area for you. It has good access to lots of other places to visit on the island too.

www.mauritius-holidays-discovery.com/mauritius-weather.html

Whilst being in the direct path of a hurricane / cyclone is rare, Mauritius is in the tail of a cyclone during the wet season between 3-5 times a year, each one lasting 3 days or so. So a risk of 15 days of cyclone within a 6 week period? in addition to regular wet season weather.

Unfortunately February is petty much the worst month for expecting good weather in Mauritius.

Much as I am reluctant to ever putting anyone off going - it is a place I love (was partly brought up there)

Thanks for the further tips and suggestions, much appreciated.
Still considering it despite weather issues. Given the prices we can’t be the only ones going in February!