Blue Bay Marine Park Mauritius

In an effort to protect the area's rich underwater forest of rare corals from encroaching development, the government has given Blue Bay 'marine park' status. Besides a mandate barring high-speed watercraft, though, it seems that conservation plans are a bit laissez-faire. Local environmentalists fear that irreversible coral bleaching is inevitable, which is a shame as this is the best snorkelling spot on the island. There are no 'official' tours of the marine park like those on Île aux Aigrettes, but the protected patches of coral can be easily explored on a snorkelling outing or during an excursion aboard a glass-bottomed boat (figure on around Rs 250 per person for one hour).