Things to Do Near Bel Ombre: A Local Guide
We live in Riambel, ten minutes east of Bel Ombre, between the cane and the sea. Most of our visitors are staying in Bel Ombre’s hotels, and the question we hear most at the gate is simple: what else is worth doing around here?
Swim in Bel Ombre, admire the rest
This is our honest answer to the question we hear most at the gate. Everything below is within about thirty minutes of the Bel Ombre hotels, most of it much closer, grouped by direction so you can plan a half day or a full day with very little driving.
Bel Ombre has a reef and a calm lagoon, so it is the place to swim. East of here the reef disappears and the ocean hits bare rock. Admire that coast from the cliffs, and keep your swimming for Bel Ombre.
In Bel Ombre itself
Four things you can reach in a few minutes from any Bel Ombre hotel.
Bel Ombre Nature Reserve
The old sugar estate climbs from the coast into forest, rivers and waterfalls. You go in with a guide, and some trips stop at a waterfall where you can swim. Book a day ahead and go in the morning, when it is cooler.
World of Seashells
A small museum on the coast road with around 8,000 shells from all over the world, said to be the largest collection in Africa. It sits beside the old sugar mill, so you see a little of Bel Ombre’s sugar history too. Good on a rainy day.
Le Château de Bel Ombre
A restored 19th-century estate house with French gardens, a fountain and a large banyan tree, now a fine-dining restaurant. Even if you do not eat there, the gardens are lovely just before sunset. Book ahead for dinner.
Bel Ombre beach
The calmest water on this stretch of coast, with casuarina shade and a reef offshore. Weekdays are quiet. Weekends are lively, with Mauritian families picnicking under the trees; if you want it to yourself, come midweek.
Ten to twenty-five minutes east
Drive east along the coast road and the south becomes wilder: cliffs, waterfalls, cane fields and small villages.
Staying further east, near St Félix? See our guide to things to do near St Félix and Chemin Grenier.
Heritage Spice House, Riambel
The closest cultural stop to the Bel Ombre hotels, and yes, it is ours. Walk through a museum of everyday Mauritian life, an old family kitchen and a living spice garden, then grind masala by hand on the volcanic ross cari stone and taste it in traditional food. Allow 90 minutes, or 30 for a quick stop. Visits at 09:00, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00, closed Wednesdays. Book your time or simply turn up.
Rochester Falls
The easiest waterfall to reach from Bel Ombre: follow the coast road east to Souillac, then turn inland. The water drops over tall six-sided basalt columns into a wide pool. The final track is bumpy, so leave a small hire car at the top and walk the last stretch. Mornings are quieter.
Gris Gris and La Roche Qui Pleure
This is where the reef that protects Bel Ombre ends. The full Indian Ocean swell hits black basalt here, and a short clifftop walk brings you to the rock known as the weeping face. Good shoes, stay behind the barrier and no swimming. Late afternoon light is the most dramatic.
Souillac and the Telfair Gardens
Pair this with Gris Gris, as they sit side by side. Telfair Gardens is a shady clifftop park where local families gather on Sundays, and the old fishing harbour and the small coral-stone house of the poet Robert Edward Hart are a few minutes away. Free, and very local.
St Aubin
If you liked the Château in Bel Ombre, this is its working cousin: a colonial sugar estate from 1819 with its own rum distillery, vanilla plantation and gardens. Guided and paid, with a sit-down lunch. Reserve before you leave the hotel.
La Vanille Nature Park
The family favourite. Children can walk among hundreds of giant Aldabra tortoises, then see Nile crocodiles and a large insect collection. From Bel Ombre it is the furthest stop east on this list, so go first thing in the morning while the animals are active.
Along the coast, and up into the hills
Three good reasons to head the other way.
Maconde viewpoint
On the drive towards Le Morne, the coast road squeezes between cliff and sea at Baie du Cap. A short stair climbs a rocky outcrop for a view back along the coast. Ten minutes of your day, and a natural stop on any drive west.
Le Morne
The island’s most famous mountain, up close. Le Morne Brabant is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a place of remembrance for the island’s history of slavery, and the public beach beneath it has some of the clearest water in Mauritius. Best saved for the end of a day heading west.
Vallée Advenature Park
The big adventure day out, inland from the south coast at Chamouny. Zip lines, quads and buggies, swimming under waterfalls and a hillside of coloured volcanic earth. Book activity times in advance and plan half a day. Some taxi drivers still call it by its old name, La Vallée des Couleurs.
An easy half day from your Bel Ombre hotel
If you only have a morning or an afternoon, this is the loop we suggest to friends. It stays within about twenty minutes of your hotel.
- 10:00 – Rochester Falls. Morning light on the basalt columns, before the crowds.
- 11:00 – Heritage Spice House. Grind your masala, see the museum and the spice garden, and taste traditional Mauritian food. About 90 minutes.
- 12:45 – Gris Gris and La Roche Qui Pleure. Ten minutes from us. Cliffs, wind and open ocean.
- 13:30 – Back to Bel Ombre for a swim in the calm lagoon.
Prefer the afternoon? Do it the other way round: the 15:00 visit with us, then Gris Gris as the light goes.
Without a car. Taxis are easy to arrange from every Bel Ombre hotel, and the ride to us takes about ten minutes. Ask your driver to wait, or ask us to call one for the trip back. Your hotel concierge can also book your visit time for you.
Questions we get asked
What is there to do in Bel Ombre when it rains?
World of Seashells, the museum at Heritage Spice House and lunch at St Aubin are all good under cover. Waterfalls are at their most dramatic after rain, but the tracks get muddy.
Can I swim near Bel Ombre?
Yes, in the Bel Ombre lagoon, which is protected by a reef. Do not swim at Gris Gris or Souillac, where the open ocean and currents are strong.
What is good near Bel Ombre for children?
Bel Ombre Nature Reserve runs family buggy trips, Vallée Advenature Park has zip lines for older children, and the tortoises at La Vanille are a sure win. At our house, children love taking turns on the grinding stone.
Do I need a car?
Not for a half day. A taxi from your hotel covers everything within twenty minutes. For a full day around the south, read our local one-day guide to South Mauritius.
Ten minutes from Bel Ombre
We are on Teeluck Lane, Riambel. Open 08:30–18:00, every day except Wednesday, with visits at 09:00, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00. Walk in and join the next one, or book your time. For an evening with us, see the Mauritian cooking class.
Come and see it today
MUR 200
Museum, grinding demonstration, herbal tea and the boutique.
MUR 375
Museum, ancestral kitchen, spice garden, hand-grinding and tastings. Children MUR 200.
Thu – Tue
Last entry 17:00. Free onsite parking at the gate.
Walk in and join the next start time, or book ahead to hold your place. Open every day except Wednesday.