Article · Field notes
Day Trips From Tamarin
08 Sept 2026 1 min read
We live in Tamarin, on the west coast of Mauritius. I’ve put together a list of day trips from here, along with a few places to eat. Each entry covers how much time you’ll need, whether you need a car, and what’s available for food.
The map shows all the places. You can filter the list, select anything you’d like to do, and use the planner to spread it across your stay. The list and planner are available in English and German.
Tamarin · Mauritius
Places to visit
Car hire estimate · $25/day Boat prices vary by trip 23 entries
Times are estimates from Tamarin, including travel. Sources checked 8 September 2026; confirm prices and availability when booking.
All places shown. Click a numbered group to see nearby places, or pick a row below.
Itinerary
Plan your stay
Choose your trip length and pace. To include specific places, select them in the list below.
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Length
| Add to plan | Activity | Time | Transport | Food | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casela Nature Parks Safari & wildlife park Directions | 6-7 hours | Car or taxi to Cascavelle | Restaurants on site | The safari bus takes you among giraffes, rhinos, antelopes and ostriches. The rest of the park has big cats, giant tortoises and aviaries. Allow time for the safari departure; check which animal encounters and rides your ticket includes. | |
| Tamarind Falls (7 Cascades) Guided waterfall hike Directions | 5–6 hours; longer for all seven | Car or taxi to Henrietta; meet your guide | Water and snacks; check tour inclusions | Also called Tamarind Falls or 7 Cascades. A half-day guided route takes 3–4 hours on foot and visits part of the falls; the full route takes 6–7 hours of walking. Choose the route with your guide, rather than assuming all seven fit into a morning. | |
| Ebony Forest, Chamarel Native forest & conservation Directions | Half day; longer with Piton Canot | Car or taxi to Chamarel | Snacks on site; picnics not allowed | A forest restoration reserve with endemic birds, a raised walkway and views from Sublime Point. Walking routes take 1–4 hours on site; Piton Canot is the longer extension. There is also a two-hour guided jeep visit that needs booking. | |
| Chamarel: Seven Coloured Earth & waterfall Coloured earth & waterfall Directions | Half day | Car or taxi to Chamarel | Viewpoint Café or village restaurants | The Seven Coloured Earth geopark includes the dunes, waterfall viewpoints and giant tortoises. The rum distillery is a separate nearby visit. Choose your stops before setting off; adding the distillery and a long Ebony Forest walk makes this a full day. | |
| Le Morne Brabant hike Mountain hike Directions | 4-5 hours | Car or taxi to the trail entrance | Bring water; eat before or after the hike | A mountain walk with lagoon views. The upper route is steep and exposed and ends at the cross below the summit. Check current trail access with the heritage authority before arranging a guide; the upper section is unsuitable for young children or anyone uncomfortable with heights. | |
| Le Morne beach and lagoon Beach & lagoon Directions | Half day | Car or taxi to Le Morne public beach | Emba Filao on the public beach | Public beach below Le Morne Brabant, with the lagoon on one side and the mountain behind you. This entry is for a few hours at the beach. Emba Filao is on the beachfront, so lunch there fits into the same visit. | |
| Black River Gorges National park & hiking Directions | Half to full day | Car or taxi; entrance depends on the route | Pack lunch and water for a hike | Native forest, endemic birds and routes of very different difficulty. A viewpoint visit is a shorter outing; the official Machabée trail from Pétrin to the Lower Gorges is a strenuous 10 km route. Choose the trail and entrance first, then arrange transport for its endpoint. | |
| Vallée des Couleurs (Vallé) Zipline & adventure park Directions | 5-7 hours | Car or taxi to Chamouny | Le Chamouzé restaurant on site | Now called Vallé Advenature Park. Come for ziplines, quad or buggy rides and the Nepalese suspension bridge, with waterfalls and coloured earth around the park. Choose a ride package before visiting; age, height and weight limits differ by activity. | |
| South coast drive Coastal drive & stops Directions | Full day | Car | Plan a lunch stop around Souillac | Head towards Souillac for the cliffs at Gris Gris and La Roche qui Pleure, with Rochester Falls as a separate stop. Leave time to get out of the car, walk and have lunch. Pick a few stops along this coast rather than trying to cross the whole south in one day. | |
| Ile aux Cerfs Island beach day Directions | Full day | Car plus boat, or an organised tour | Island restaurants; tour lunch only if included | An east-coast leisure island with beaches, watersports, restaurants and a golf course. You can take the shuttle from Pointe Maurice or book a longer boat excursion. From Tamarin, allow a full day for the cross-island journey, boat transfers and time on the beach. | |
| Port Louis Markets & city walk Directions | Half day | Car, taxi or bus to Port Louis | Central Market and the Caudan waterfront | Start at the Central Market for fruit, spices and food stalls, then walk to the Caudan Waterfront for the harbour, craft market and lunch. This is a city visit on foot once you arrive. Leave extra time for traffic on the way in and out. | |
