Car rental in Belle Mare, Mauritius

Picking up and returning your car in Belle Mare

On the east coast, hotels are spread out and shops are few: the car is usually collected at SSR Airport, or delivered to your hotel if the rental company serves the area. When booking, have the delivery time, any surcharge and the option of returning the car on site confirmed.

If you arrive at night, hotel delivery the next day avoids a first drive in the dark through the cane fields. For the return, the airport is a reasonable distance away: dropping the car at the terminal on the day of your flight is often simplest, to be agreed with the rental company.

Driving and parking in the area

Roads in the east are fairly quiet, but they cross long, poorly lit stretches of sugar cane: at night, drive carefully and watch for pedestrians, unlit bicycles and stray dogs. During the cane harvest, roughly June to December, loaded lorries and tractors move slowly; only overtake with clear visibility.

Petrol stations are fewer than in the north or west: fill up in Centre de Flacq or along your route before a long day of exploring. Parking is rarely an issue, except near the public beaches on Sundays, which are very popular with Mauritian families.

Which car to choose in Belle Mare?

All the useful roads in the east are paved: a 4x4 isn't necessary. A comfortable compact is ideal for the longer drives to the north, Port Louis or the south, which are part of daily life when staying in Belle Mare. An automatic makes driving days easier; a people carrier suits groups and families.