Mauritius Airport (MRU) → Le Morne transfer

There is no motorway to Le Morne. Drivers usually follow the south coast through villages such as Souillac and Bel Ombre, on a two-lane road with bends, speed bumps and slow traffic through each village. Near Baie du Cap the road winds along the cliffs before the mountain comes into view.

It is one of the most scenic drives on the island, with sugar cane fields, basalt coastline and open sea. Plan on more than an hour rather than judging by the distance.

Le Morne is not a town. The resorts sit along the beach on the peninsula, with very few shops or restaurants outside the hotels, which is why it appeals to honeymooners and travellers who want a quiet, self-contained stay. For more choice, La Gaulette and the villages towards Tamarin are a short drive north.

The mountain can be hiked, often with a local guide, and the view over the lagoon is one of the best-known images of Mauritius.

Le Morne has a reputation among kitesurfers for its large lagoon and steady trade winds, which are generally strongest in the southern-hemisphere winter. Kite bags and boards are long and heavy, so they must be declared when booking. The provider can then send a minivan or a vehicle with enough space, rather than a standard car that cannot take them.

This is the transfer where it is easiest to underestimate the time. Leave Le Morne about 4 hours 30 minutes before an international flight: up to 84 minutes on the road, a margin for slow traffic through the villages and about three hours at the airport.