Photos of The East of Mauritius

South of the district of Rivière du Rempart, along the east coast of the island, is Mauritius’ largest District of Flacq. To its south is the District of Grand Port, named after the village of Old Grand Port where the first Dutch landing took place; it was the first port of the island.

The Flacq District has large sugar cane fields and on the coast is the village of Belle Mare, with a great beach and a lovely lagoon, once a rustic Indian village and now attracting a lot of locals and tourists. South of Flacq is the Grand Port district with its main town of Mahébourg, founded by the Dutch, close to their port. The French named it after Bertrand-François Mahé de La Bourdonnais, a naval officer and one of the most successful French colonial governors. Nearby is Blue Bay, one of the most beautiful beaches on the island.

The Sega is a dance that has become typical of Mauritius. Its origins are in Madagascar and Africa and initially brought by slaves in the 19th Century. The songs are usually sung in French Creole, the mother tongue of most Mauritians. It can be seen, spontaneously on the beaches and as performances in hotels; anyone may join in.

Just south of Mahébourg is Plaine Magnien, the location of Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport. It used to be called Plaisance Airport, but it has grown over the years. It is home to the country’s national airline, Air Mauritius, and has direct flights to several destinations in Africa, Asia, and Europe.