Praia do Forno, located in Arraial do Cabo, Brazil, is a secluded beach known for its crystal-clear waters, soft white sand, and lush green hills. Accessible by a short hiking trail or boat ride, this beach offers a more tranquil atmosphere compared to the busier shores nearby. Its calm, turquoise waters are perfect for snorkeling, revealing a vibrant underwater world of fish … [Read more...]
Rio das Ostras & Costa Azul: Underrated Beach Gems Near Rio
After landing in Rio de Janeiro in early 2025—and before returning a month and a half later to experience its legendary Carnival—we sought out nearby beach destinations to pass the time. For now, we set aside the more popular (and pricier) seaside getaways like Cabo Frio, Armação dos Búzios, and Arraial do Cabo. Instead, we stumbled upon the overlooked town of Rio das Ostras … [Read more...]
Swimming & Snorkeling in Blue Bay, Mauritius
With its impressive palette of blues, ranging from deep cerulean to bright turquoise, Blue Bay is one of the most popular attractions on the island of Mauritius. Designated as a protected marine park, its extensive reef hosts over 50 species of coral and a wide range of tropical fish, sea turtles, and other marine creatures. While we stayed in the nearby city of Mahebourg for … [Read more...]
Mont Choisy Beach, Mauritius on a Sunday
Mont Choisy Beach, situated on the island’s north coast, 5 km from Grand Baie and 20 km from Port Louis, is the longest and one of the most popular beaches in Mauritius. It is relatively undeveloped compared to other popular Mauritian beaches. Resorts are found only to its north and south, while the entire beachfront is bordered by broad untouched woodland. Besides its natural … [Read more...]
A Day Trip to Grand Baie, Mauritius
Grand Baie (or Grand Bay) is an upscale resort village on the north coast of Mauritius, 25 km from Port Louis. Besides its high-end tourism, Grand Baie is renowned for its stunning coastal scenery and, above all, its vibrant nightlife. Since we aren’t quite rich, we didn’t consider spending a single night there. Instead, we settled in Mahébourg, in the cheaper south, for our … [Read more...]
Balaclava Marine Park (Turtle Bay) Snorkeling Trip in Mauritius
As we were settled in Mahebourg, Blue Bay was our standard snorkeling spot during our two months in Mauritius. Looking into alternatives for variety, we kept hearing about Balaclava Marine Park, aka Turtle Bay. Established in 1997, this is the first and still one of few national marine reserves in Mauritius. Its warm, sheltered waters harbor as many as 200 coral species and … [Read more...]
Bras d’Eau & Post Lafayette, Mauritius Day Trip
Following a week of storms over Mauritius, the sun shone again that morning. Sophie had a long shift to work and needed to stay home. I decided to take advantage of the sunshine and go for a ride. For a destination, I picked Bras d’Eau National Park and its nearby beaches on the island’s northeast. I made my daypack and hit the road away from Mahebourg.Bras d’Eau Public … [Read more...]
Triolet & Trou aux Biches Beach Day Trip
Triolet is a settlement in the Pamplemousses district of northern Mauritius, 15 km from downtown Port Louis. It is commonly referred to as the largest village in Mauritius. However, I don’t quite get by what criteria it isn’t the smallest town—or why the smallest town isn’t the largest village. With a population of 25,000, I would classify it as a town.What Triolet can … [Read more...]
A Day Trip to Flic en Flac Beach, Mauritius
Flic en Flac (also written hyphenated as Flic-en-Flac) is a beach village on Mauritius’s southwestern coast, located 26 km from Port Luis and 46 km from the airport. Its funny name likely derives from the old Dutch phrase Fried Landt Flaak, meaning free flat land. 13 km of a continuous sand stretch renders it the longest beach in Mauritius, and some 500,000 annual visitors make … [Read more...]
Cap Malheureux: a Visit to the Northernmost Point of Mauritius
Cap Malheureux is the unfortunate name given to the northernmost tip of the main island of Mauritius. It literally means the unfortunate cape, a designation assigned to it by the French to express their grudge about it being the site of the successful landing that allowed the British to seize the island in 1810. We visited it briefly during a day trip to northern Mauritius … [Read more...]