| Turtle snorkelling, Le Morne Turtle snorkelling Directions | Half day | Boat; arrange transport to the meeting point | Check whether your trip includes lunch | Some west-coast lagoon trips include snorkelling where sea turtles may be seen around Le Morne. Sightings depend on the animals and conditions. Ask which route you are booking: a short snorkelling outing and a lagoon cruise with lunch take different amounts of time. | |
| Snorkelling Guided reef snorkelling Directions | Half day | Boat; arrange transport to the departure point | Bring water; check what the boat provides | A boat outing to west-coast reef sites, with the crew choosing stops for the conditions. Book a dedicated snorkelling trip if that is your priority; a dolphin or lunch cruise may only include a short stop. Confirm equipment, meeting point and return time. | |
| Diving Scuba diving Directions | Half day | Meet at the dive centre; transfer by arrangement | Plan a meal around the dive schedule | Book through a dive centre and state your experience when enquiring. An introductory session and a trip for certified divers have different requirements and schedules. West-coast centres include Blue Lungs at Le Morne; confirm the centre, dive site and equipment before planning transport. | |
| Dolphin watching Dolphin watching by boat Directions | Half day | Boat from Tamarin or Black River; confirm transfers | Bring water; check snacks with the operator | An early boat trip off Tamarin and Black River to look for wild dolphins. Book an observation trip if you want to stay on the boat, since many packages also advertise swimming. Sightings are not guaranteed; leave the afternoon free after the early start. | |
| Whale watching Offshore whale watching Directions | Half day | Offshore boat trip; confirm departure point | Bring water; check snacks with the operator | Sperm whales live off the west coast year-round; humpbacks visit during the austral winter migration. These trips head farther offshore than lagoon outings, so sea conditions matter. Confirm departure and trip length with the operator, and keep the rest of the day quiet. | |
| Tandem paragliding Tandem flight Directions | Half day; depends on launch site | Car, taxi or agreed transfer to the chosen site | Eat afterwards | A flight with a pilot, with the launch site chosen for the weather. Mauritius Tandem advertises about 30–35 minutes for its classic flight and uses sites including Le Morne and Chamarel. Confirm the site before arranging transport; a launch farther away needs a longer day. | |
| Le Bistrot de la Poste French bistro Directions | 2–3 hours including travel | Car or taxi to Nautica, La Preneuse | French bistro dinner | A French bistro at Nautica Commercial Centre in Rivière Noire, with dishes such as escargots, duck parmentier and fondue. Plan it for dinner: its published listing shows Monday–Saturday evenings, closed Sundays. | |
| Legend Hill Hotel restaurants & bar Directions | 2-3 hours | Car or taxi uphill in Rivière Noire | Lunch or dinner | A hillside hotel in Rivière Noire with BVIEW for bistro dining, Le 1812 for a gourmet meal and the Santoshia poolside bar. Choose the restaurant when booking and confirm access for non-residents. A restaurant reservation does not automatically include a pool or spa day. | |
| Kind Coffee Specialty coffee café Directions | 1–2 hours including travel | Car to La Gaulette | Coffee; check the current food menu | A specialty coffee shop in La Gaulette, started by Taylor Holl and Willow-River Tonkin. It makes a coffee stop on the way to or from Le Morne. Allow travel time from Tamarin if you are going just for coffee. | |
| Moustache Bistro Bistro & wine bar Directions | 1-2 hours | Royal Road, La Mivoie; walk or local taxi | Dinner | A French bistro and wine bar on Royal Road in La Mivoie, Tamarin. A local dinner option after an outing. Check the current opening days before making it your dinner plan. | |
| Sketch Breakfast & lunch café Directions | 1-2 hours | Royal Road, La Mivoie; walk or local taxi | Breakfast or lunch; kitchen until 3pm | A daytime café on Royal Road in La Mivoie, Tamarin. Its published hours are 8am–4pm daily, with the kitchen closing at 3pm. Use it for breakfast or lunch; it is not a dinner stop. | |
| Emba Filao Beach restaurant Directions | 2–3 hours including travel | Car to Le Morne | Beach lunch | A restaurant directly on Le Morne public beach, beside LUX* Le Morne, serving seafood and Mauritian dishes. Plan it as a beach lunch stop and check current service hours before travelling specifically for a meal. |
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Most of the inland trips need a car. I use about $25 a day as a rough car-hire budget. Boat prices depend on the route, group size and operator. Dolphin and whale trips usually leave early. Check the meeting point and whether pickup is included when you book.
I’d keep a full day for the south coast drive. Ebony Forest can be a half-day outing, depending on the walk you choose. The Le Morne hike and the beach are also better on separate days. After an early boat trip, I’d keep the afternoon free.