Government Reaffirms Free and Unrestricted Public Access to All Beaches

The Minister of Housing and Lands, Mr Shakeel Ahmed Yousuf Abdul Razack Mohamed, reiterated today that all beaches in Mauritius are part of the public domain and remain open and freely accessible to the public, irrespective of the presence of hotels, campsites or leased State lands along the coastline.

Speaking at a press conference held at the Ministry's headquarters in Ebène Tower, the Minister addressed growing concerns over the installation of signs, barriers and other structures by certain lessees of State coastal lands purporting to claim exclusive rights over beach areas and restricting public access.

Minister Mohamed stressed that such practices are unlawful and contrary to longstanding Mauritian legislation. He reiterated that beaches, including the zone extending between the low-water and high-water marks, together with the adjacent State-owned coastal lands known as the Pas Géométriques (geometric steps), constitute public domain property and remain dedicated to public use.

He further explained that while certain individuals and businesses hold leases over portions of State-owned coastal land, such leases neither confer ownership rights nor entitle lessees to restrict public access to or use of the beach. He emphasised that both citizens and visitors are entitled to enjoy the seashore free of charge, including for walking, sitting, picnicking, swimming and enjoying the seashore free of charge.

Clarifying key concepts, Minister Mohamed explained that the area between the low-water mark and the high-water mark, commonly referred to as the “wet sand”, and the area extending from the high-water mark to the authorised building line, known as the “dry sand”, both form part of the public domain. He observed that misconceptions regarding public access rights along the coastline have persisted for many years and emphasised that neither hotels nor private lessees are entitled to exclude the public from any part of these beach areas.

The Minister further drew attention to the provisions of Section 110 of the Criminal Code (Supplementary) Act, which prohibit any obstruction to the public’s right to move freely along the seashore. He noted that offenders may be liable to a fine of up to Rs 10,000. Minister Mohamed also indicated that he has formally requested the Commissioner of Police to take appropriate enforcement action against individuals found to be unlawfully restricting public access to beaches.

The Minister also addressed the proliferation of unauthorised structures, barriers and fences on public coastal land, indicating that the relevant authorities have been directed to identify and act against such illegal encroachments. He cautioned that any installations unlawfully restricting public access to the coastline will be subject to removal in accordance with the applicable legal provisions.

The Ministry has also initiated a nationwide audit of beach access points to assess their condition, legality and accessibility. The exercise aims to identify public access routes that may have been obstructed, privatised or improperly occupied over the years.

As part of this initiative, the Ministry intends to map all official beach access points and develop a system to enable members of the public to easily identify and locate access routes to the coastline. The Minister underscored that maintaining adequate beach access is vital not only for recreational purposes, but also for public safety, emergency response operations and law enforcement activities.

Reaffirming the Government’s commitment to safeguarding public rights, Minister Mohamed encouraged citizens to report any instances of obstruction, intimidation or unlawful restrictions on beach access to the Beach Authority, the Ministry of Housing and Lands or the Mauritius Police Force. He also called on individuals and entities displaying notices purporting to claim exclusive rights over beach areas to remove them without delay, stressing that such notices have no legal basis and may mislead the public regarding their lawful rights.

25 June 2026

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Topics: Others, Maritime