Trou d'Eau Douce & the east coast villages
Trou d'Eau Douce (literally: "Hole of sweet water") is a picturesque fishing village on the east coast and the main jumping-off point for Ile aux Cerfs. But the village deserves more than just a transit stop — it has its own quiet charm that reflects rural Mauritius.
Discovering the village
The small bay of Trou d'Eau Douce is lined with colorful pirogues (traditional Mauritian fishing boats) that return every morning with fresh catch. At the pier, you can watch the fishermen at work and buy fresh fish directly. In the village itself, there are some excellent restaurants serving fresh seafood at fair prices — octopus curry, grilled sea bass, shrimp in garlic butter. Much cheaper than in resort restaurants and at least as good.
East coast atmosphere
The east coast south of Belle Mare is the quietest Mauritius: Small villages like Grande Rivière Sud-Est, Beau Champ, and Deux Frères live from fishing and sugar cane harvesting. There are no boutiques, no nightclubs, no souvenir shops — just friendly people, traditional Creole wooden houses with colorful shutters, and the rhythm of the sea.
GRSE Waterfall
The Grand River South East Waterfall is a unique natural phenomenon: A wide waterfall that plunges directly into the ocean, surrounded by mangrove forests and tropical vegetation. Accessible by boat from Trou d'Eau Douce (usually part of the Ile-aux-Cerfs tours) or via a hiking trail from the road. Particularly impressive after rainfall — then the masses of water thunder into the sea with brute force.
