Mont Choisy Beach

Mont Choisy is the great democratic beach of the Mauritian north: three kilometres of uninterrupted white sand, backed by a forest of ancient casuarina trees that provide natural shade for the length of the beach without a single sun lounger or beach umbrella to be rented. On Sunday mornings, half of the northern plateau seems to migrate here — extended families claiming their patches of shade under the trees, portable barbecues being assembled, children running to the water while grandparents arrange folding chairs in the shade. It is Mauritius beach culture at its most authentic and most alive.

The lagoon at Mont Choisy is wide and shallow, protected by the reef system that runs along the entire north coast. The water is warm year-round, clear to the sandy bottom even in a metre's depth, and the conditions are nearly always gentle enough for young children to paddle and play without concern. The beach slopes very gradually into the water, which means there is no sudden depth change — an important practical detail for families. The northern end of the beach, near the rocks, has small coral formations visible from the surface; a mask and snorkel reveals a world of reef fish within swimming distance of the shore.

The casuarina tree canopy is the defining feature that makes Mont Choisy different from the resort beaches to the south: these are old trees, many of them 30 or 40 years old, with root systems that have stabilised the beach against erosion and branches that spread wide enough to shade a family's equipment without needing any shelter. Picnics happen under these trees on every weekend of the year; the smell of wood smoke from portable grills is part of the scenery.

A kitesurfing school operates from the northern end of the beach where the conditions — a steady trade wind blowing onshore with a clear flat-water launch zone — are ideal for beginners. The promenade behind the casuarinas has a small cluster of restaurants and snack vendors. Parking on the road behind the beach is free and generally available on weekdays; weekends require more patience.