You're in our family's home
We're so glad you're here. Our family has looked after this stretch of coast for generations, and the villa sits right beside our grandfather's house — so most of our childhood happened on the very sand you'll be walking out onto.
Villa Leyama is newly built, but it's never felt new to us. Sharing it with guests is simply our way of letting other people enjoy a place that has always been the heart of our family's life here.
The villa takes its name from the two of us — Amaris and Ashley — so in a sense you're staying somewhere that carries the family's names on the door.
So please make yourself properly at home. Wake up to the waves, take your coffee down to the beach, watch the sun go down, and let the days move as slowly as they want to. This little piece of our family's heart is yours for a while, and we hope you love it as much as we do.
Getting settled
Ashley or Amaris will be there to welcome you, walk you through the villa and hand over your keys for the villa and the gate. And do reach out any time you need anything at all during your stay. A WhatsApp message is always the quickest way to find us.
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Getting down to the beach
The passage directly opposite the front door will take you straight down to the sand — it's only a few steps.
Just outside the villa's private beach gate you'll find a little seating area with chairs and cushions. It's there for you, so do use it as much as you like.
If you're after shade and the best swimming, wander about fifty metres to the left or to the right and you'll find the sweetest spots. And don't miss the snorkelling right in front of the villa — it really is lovely. Ask us if you need a mask.
One small thing: the garden lawn in front of the villa is there to be looked at rather than walked on. It's shared ground, and all the neighbours have agreed between themselves not to use it so that everyone keeps a little privacy. The passage opposite the front door is your way down to the sand.
Making yourself at home
- Parking
- You have one secure indoor space, just for you.
- Electricity
- The odd power cut is normal in this part of the island, but the building has its own generator — so in all likelihood you'll never notice one.
- Air conditioning
- It works best with the windows closed, and we'd be grateful if you switch it off when you head out for the day.
- Housekeeping
- Two housekeepers come on Mondays and Thursdays for a couple of hours, usually arriving somewhere between 12pm and 2pm. They know the house inside out. If those days don't suit you, just say and we'll happily move them — and if you'd rather skip housekeeping altogether, let us know a little in advance. We can also arrange daily or every-second-day visits if you'd prefer.
- Towels
- You'll find both beach and bathroom towels waiting for you. Do keep the beach ones for the sand, if you don't mind.
- Outdoor bath
- All yours. It's at its best at sunset, or later on under the stars.
- Rubbish
- The refuse area is just beside the parking.
- Mosquitoes
- There are a few around, mostly at dusk. We've left repellent in the villa for you.
- Television
- We have Canal+, which should cover just about anything you'd want to watch. You're also very welcome to sign into your own Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ or YouTube accounts while you're here — and if you forget to sign out before you leave, don't worry, we'll take care of it for you.
- Kitchen
- Properly equipped, so do cook if you feel like it — it's not just for reheating.
How we live here
Only a handful of things, and they're all really about looking after the neighbours — our own family among them.
- Quiet from 10pm, please. The houses sit close together along here and sound travels a long way over the water. Evenings are for low voices and the sound of the sea.
- Smoking on the veranda only. Never inside the villa, if you would.
- Visitors are very welcome. If your own car is already in the indoor parking, just ask them to park out on the road.
- No parties or events. A relaxed dinner with friends is another matter entirely.
- No pets, sadly.
- The front garden is for looking at. It's shared ground, and all the neighbours have agreed between themselves not to use it so that everyone keeps a bit of privacy. Your way down to the sand is the passage opposite the front door.
Where we go
This isn't a list of everything in the north. It's just the handful of places our family actually goes, and we think you'll like them too.
Discovering the north
One of the real luxuries of Villa Leyama is simply where it sits.
Tucked into the quiet coastal village of Pointe aux Canonniers, you have the calm of one of the island's loveliest beachfront neighbourhoods, and yet you're only minutes from the energy of Grand Baie. The peninsula is known for its still lagoons, its elegant old villas and its uninterrupted view across to Coin de Mire — which strikes a rather perfect balance between doing nothing at all and doing everything.
