Mahebourg and Blue Bay are the closest part of Mauritius to Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (SSR) international airport in Plaine Magnien. That makes them a great place to start a car rental: you collect the car as you leave the terminal and, roughly fifteen minutes later, you are by the lagoon. No long taxi transfer after an overnight flight.
Car rental at the airport or delivery to your hotel
The easiest option is to pick up at SSR airport. Licensed local agencies meet you at the arrivals exit, do the check-in report on the spot and hand over the keys. Everything is explained on our car rental at SSR Airport page and in our guide to your first two hours on arrival (rentcar.mu/blog/arrivee-aeroport-maurice-guide).
Prefer to rest first? Many agencies also deliver to hotels and villas in Mahebourg, Blue Bay or Pointe d'Esny. Riding Car Hire, based in Phoenix and at the airport, delivers and collects anywhere on the island with an all-automatic fleet (rentcar.mu/riding-car-hire).
What to do by car from the south-east
- Blue Bay and its marine park: white sand and a shallow lagoon, a few minutes from Mahebourg.
- Mahebourg's waterfront and market for an easy first outing.
- Pointe d'Esny and Pointe Jérôme, where boats leave for the Île aux Aigrettes nature reserve.
- The Vieux Grand Port heritage site and the Lion Mountain hike just north of Mahebourg.
- The wild south: Souillac, Gris-Gris and the Bel Ombre coast, around 40 minutes to an hour away (see rentcar.mu/blog/road-trip-sud-maurice-une-journee).
Driving times from Mahebourg
The M1 motorway links the south-east to the centre and Port Louis. Allow about 45 minutes to an hour to Port Louis outside rush hour, about 1 hour 15 to Grand Baie and about an hour to Flic en Flac. Weekday rush hours can add a lot of time around Port Louis and the central plateau towns.
South-east coastal roads are narrow and winding in places, with buses, cyclists and pedestrians on the verge. Take it easy, especially at dusk, which comes early all year round. Our complete guide to driving in Mauritius covers the rules (rentcar.mu/blog/conduire-a-maurice-guide-complet).
Which car for the south-east?
A small car is plenty for the south-east and a full island tour: roads are paved and some car parks are tight. Go for an SUV if you are five with lots of luggage, or a 7-seater such as the Suzuki Ertiga (rentcar.mu/cars/suzuki-ertiga-riding-car-hire) for a big family. Seasonal price ranges are on our price barometer (rentcar.mu/barometre-prix).
To see cars available on your dates with pick-up in the area, check our car rental in Mahebourg and car rental in Blue Bay pages, or search on rentcar.mu/search.
