Spotguide Mauritius

„First of all I´m going to create Mauritius then the paradise“. This dreamlike island in the Indian Ocean is highly praised for a luxurious holiday and more than 10.000 couples a year get married there and spend their honeymoon there..

We as surfers enjoy the gorgeous lagoons, the adventurous jungle and the exotic vegetation but are most of all interested in the constant wind!
The magic word is the trade wind. When in our regions – north of the equator – summer starts, it is winter in Mauritius. Looking at the climate it could not be better there, comfortable temperatures about 22 – 28 degrees is the „better summer“ on Mauritius to be enjoyed. It simply is not as sultry and hot like on the European continent. It is very windy in the south-east of the island due to the trade winds from April till November.
You all know the fantastic lagoons with their turquoise colour and the white sandy beaches from leaflets. A surfer is lucky not only to be able to look at this beauty from the shore or swimming – we glide across the shiny shallow water with delight: along the lagoons and the riffs into the deep blue water of the Indian ocean…
You can easily spend some thousands of Euros for luxurious hotels on Mauritius. Nevertheless there are cheaper alternatives for us surfers who travel a lot . a) there are possibilities to travel to Mauritius at low cost b) there are affordable accommodations to rent… fully equipped accommodations if you care for your own food are available at about 40 Euros a night.

the right time for travelling

For surfers the best time for travelling is when the best wind blows, which is from June to November – winter on Mauritius and out of season. You can even be lucky in April and May to find the winds – it´s only the months from December to February which cannot be recommended for surfing. At this time there is no wind but the weather is perfect for swimming with temperatures over 30 degrees.
In winter the temperatures on Mauritius are still 22-28 degrees – so to say very comfortable – at night it is seldom colder than 20 degrees. When in our European zones in the height of summer the beaches are really crowded and zones for kiting are closed you would be well advised to chose Mauritius… For this reason some profis spend this time on Mauritius to train...

Winds

The southeast trade wind is even stronger on the island Le Morne, with the huge rock Le Brabant… The above mentioned winds are measured at the airport in Plaicance (at the Blue Bay) which is an hour of distance away and don´t include the accelerating process in Le Morne…

Spots:

The windiest part of the island is without doubt Le Morne in the southwest of the island. This is one of the most many-sided spots for surfers : you find anything that makes the heart of a kiter beat faster: flat water, shallow area, waves for starters (Little Reef), waves for advanced kiters (Manawa) waves for experts (Charmeux and One Eye)

Le Morne Spot-description

Spot for beginners

Spot for beginners:

Le Brabant is a lagoon which is perfect for beginners a splendid view and flat water with shallow area.

Shallow waters spot

Within the lagoon up to…

Little Reef:

As the name already indicates the waves break at the inner reef (Little Reef) depending on the swell (1-3 metres) and are really nice waves which invite beginners to ride them.

Chameaux:

Directly next to the Little Reef there is the spot for only experts: Chameaux. Here the waves are already faster, stronger and higher than in Little Reef, on top of that there is according to the tides a sharp riff under the water surface : only for experts!

One Eye:

To the right of Chameaux there is the well known One Eye... The supposedly fastest wave of the world… often as high as a mast – those who do not get off right on time will be pulled mercilessly onto the sharp reef!! Experts only!

Manawa:

The highlight of waves is left of the „Pas de Palais“ (the opening reef to the ocean): Manawa.

Here the waves break according to the swell 3-5 metres high or even higher. The advantage to One Eye is the depths of the water of 2 meters, which don´t let you directly end on the reef. If you don´t go to Manawa too windward you can get of quickly leeward. The Manawa wave breaks slowly but nevertheless you should have some experiences… IMPORTANT: Never go alone!!
Manawa is approximately 1.5 kilometres from the beach. The current in „Pas de Palais“ draws you mercilessly into the open sea.
This trip should be made in a group…

Surf/Kite Safe

In winter (european summer) Mauritius is a dream of wind for kiters. Stick to the safety rules. There were some accidents especially due to careless behaviour and over estimation. A rescue attempt is really difficult because of the shallow waters near the reef. Gather information about the local conditions and ask neighbouring surf stations.

Spot-Alternate:

There is a beautiful lagoon near Blue Bay at the airport (about 1 hour drive from Le Morne if the wind comes from the east. The heart of each surfer beats faster when he sees all that open space with wonderfully coloured water and nice shallow waters. The way to the beach is a bit difficult to find – just ask us we are happy to explain you the way…