Snorkeling in Blue Bay

How to go snorkeling Blue Bay Marine Park?

Blue Bay is located a few kilometers south of Mahebourg, next to Mauritius international airport. If you don’t have a car, you can easily reach the bay by bus or taxi. If you stay in Mahebourg, you can opt for a very pleasant 45-minute walk along the coast, via Pointe d’Esny, to reach Blue Bay Beach.

The heart of the marine park can only be visited with guided boat tours. This option is the most recommended, as this is the only way to access the best-preserved parts of the reef, with the most beautiful coral and sea life (areas 1 and 2 on the map below). You will easily find boat tours on Blue Bay Beach (from 1000 rupees pp.), near the jetty.

Two very small areas, with not much coral, can be snorkeled from the shore without supervision (areas 3 and 4 on the map).

Water entrance for snorkeling Blue Bay

If you are on a boat tour, you will enter the water from the boat ladders. If you are exploring one of the shore access areas, enter the water from Blue Bay Beach for zone 3, and from the small sandy area just north of Pointe Corps de Garde for zone 4.

Blue Bay Marine Park exploration tips

There are four different snorkeling areas in Blue Bay, two are accessible only by boat (zones 1 and 2), and two have free shore access (zones 3 and 4).

1.) The coral gardens in the inner part of the bay, between Blue Bay Beach and the pass (zone 1 on the map above).

Because of being sheltered from waves and currents, this area allowed the growth of extensive coral formations. The depth is relatively constant in the area (↕15-20ft/5-6m), with some coral bommies closer to the water surface. The large and healthy branching and table coral found here, as well as the hundreds of mushroom corals present on the seabed, are what make Blue Bay a very special snorkeling location.

Large schools of convict surgeonfish visit the reef, as well as parrotfish, Moorish idols, and damselfish. Sergeant majors  are some of the species that are easily seen here. Occasional encounters with sea turtles, both hawksbill and green, are also reported in this area.

2.) The large lagoon bordering the eastern side of the bay (zone 2 on the map).

This area is reached with boat tours. The tours will organize either regular snorkeling or drift snorkeling depending on currents. The lagoon is loaded with corals, including large areas of table coral, branching coral, and massive coral. This area is shallower than the coral gardens, at 6-12ft/2-3 meters on average.

Among the most common fish species observed in the lagoon are butterflyfish, parrotfish, and cigar wrasse. There are also clouds of green chromis sheltering near the branching coral.

3.) The coral areas found in front of Blue Bay public beach (zone 3 on the map).

This area features small coral patches scattered on a steep sandy slope. The seabed is not spectacular, but colorful fish abound in the area, such as the lagoon triggerfish, the red-cheek wrasse and several species of damselfish. Do not go beyond the rocky point at the southern edge of the beach. Beyond this point is off limits according to strict conservation rules (see map).

4.) The lagoon facing Pointe Corps de Garde, at the edge of the marine park (zone 4 on the map).

This area, at the border of the Marine Park, has free shore access, but be careful not to enter the protected area. This area can only be snorkeled with a guide. At this location, the lagoon features shallow coral and sandy beds, unfortunately damaged in places. In addition to common reef fish, you might spot several kinds of echinoderms such as long-spined urchins and sea stars.

Restaurants and accommodation in Blue Bay

The Shandrani Resort and Spa and the Blue Lagoon Beach Hotel, on either side of the bay, have direct access to Blue Bay. In the village and on the beach, you will find a choice of food and accommodation.