Things to do in Le Morne
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Le Morne
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Trade wind season, kite peak June to September, driest hiking and golf.
Hot wet summer, calmest snorkelling, full waterfalls, cyclone risk peaks January to March.
Shoulder, trades building, green after the rains, prices below peak.
What's on
- Commemoration of the Abolition of Slavery 1 February
Commemoration centred at Le Morne and the International Slave Route Monument.
- Diwali October or November, lunar calendar
Island wide festival of lights, villages lit, sweets shared widely.
Best things to do in Le Morne
International Slave Route Monument
The memorial at the foot of Le Morne Brabant, the right first stop for what the mountain means.
Le Morne Public Beach
The public lagoon beach under the mountain, for swimming inside the reef and kite watching.
Le Morne Village
The small fishing village at the base of the peninsula, everyday life beside the resort gates.
Maconde Viewpoint
The coastal hairpin viewpoint for the full panorama of Le Morne, lagoon and reef in one frame.
LAGOONFLIGHT
One passenger seaplane from La Prairie, the only way to see the underwater waterfall illusion.
Where to stay in Le Morne
Le Morne Peninsula
resort holiday, honeymoon, step out kiting
Luxury resorts on the western sand under the mountain, lagoon in front, nothing else walkable.
La Gaulette
independent travellers, kiters, hikers, budget base
Village guesthouses, local restaurants and Benitiers boats, 10 minutes from the peninsula beaches.
Chamarel
forest, mountain and slow inland days
Hill lodge base for Ebony Forest, the Earths and the Gorges, with the lagoon as a drive down.
Think twice about
- Le Morne Peninsula for budget travellers without a resort booking
No cheap or walkable independent life on the peninsula itself. Base in La Gaulette instead.
- Baie du Cap and the wild south coast without a car
Reefless, unswimmable coast with almost no restaurants in walking distance and unlit roads.
Best restaurants in Le Morne
Varangue Sur Morne
Former hunting lodge in the forest, Creole and game cooking, the Chamarel splurge lunch.
Le Chamarel Restaurant
Open air ridge restaurant over Le Morne, palm heart salad and prawn curry at lunch.
Wapalapam Island Eatery
Independent island kitchen near Le Morne village, seafood noodles and chilli prawns.
ENSO Restaurant & Bar Lounge
La Gaulette's best known restaurant and bar, international plates and live music nights.
Frizzy
Small Indian restaurant in La Gaulette, the village cheap eats fixture near the guesthouses.
Le Palais de Barbizon
Family Creole set lunch in Chamarel village, the drivers' pick at a fraction of ridge prices.
Emba Filao Restaurant
Beach restaurant on the sand at Le Morne, daytime burgers and beach plates.
Outdoor things to do in Le Morne
Le Morne Brabant
The UNESCO mountain climbed with a guide, forest path then scramble to the summit cross.
ION CLUB Le Morne
The fixed kite, windsurf and wingfoil school on the lagoon, lessons, rental and rescue boat.
One Eye
The expert only reef wave off the point, a spectacle to watch and not a holiday goal.
Ile aux Benitiers
Flat coral island boat day from La Gaulette, with Crystal Rock snorkelling and a grilled lunch.
Ebony Forest Reserve Chamarel
Restored native forest with pink pigeons and echo parakeets, walkway and Sublime Point.
Chamarel Seven Coloured Earths Geopark
Banded volcanic dunes and the Chamarel Waterfall viewpoint, best in morning light after rain.
Black River Gorges National Park
Free entry endemic forest, Gorges Viewpoint circuit and trails to the island's highest peak.
Best hotels in Le Morne
LUX* Le Morne
Design led luxury resort on the western sand, four pools and a spa under the mountain.
Dinarobin Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa
The quiet Beachcomber resort on the peninsula, suites, spa and shared golf next door.
Paradis Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa
The big active peninsula resort, own 18 hole course and a long included sports list.
JW Marriott Mauritius Resort
Large formal resort on the Coastal Road with lagoon and mountain views and five restaurants.
Hotel Riu Palace Mauritius
Adults only all inclusive at the kite lagoon, the least costly full resort on the peninsula.
Lakaz Chamarel Exclusive Lodge
Eco lodge in the Chamarel hills, Creole kitchen and birdsong, no beach by design.
The Rusty Pelican Guest House
Four self catering apartments with garden and pool, La Gaulette's proven budget base.
Guesthouse Casa Lea
Small village guesthouse with kitchenettes, for a longer self sufficient kite stay.
Is Le Morne expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | MUR 4,500 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | MUR 12,000 a person |
| Splurge | MUR 30,000 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- LAGOONFLIGHT: weeks ahead
- Le Morne Brabant: a few days ahead
- ION CLUB Le Morne: a few days ahead
- Ile aux Benitiers: a few days ahead
- Ebony Forest Reserve Chamarel: a few days ahead
- LUX* Le Morne: weeks ahead
- Dinarobin Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa: weeks ahead
- Paradis Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa: weeks ahead
- Book kite lessons, the Brabant guide and the seaplane early in the stay so wind cancellations can move.
Is Le Morne safe?
- Swim only inside the lagoon. Never swim at reef passes or in the One Eye wave zone. Emergency number 999.
Le Morne travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Boats cannot show you the underwater waterfall. It is visible only from the air.
Getting around Le Morne: public transport and more
- Hire a small car for Chamarel and the Gorges, or pre agree a taxi day rate. Buses serve La Gaulette by day only.
Who Le Morne suits
| Solo travellers | OK |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | OK |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | OK |
Make Le Morne your trip
Swearby drafts the days from places people swear by. Swap any stop, then invite the crew by text, even friends without the app. Vote on dates, track costs as you go, and everyone gets one number at the end.
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