However, these flat reefs provide just enough protection for vast arrays of small reef fish and small invertebrates to find a home. Reefs are relatively flat and shallow with short corals that have taken a bit of a beating from cyclones. The diving outside the bay and in neighboring Trou-aux-Biches is where all the best macro critter diving is.
Grand-Baie’s proximity to Mauritius’s outlying northern islands as well as amazing diving just outside the bay make it the perfect place to start most dive trips. The highest concentration of dive operations on the islands are situated in the northwest towns of Grand-Baie and Trou-aux-Biches for good reason. Less common are barracuda, dolphins, and sting rays. Octopus, scorpionfish, stonefish, lionfish, and many reef fish are common here. Completely covered in beautiful pink soft coral, the wreck attracts perhaps the largest concentration of fish life on the north side of the island. The wreck is a 144ft/44m long Japanese fishing vessel sitting perfectly upright at a depth of approximately 100ft/30m. Perhaps the highlight of all dives at Coin de Mire is the Djabeda wreck dive. Its unique geology makes for some interesting underwater canyons and crevices that can be quite fun to swim through. Dives often feature wall and wreck diving with spectacular visibility (50m/200ft on a great day), as well as chances to see large pelagics such as marlin.
The south, however, is more exposed to the elements of the Indian Ocean and has poor diving conditions.Ĭoin de Mire is a small, peculiar looking island lying 8 km to the north of Mauritius with what many consider to be the best diving in Mauritius. There is also some good advanced drift diving on the east side of the island and ok diving in Flic en Flac in the west.
If you are in Mauritius to dive, then choosing where on the island to go is fairly easy – the North! Diving in the north of the country gives you the best access to its outlying islands, shore-side reef dives, resorts, and the most tourist-friendly part of the country. There are many dive sites to choose from, each offering their own set of unique fauna. Reefs seem to be speckled with pastel pinks, purples, blues, and greens resembling an Easter-time pallet of color. In one dive you can expect to see peacock flounder, endemic angelfish and butterfly fish, parrotfish, nudibranchs, many species of morays, mantis shrimp, striped eel catfish, lionfish, marlin, turtles, stingrays, octopus, scorpionfish, trevally, gray reef sharks, and 200 species of coral! The hard and soft corals in Mauritius are unique in their shapes and colors. However, the highlights of these reefs are the small stuff, and in every crevice or coral overhang there is something amazing waiting to be discovered.Īs one might expect in the middle of the Indian Ocean, the diversity of the reefs is excellent. Frequent cyclones and some overfishing can make the reefs seem a little barren at a first glance when compared to other Indian Ocean destinations. Overall, Mauritius is a macro-lover’s paradise with some big animal sprinkled in. Its remote location resulted in the evolution of a unique diversity of endemic flora and fauna that translates to some exceptional diving and hiking.Īlthough Mauritius is often overlooked by divers who visit other Indian Ocean locales, such as Seychelles or the Maldives, the diving can be quite good. As the home of the now extinct Dodo, Mauritius is a remnant of the lost (and newly found) continent of Mauritia. Located approximately 1000 km (600 miles) east of Madagascar, Mauritius is one of the most remote islands in the Indian Ocean. Well, that dream is a place on Earth, and that place is Mauritius. We dream of white sand beaches, turquois water, mountainous jungles, or strange and wonderful creatures lurking in unexplored places. “Mauritius was made first and then heaven and heaven was copied after Mauritius” – Mark Twain (1896).Īs divers, we all dream of exploring that pristine tropical island as far from any other landmass as possible.
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