Part of our Mauritius guide.
Two of our Mauritius outdoor features are collected here: one on the island’s famous underwater waterfall illusion, and one on the Seven Colored Earths of Chamarel. Both are natural sights you can see in a day from most parts of the island.
Related travel guides: Top Things To Do In Mauritius, Mauritius Travel Tips - When To Go, How To Get There & Where To Stay!, Mauritius Travel Guide, Hidden Gems In Niagara Falls, Hiking And The Outdoors In Africa Middle East, and Honest Review Of Rhythms Of The Night In Puerto Vallarta: What To Expect.
Spectacular Places To Witness Underwater Waterfalls
The underwater waterfall illusion off Mauritius is not a real waterfall but a visual trick caused by sand and silt draining off an underwater shelf. You see it best from a helicopter or a boat trip along the southwest coast, near Le Morne. The water is shallow enough that the sandy currents carve deep channels in the reef, making it look like a cascade plunging into the abyss. The same effect appears in the Maldives, where clear lagoons reveal similar sand patterns, but the Mauritius version is the most photographed.
To view it, book a scenic flight from the helipad at Le Morne or take a catamaran that stops at the nearby Île aux Bénitiers. The best light is in the late morning, when the sun is high and the water is most transparent. No special gear is needed—just your eyes and a camera with a polarising filter to cut glare.
Chamarel: Mauritius' Hidden Rainbow Dunes
The Seven Colored Earths of Chamarel sit in the island’s southwest, about a 45-minute drive from the coast. These dunes show bands of red, brown, violet, blue, green, yellow, and purple—colours that come from volcanic ash and mineral oxides, weathered over millions of years. The site is small, but the colours shift with the angle of the sun, so visit at sunrise or sunset for the most vivid contrast.
You can walk the short, fenced path around the dunes in about 20 minutes, and there is a small museum on site explaining the geology. The entrance fee also covers the nearby Chamarel Waterfall, a 100-metre drop that is most impressive after rain. If you are planning a full day, combine this with the Black River Gorges viewpoint, which is a 15-minute drive away.
For practical details on getting here and combining sights, see our Mauritius guide. And for the best times to visit the island, check our Mauritius travel tips - when to go, how. If you are building a route, these two stops are among the top things to do in Mauritius—but the dunes and the waterfall are the quietest in the early morning, before tour groups arrive.
Wear sturdy shoes for the path, bring water, and note that the site has no shade, so a hat and sunscreen are essential. The colours are most intense after a dry spell, so if it has rained recently, wait a day or two for the ground to dry.
