Living in Mauritius, in which region should you choose to settle?
Do you want to come and live in Mauritius? Is your expatriation project becoming clearer?
Every year, thousands of tourists and investors choose to spend their holidays or settle on this magnificent island in the Indian Ocean. Under the spell of this paradise island, many people decide to settle there to enjoy their retirement, to work or simply to live with their family. Living in Mauritius means discovering its culture, its languages, its traditions and its cuisine...
But in which region to choose to live?
The North of Mauritius is the most developed region
If once Grand Bay was a quiet fishing village, it is now a very lively tourist center. Offering a wide range of restaurants, numerous shops as well as a lively nightlife.
The West of Mauritius and the magnificent lagoons of Flic en Flac
Far from the tumult and saturated traffic that can be found in the North, the region is quieter but yet very well located. One of the many advantages of residing in the West of Mauritius is that you will be treated to spectacular sunsets daily.
The East of Mauritius and its peaceful paradise beaches
The East is much less populated than the North, which will appeal to anyone looking for a quiet beach getaway. Although there are fewer activities to organize and the nightlife is less lively.
The South-East of Mauritius is preserved and authentic
Despite the wind, the South-East of Mauritius is a place of undeniable beauty and authenticity. This is the least developed region of the island, which for some makes it all the more fascinating as this is where you can experience Mauritius in its raw state.
The West and the North are the 2 most popular regions for expatriates. Although very different, they both offer an ideal living environment, with modern infrastructures, shops, hospitals and clinics, French and British schools, ...
Personally, I first lived in Pereybere, near Grand Baie, in the North for the first three / four years of my expatriation in Mauritius. Very practical, close to shops, cinemas, bars, and restaurants, etc. It was quite easy to build up a social network. Unfortunately, many expats leave the island after 3 or 4 years maximum, at the end of their mission. The turnover of expats is quite impressive in the North. After these first years spent in the North of Mauritius, I moved further south, in the West of the island, to Albion. For reasons of friendship first and then of the quality of life.
Indeed, my life at the domes of Albion is much more peaceful. It corresponds better to the mental image I had of life in Mauritius before settling there.
Although local and smaller shops are quite close to where I live, the calm that we find at the Dômes d'Albion is beneficial. You can hardly hear the wind rushing through the sugar cane plants that adjoin the domes to the east. Going up the road towards Gros Cailloux we still see, early in the morning, washerwomen cleaning the family's clothes in the river. Working from home, I don't need to travel to Port Louis every morning but the capital is more quickly accessible there than from Grand Baie in the North.
In short, for me, the West and Albion are a haven of peace and calm. 5 minutes by car from the beach, 10 minutes from the Cascavelle Shopping Mall in Flic-en-Flac, less than 20 minutes from Tamarin, it is a fairly central place but yet calm. Far from the tumult and saturated traffic that can be found in the North of Mauritius. I loved settling in the North of Mauritius, but now that I live in the West, I can appreciate the country even more.