Five minutes down the road is Grand Baie, the heart of the north. You'll find waterfront cafés, some genuinely excellent restaurants, artisan bakeries, busy markets, boutiques and the shopping centres at La Croisette. Spend an afternoon drifting between craft stalls, eating fresh seafood near the marina, or just watching the boats swing on their moorings as the light goes gold.
For beaches, little compares to Mont Choisy. Almost three kilometres of white sand under the shade of the filao trees, it's the longest beach in the north and one of the most beautiful anywhere on the island. An early jog, a barefoot walk at sunset, or your own quiet stretch of sand with nobody near you — it's the sort of place you find yourself going back to.
A little further on is Trou aux Biches, loved for its clear lagoon and its snorkelling. The water is calm and shallow, which makes it ideal for swimming, paddleboarding and finding tropical fish only a few metres from the shore.
The northern lagoon is also your way out to some of the island's most memorable days. A catamaran or a private speedboat will take you to the northern islands — Coin de Mire, Îlot Gabriel and Flat Island — where empty beaches, turquoise water and living coral make for wonderful snorkelling and even better lazing about.
And if you'd like to venture inland, there's the fishing village of Cap Malheureux with its red-roofed church looking out at Coin de Mire, or the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden, with its giant water lilies, towering palms and one of the richest collections of tropical plants in the southern hemisphere.
Though in truth, most of our guests find the greatest pleasure is simply slowing down. Wake with the sunrise, swim before breakfast, spend a long afternoon under the palms with a book, and let the ocean set the pace of the day.
This is the north of Mauritius at its best — unhurried, authentic, and quietly unforgettable.
Our own list
The specific places we send friends and family to.
A long, gentle curve of sand. You can drive there in five minutes, or walk it by road in fifteen — but do take the beach instead. Half an hour with your feet in the water, and honestly it's phenomenal. If you follow one suggestion on this page, make it this one.
Clear, shallow and sheltered — the easiest swimming close by, and lovely with children.
Fresh baguettes and pastries, an easy walk away. This is our morning stop.
Good coffee, good bread and an easy lunch, just down the road.
Breakfast, lunch and proper coffee, with a big play area alongside. If you have children with you, this is where the morning quietly stretches out.
Indian food that is genuinely out of this world. It looks like nothing much from the outside — please go anyway.
Seafood, right on the water. This is the one for a long, unhurried dinner.
Wonderfully authentic Chinese, and the dumplings alone are worth the trip.
Do stop for a roti. Fresh, hot, a few rupees, handed to you wrapped in paper. It's about the most Mauritian thing you can do, and most visitors drive straight past — we'd love it if you didn't.
The supermarket for a proper shop — everything you'd need if you fancy cooking at the villa.
Close by for anything small. There are a few more in Grand Baie if you need them.
Restaurants, shops and street food all together. The Bazar de Grand Baie is the market worth wandering through — produce, spices, fabric and a lot of cheerful noise. Mornings are best.
Useful to know
- Driving
- We drive on the left. The roads are narrow in places and drivers are fairly relaxed about lanes, so take your time.
- Money
- The Mauritian rupee. Cards are accepted nearly everywhere, though it's worth carrying some cash for stalls, markets and roti.
- Tipping
- Never expected. Rounding up, or ten percent for lovely service in a restaurant, is always appreciated.
- Water
- Most of us here drink bottled or filtered water — it's cheap and easy to find anywhere.
- Sun
- Much stronger than it feels with the sea breeze on you. Midday is fierce, and most locals quietly stay out of it.
- Language
- Kreol day to day, French widely, English in business — and everyone will happily meet you in English.
- A few words
- Bonzour for hello, mersi for thank you, ki manière? for how are you. Try one and watch how quickly the conversation warms up.
- Taxis
- Do agree the fare before you set off. Ashley can put you in touch with a driver we know and trust.
We're never far
Anything at all, at any hour — a question, a recommendation, or something in the villa that isn't behaving. Please just message us rather than wondering. We'd much rather hear from you.
Before you go
If you've enjoyed your time at the villa, we'd be so grateful if you left us a review. We're a small family running this ourselves, and a few kind words genuinely make a difference to us — and they help the next guests know what to expect. Thank you for staying with us. We'd love to see you back.