Le Morne Brabant
The UNESCO-listed mountain at the island's south-west tip: a three-hour hike, a maroon-slavery memorial and the best beach on the west coast at its foot.
Why go
Le Morne is the picture of Mauritius everybody has seen, and it is better in person. The hike gives you the lagoon from above in three or four colours; the base of the mountain is a memorial to the escaped slaves who hid here; and the public beach on the western side is wide, calm and free.
How to do it
The trail is free and starts from the car park on the southern side of the peninsula. Two to three hours up, the first half easy, the last half a steep scramble with ropes. A guide is only required to go beyond the first summit plateau. Start before 7am. The public beach is on the road to the hotels; park under the filao trees.
Questions people ask
- Do I need a guide to hike Le Morne?
- Not for the main trail to the first plateau, which is where most people stop and where the view is. The final section to the summit crosses private land and is guided only.
- Is Le Morne beach public?
- Yes. The public beach is on the western side of the peninsula, before the hotels, and is free. The hotel beaches beyond it are for guests.
Nearby
- Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth · West
- Tamarin Bay · West