Kitesurf at Palmar (et belle mare)

The kite spots of Palmar and Belle Mare are two different spots, but both overlook the same lagoon and bay, in the northeast of Mauritius.

The Belle Mare spot is slightly further north, accessible from the public beach. However, there has been a significant bathing zone in front of the beach with buoys, making kite practice a bit complicated. It is better to go a little further south to Palmar.

The Palmar spot is located just after the village of Trou D’eau Douce, and is accessible from the public beach of Palmar, close to the Ambre and La Palmeraie hotels.

It is a large lagoon with turquoise and emerald colors, shallow (between 50cm and 1.5m depending on the tide), extending to the coral reef. The wind is side-on most of the time, and the spot works perfectly with southeast to east winds (south winds can also work when strong, but there may be strong wind shadows near the beach, so it is better to quickly move away from the shore to catch more wind).

The spot is extremely flat, with small waves on the reef (be careful, the corals are sometimes very shallow). The bottom is beautiful, alternating between white sand and corals.

You can park under the casuarina trees, in front of the public beach, to enjoy the spot. There are nice shaded areas to rest, and toilets and showers nearby. You can buy a typical dish from local vendors near the beach. The setting is truly magnificent.

The launch area is quite large and safe.

Pros: ideal for beginners and improving skills – turquoise lagoon – flat water – ideal for families

Cons: shorter wind season than at Le Morne (from May to October max).

There are incredible downwind possibilities (for example Palmar / Poste Lafayette). Check with kite schools on site, it is better to know the conditions, especially to know where to cross the passes and when to pass rocky areas.

There are many activities other than kitesurfing (diving, catamaran excursions…), making it an ideal place to travel with family.