Short answer: Ile aux Cerfs has no road or bridge, so the only way there is by boat, usually a short ferry crossing from the jetty at Trou d'Eau Douce on the east coast. Go independently rather than through a hotel tour, and catch the first boat, around nine in the morning, to beat both the markup and the crowds.
Ile aux Cerfs is the most heavily sold excursion in Mauritius, and most people buy it as a packaged day that puts them on the sand at exactly the same hour as everyone else. The island is genuinely beautiful at nine in the morning and genuinely overrun by eleven. The entire trick is the first boat.
Go independently
Boats leave from Trou d'Eau Douce on the east coast, and you can simply turn up at the jetty and buy a return transfer. Prices vary by departure point and what is bundled in: a return runs somewhere around 700 to 1,200 rupees per person, with higher rates where the trip adds the Grande Rivière Sud-Est waterfall, and considerably more for packages with a barbecue lunch.
Booking through a hotel desk generally means a later departure, a fixed return time and a much higher price. Going direct lets you take the first crossing, which is the only part that really matters.
What is actually there
It is a sandbar island with genuinely excellent water, a long beach on the sheltered side, a scattering of restaurants and a golf course. It is not undiscovered and it does not pretend to be. What it has is the colour of the water, which is as good as anywhere on the island.
Watersports operators work the main beach and sell parasailing, tubing and speedboat rides. Prices are negotiable and quieter in the early morning.
Timing, in order of importance
- First boat, around nine. The beach is close to empty and the light is best.
- Walk away from the arrival point. Ten minutes along the sand thins the crowd dramatically.
- Leave by early afternoon, when day-tour groups peak and the sea breeze picks up.
Getting to the jetty
Trou d'Eau Douce is reachable by bus from Centre de Flacq, which is itself a hub with services from Port Louis and the north. It is a slow journey but a workable one. With a car, there is parking near the jetty.
What to bring
Cash for the boat and anything you buy on the island, water, sun protection and your own snorkel if you have one. Food on the island is priced for a captive audience; if you are on a budget, eat before you go.
Is it worth it?
Early, independently, on a weekday: yes, comfortably. Late, packaged, on a Sunday: you are paying a premium to share a beach. The island has not changed in either case, only the hour you arrive.
