Ile Plate Beach = Mauritius

The perfect and fitting description of the Ile Plate Beach can be concluded as the amalgamation of beautiful and incredible scenic views and turquoise waters apt for diving, which is surrounded by small sharks though. Located 11 kilometers towards the north of Cap Malheureux, the northernmost point of Mauritius, Ile Plate also goes by the name of Flat Island. Ranging over an area of 253 hectares, Ile Plate or Flat Island is one of the largest islets of Mauritius. Your eyes won’t get tired by the endless undisturbed views stretching out in all directions.

Ile Plate has its historical significance and cultural importance as during the 19th century, it was used as a quarantine station. Apart from that, you can also find a small army base on the island. It is also home to the oldest lighthouse of Mauritius - Ile Plate Lighthouse - and it is prevalent among the tourists and the locals as the only operating lighthouse of the nation island.

The breathtaking views of the lighthouse from the boats will make it irresistible for you to click photographs of this colonial wonder! Although the island has degraded its quality; it still inhibits the unique reptile species endemic to the island. Other than that, Flat Island is used as a breeding site for seabirds and also houses some of the remaining plant species.

Ile Plate Beach is not only a favorite getaway for nature lovers but also a haven for adventure enthusiasts. Water activities like diving and snorkeling are immensely popular among the tourists and locals. The diving site situated at the Pigeon Rock is known as the “Shark Pit” where you can swim around with the sharks. The reason behind the sharks being accumulated at this point is the high current waves crashing up against the cliffs of Pigeon Rock. Keep in mind that the sea is rough and you can access the diving site after 20 to 45 minutes of a boat ride. You have to arrange all the diving needs in advance, and it is recommended that only experienced divers should undertake this activity.

So if you are looking for a place to rest under the shade, immerse yourself amidst the beauty of nature and tame your zeal for adventure all together, Ile Plate Beach is the place for you!

Description of Ile Plate Beach - Mauritius

• Flora and Fauna

The only mammals on the island are three species of bats: the Mascarene flying fox (Pteropus niger), the Mauritius tomb bat (Taphozous mauritianus) and the Mauritian molossian (Mormopterus acetabulosus).

Three species of seabirds nest on the island: the Pacific shearwater (Ardenna pacifica), the Red-tailed Phaethon (Phaethon Rubauda) and the White-tailed Phaethon (Phaethon lepturus). The rich vegetation of the interior of the island combined with the presence of wetlands also favor the nesting of the striated heron (Butorides striata) and occasionally also attract the small curlew (Numenius phaeopus), the plover (Pluvialis squatarola) and the stone turner (Arenaria interpres). Some exotic species such as the common myna (Acridotheres tristis), the red-mustache bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus) and the European sparrow (Passer domesticus) are present.

The island was once home to the largest population of Bojers skink, once very common on the island of Mauritius, and now considered critically endangered. The population was decimated following the arrival of the musk shrew (Suncus murinus) on the island. Other reptiles present are the Bouton skink (Cryptoblepharus boutonii), the Mauritian felsuma (Phelsuma ornata) and the Coin de Mire night gecko (Nactus coindemirensis). Three exotic species have also been introduced to the island: the geckos Hemidactylus frenatus, Gehyra mutilata and the fossorial snake Indotyphlops braminus (Typhlopidae).

The black rat (R. rattus) population of Gabriel and Flat Island was eradicated in 1995 and 1998, respectively.

• Tourism

Île Plate is a popular venue for snorkelers, and access to the island is possible via chartered yacht and catamaran. Pigeon Rock harbors an internationally famous dive site called The Shark Pit where divers can witness sharks swirling within the pit for the rich oxygen available due to the crashing waves against the cliffs of Pigeon Rock.

History of Ile Plate Beach

Île Plate was approached during the Baudin expedition to Australia on March 15, 1801. Jean-Baptiste Bory de Saint-Vincent described it from aboard the Naturaliste: she is "much lower than the others; a beach of limestone makes it remarkable from afar, and appears with a dazzling white hue; the rest of its rocks are reddish or black". To explain these last colors, he refers to a certain Lilet, an engineer officer, who would have visited the reef and who told him he had found the debris of an ancient crater of volcano.

One of Mauritius's few operating lighthouses, built in 1855, is found on the southwest side of the island.

Flat Island was used as a quarantine station from the mid-19th century to the 1930s. It was reserved for immigrants to Mauritius, mostly indentured laborers, undergoing quarantine for cholera, although it was sometimes used during other epidemic outbreaks such as smallpox and malaria. Infrastructure was built between 1856 and 1870 and included stone and wooden buildings. These buildings comprised living quarters and offices for medical, police, and immigration officials in charge of the quarantine station and barracks for migrants placed in quarantine. Kitchens, stores, toilets, privies, two hospitals, and a distillation plant used for water supply were also constructed. Many of these structures are still preserved, though overgrown. A cemetery located on the southern side of the island is still recognizable for the presence of basalt structures and cairns on the top of some graves.

How to Reach Ile Plate Beach - Mauritius

Starting from the historic red tiled church located at Cap Malheureux, it takes almost one and half hours of cruising to reach Ile Plate Beach, where only small boats are allowed to anchor.