Ile Aux Cerfs Golf Club

Few golf experiences in the Indian Ocean can match playing on an actual island, and Ile aux Cerfs delivers exactly that. Designed by Bernhard Langer and opened in 2003, this course occupies a coral island off Mauritius's east coast, accessible only by boat from the mainland near Trou d'Eau Douce. The setting is genuinely extraordinary — turquoise lagoon water comes into play on nearly every hole, and the trade winds off the Indian Ocean make club selection a constant conversation. Langer shaped the layout to make the most of the coastal exposure without letting the scenery become the only story; the routing demands real shot-making, particularly on the stretch of holes running along the island's outer edges.

Mauritius's east coast sits in the drier, calmer quarter of the island, sheltered from the heavier rainfall that hits the central highlands and west. Flacq district is lush but not oppressively tropical, and the light here in the late afternoon turns the lagoon colors extraordinary.

The club caters primarily to resort guests from the surrounding luxury properties — the Four Seasons and others nearby feed it well — but visiting golfers not staying locally can arrange access. It is an unabashedly resort-style experience, polished and scenic, but the golf itself earns its place alongside the views.