Mauritius

Many of Mauritius' best beaches, whilst not exactly reserved by five star hotels - which would be illegal as all beaches in the country are public - are not easy to get onto as you have to approach along an adjacent beach or via a boat and would find no public facilities available when you got there.

Flic en Flac, however, offers an easily reached, long public stretch of powder white sand and calm, shallow, reef-protected water, backed by the ubiquitous casuarina trees [which whilst offering shade, do drop pointy seed pods that can be a pain]. The surrounding area may have become overdeveloped for some tastes but does, at least, offer the humble independent traveller a variety of guest houses, small hotels, shops, bars and restaurants at budget prices.

Flic en Flac beach is also arguably drier than Mauritius' other best beach, the more northerly Trou aux Biches, and certainly drier than the best east coast beach, Belle Mare.