Why North or West

@Nmuhammad

Hello,

Housing to buy or to rent ?

Most of the housing programmes that are legally available for foreigners to buy are located in the West and North.

Regards

Bhavna

@Bhavna

rent

Everything I saw/read says all the expats live in these areas. What if you want to be around the locals and integrate into the culture? Is that possible

@Nmuhammad

You can find rentals anywhere on the island. I would suggest you have a look at the most popular website : https://www.lexpressproperty.com/en/rent-mauritius/

It is also true that expats prefer the north or west due to the proximity to beaches, restaurants, clubs (sports, golf, boating etc). These places have developed to accommodate working class and retired expats' needs in terms of small businesses/commodities.

You can live where you wish. The north and west have been the go-to areas for expats. But it is not difficult to find a rental apartment/villa in other areas. Locals want to live close to local shops and markets, and usually away from the beaches. The older established areas can be busy and crowded, but that is the whole point of living like a local.

Good luck.

The East of the island tend to have strong trade winds (the South East Trade Winds) and the beaches are not very nice. There are exceptions like near Trou D'Eau Douce and Mahebourg where the winds are not too strong.

In the south, it is also very windy because of the same wind pattern. Souillac has large cliffs because of the erosion caused by big waves crashing on-shore.

The North is the calmest area because it is sheltered from the winds above. The sands are the finest on the island - and the best beaches are there. This is also where there is the highest concentration of hotels.

The West is also very popular because of the large expat community and newer constructions. The sand on the beach is coarser and the seas are little rougher than the North - but not by much.

In order of pleasantness as a tourist or expat looking for beaches, the North is the best, followed by the West, the East and finally the South.

If you are interested in surfing, the reverse would be your choice.

If you are interested in scuba diving, the region of Mahebourg, Blue Bay in the South East is the best place.

Depends on what you are looking for on the island.

Good luck in your search.

I would add that pretty much all the night life is in Grand Bay and Flic-en-Flac, especially in winter.

@marius123

Im too old for nightlife, LOL Maybe that's a good reason to look in other places, LOL

@Nmuhammad

Well, nightlife here includes a nice bar that is open up to midnight, not to mention life music. In many places there will be none, especially in winter