WEATHER & CLIMATE
Stretching from Grand Gaube in the north to Pointe aux Feuilles in the south east, the eastern coast of Mauritius is the one of the last region to have obtained the favours of national development policies.
The reason is quite simple. Exposed to the South East Trade Winds almost
10 months of the year, the east coastal region was believed to be too
windy and “cold” for hotels to develop lasting
operations.
Therefore, beware of sunburns as the fresh breeze
may lead you to falsely believe that the sun is not hot enough to cause
sunburns. T-shirt and bathing suit are all you need in summer (November
to March.) Sweatshirts are welcome in the evenings during the months of
September, October, April and May.
During winter, (June to
August) it may get cool as early as 17h00 and warm clothes are necessary
after sunset.
TOPOGRAPHY
Most investors then went west, where the contrast is stunning, giving credit to the popular belief that Mauritius is a land of microclimates where one area can suffer drenching rain (Curepipe or even Belle Mare in the east) whilst the west could be burning under the scorching sun all within a stretch of 30 miles!
Having said this, the Shangri-La's Le Touessrok Resort and Spa and the St. Geran One and Only through Southern Sun Hotel were amongst the first major investors to choose Trou d’Eau Douce and Poste de Flacq for their flagships. Having made this a success, they opened the way for other investors to start believing in the beauty and wild countryside of the East to implant their luxury hotels and Golf courses on some of the most immaculate beaches in Mauritius.
The Mauritian winter months from June to September are indeed quite humid
and moist and can even get quite chilly at times. During those months,
the difference in the sea temperature can be around 9/10 ° C
compared to the summer months, making swimming a midday activity but
transforming the sheltered lagoons into an absolute paradise for sailing
and kite surfing with winds reaching force 7 and 8 on the best days.
However, come the summertime from October to April, the East is
certainly the most comfortable region to enjoy Mauritius. The sea
temperature is ideal and the cool sea breeze blowing through the filaos
trees, provide a natural air-conditioning to the visitors.
The
boost in development really started in the late 80’s and
90’s. Since then, the eastern coast has been growing at a rapid
pace. Hotels, auberges and high class restaurants have sprung out of
nowhere, giving a much-needed boost to the region. However, compared to
the North and the West, one can easily evaluate the gap in development
between these regions. It seems that much more is needed to catch up
with the north and west coasts. The signs are there and there is no
doubt that the pace of development will increase in the years ahead,
much to the sorrow of the inhabitants, who have seen their villages and
countryside being invaded by these “polluters from town” as
they often refer to their own brethren from the cities.
Apart from the hotels, the East has turned into an attractive coastline. Belle Mare beach, like its west coast sister Flic en flac, remains one of the rare public beaches where Mauritians and visitors alike spend the week end. Ile aux Cerfs is undoubtedly the crowd puller in the area as Mauritians and tourists patronise it daily in very large numbers. Ile aux Cerfs also provides for one of the most spectacular Golf course ever built in Mauritius. This 18-hole 72 par range attracts championship golfers from around the world.
The East is also the stage and set to the legendary love story “Paul & Virginie”. Up in Grand Gaube, the hotel named after the Bernardin de St. Pierre’s novel, “Paul & Virginie” hotel is amongst one of the best 3 star operations in the area.