Coral Garden (Trou aux Biches)

Coral Garden at Trou aux Biches is one of Mauritius's most beloved beginner dive sites, a shallow reef of exceptional beauty located off one of the island's most picturesque beach towns. The site offers new divers their first encounter with a genuine tropical coral garden in conditions that are gentle, warm, and forgiving, making it the ideal gateway to the underwater world of the Indian Ocean. The boat ride from Trou aux Biches is wonderfully brief, and the mooring drops anchor above a reef that is visible through the crystal-clear surface water. The descent through warm turquoise water onto a shallow reef of scattered coral formations immediately reveals why this site has earned its reputation — even in the first moments underwater, the colors and movement of the tropical marine community create a sensory experience that leaves beginners wide-eyed with wonder. The coral formations here are a showcase of tropical reef diversity at accessible depth. Hard corals in numerous varieties form the structural foundation — massive dome-shaped colonies, delicate branching forms, and flat plate corals create a varied three-dimensional landscape. Among them, soft corals add splashes of purple and pink, their flexible forms moving gently with the water's rhythm. The health of these corals is evident in their vivid colors and active growth, and the site benefits from the protection afforded by the fringing reef that shields it from open ocean swell. Fish life at Trou aux Biches's Coral Garden is abundant and approachable. Sergeant majors in their bold black-and-yellow stripes school above the coral heads, while butterflyfish navigate the reef in graceful pairs. Parrotfish of impressive size crunch on coral with audible enthusiasm, and the ever-popular clownfish bob protectively among their anemone homes. The shallow depth means natural light floods the entire scene, bringing out the full spectrum of tropical colors in a way that deeper sites cannot match. Coral Garden at Trou aux Biches has earned its place as one of Mauritius's essential diving experiences — a site where the beauty of the Indian Ocean's reefs is presented in its most accessible and enchanting form. For beginners, there is no better introduction to tropical diving than this warm, clear, life-filled garden, where every glance reveals a new wonder and every breath underwater brings you closer to the extraordinary world beneath the waves.