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Last updated on September 6, 2023
In Mauritius, an Indian Ocean Island nation, Mahebourg Bay is located in the south eastern part of the island. The bay hosts a tiny patch reef, which is located less than a mile from the seafront and accessible only by boat. In the heart of the bay is an anemone garden that hosts large communities of Mauritian clownfish. This reef is definitely one of Mauritius’s best-kept secret spot for snorkeling.
The Anemone Garden is located less than a mile off Mahebourg seafront. The easiest way to snorkel this location is to book a tour from Mahebourg. It will cost you around euro 30 ($30 USD) per person for a 2 to 3 hour tour. Most tours include 3 locations: the Anemone Garden, Trou Moutou and Courant Zaigrettes.
You can book it from local operators in Mahebourg or ask fishermen on the waterfront. Make sure that you only go with a tour boat that has a commercial permit to do the trip (those having the prefix PC, not PPC, on their boat).
You will enter the water directly from the boat.
The garden is located in a patch reef that lies in the lagoon, in an area that is sheltered from the waves and currents. The water depth ranges from 12-20 ft in the anemone garden itself, but is surrounded by shallower reef areas.
In the center of the garden, a coral outcrop has numerous sea anemones fixed on it. Most of them host communities of Mauritian clownfish, endemic to the Mauritius and Réunion Island. This location is, without a doubt, is the best around the island to observe this iconic species.
On the reef, you will observe a wide variety of fish including needlefish, schools of juvenile barracudas, damselfish, sergeant majors, and dozens of other species. The reef features table coral, as well as small patches of branching and fire coral. You may spot a sea star or a group of urchins in the sand of the reef.
Ask for details about what is included in your tour when booking. As this spot is relatively close to the shore, tour duration generally does not exceed 2 to 3 hours (half-day).
These spots are accessible to anyone with basic snorkeling skills, and feeling comfortable in the water and with his snorkeling gear. You will enter the water from the shore (beach, pontoon, ladder, rocks) or from a boat. The water height in the sea entrance area is reasonable, but you will not necessarily be within your depth. Moderate currents can occur in the area, even when the sea conditions are good. The distance to swim to reach the most interesting snorkeling areas of the spot does not exceed 200 meters. This level only apply when the spot experiences optimal sea and/or weather conditions. It is not applicable if the sea and/or weather conditions deteriorate, in particular in the presence of rough sea, rain, strong wind, unusual current, large tides, waves and/or swell. You can find more details about the definition of our snorkeling levels on our snorkeling safety page.
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Snorkeling spots are part of a wild environment and their aspect can be significantly altered by weather, seasons, sea conditions, human impact and climate events (storms, hurricanes, seawater-warming episodes…). The consequences can be an alteration of the seabed (coral bleaching, coral destruction, and invasive seagrass), a poor underwater visibility, or a decrease of the sea life present in the area. Snorkeling Report makes every effort to ensure that all the information displayed on this website is accurate and up-to-date, but no guarantee is given that the underwater visibility and seabed aspect will be exactly as described on this page the day you will snorkel the spot. If you recently snorkeled this area and noticed some changes compared to the information contained on this page, please contact us.
The data contained in this website is for general information purposes only, and is not legal advice. It is intended to provide snorkelers with the information that will enable them to engage in safe and enjoyable snorkeling, and it is not meant as a substitute for swim level, physical condition, experience, or local knowledge. Remember that all marine activities, including snorkeling, are potentially dangerous, and that you enter the water at your own risk. You must take an individual weather, sea conditions and hazards assessment before entering the water. If snorkeling conditions are degraded, postpone your snorkeling or select an alternate site. Know and obey local laws and regulations, including regulated areas, protected species, wildlife interaction and dive flag laws.
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