L'Oiseau de L'Ocean Tourist Residence

L'Oiseau de L'Ocean — 'the bird of the ocean' — is a small self-catering tourist residence on the east coast near Belle Mare, a world away from the resort-hotel experience but very much in the spirit of the way Mauritians themselves holiday. The property consists of a dozen or so simple, whitewashed apartments arranged around a garden, each with a fully equipped kitchen, a veranda, and access to a communal pool. The beach is a short walk through a coconut grove. It attracts independent travellers, families on extended stays, and couples who want to shop at the local market, cook their own fish and breadfruit, and follow their own rhythms rather than a resort timetable. The east coast setting means excellent swimming and snorkelling, access to the Île aux Cerfs excursions, and proximity to the village restaurants of Belle Mare. L'Oiseau de L'Ocean is accommodation, not a hotel experience, and guests who understand the distinction tend to love it. Value for money, especially for a week or more, is substantially better than comparable resort nights.