Dubai vs Mauritius for a Golf Holiday
Two very different warm weather golf escapes. Dubai is depth, energy and winter sun a short flight from Europe, with more championship courses than you can play in a week. Mauritius is an Indian Ocean island of lagoons and beach resorts, fewer courses but spectacular ones. Here is the honest head to head, with our verdict up front.
Photograph: Ile aux Cerfs Golf Club, Mauritius, via Google
The verdict
For a dedicated golf trip, Dubai wins. It has far more quality courses, the two most famous names in the region in the Majlis at Emirates Golf Club and the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, and a depth that lets a group play a fortnight without repeating. It is a short flight from Europe for winter sun, everything is slick and easy, and the off course scene of dining, hotels and nightlife is unmatched. If the trip is mainly about the golf, Dubai is the answer.
But Mauritius is the better holiday for a certain kind of traveler. This is a luxury beach island first and a golf destination second, with fewer courses but genuinely spectacular ones, from Bernhard Langer's island layout at Ile aux Cerfs to the MCB Tour Championship venues at Constance Belle Mare Plage. The resorts are among the best in the world, the pace is slow, and golf often comes free with the room. Choose Dubai for the most and the best golf close to home, Mauritius for a once in a while beach and golf escape, especially for couples.
Head to head
| Dubai | Mauritius | |
|---|---|---|
| Signature courses | Emirates Golf Club, Majlis; Jumeirah Golf Estates, Earth and Fire; Dubai Creek; the Els Club; Trump International, by Gil Hanse | Ile aux Cerfs, by Bernhard Langer; Anahita, by Ernie Els; Heritage Le Chateau; Constance Belle Mare Plage, the Legend and Links |
| The best single course | The Majlis, longtime home of the Dubai Desert Classic, and the Earth Course, host of the DP World Tour Championship | Heritage Le Chateau, host of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, with Ile aux Cerfs the most spectacular to play |
| Depth and choice | The deeper field by far, with around a dozen quality courses; you could play two weeks without repeating | Around eight courses island wide; a focused golf trip of four or five rounds rather than an endless choice |
| Green fees, top end | Indicative 2026 winter peak roughly 190 to 330 US dollars; floodlit and summer rates far lower | Indicatively about 110 to 200 euro, often discounted or free for guests of the resort that owns the course |
| Off the course | The Gulf's entertainment capital: world class dining, beach clubs, malls, nightlife and family attractions | Indian Ocean beach luxury: white sand, lagoons, world class resorts, diving and a slow, romantic pace |
| Getting there | A short hop from Europe, roughly 7 hours, and a global hub with constant connections | A long haul, roughly 11 to 12 hours from Europe, a destination you commit a week or more to |
| Best season | October to April for comfortable golf; very hot in high summer, when play moves early or to floodlights | Year round, best in the drier, cooler austral winter from May to December; January to March is hotter and wetter |
| Who it suits | Groups and buddies trips wanting maximum golf, winter sun close to home and a lively base | Couples, honeymooners and golfers who want a luxury beach holiday with a handful of memorable rounds |
Course facts and indicative fee ranges verified June 2026; fees move with season and demand, so always confirm directly before booking. Check tee time availability.
Who should pick which
Pick Dubai if
The trip is about the golf. Dubai pairs the famous Majlis and Earth Course with the deepest field of quality courses in the region, a short flight from Europe for reliable winter sun, and an off course scene nothing in the Indian Ocean matches. It is the easy, slick, play every day choice, ideal for a group or buddies trip that wants to pack in rounds and dine and celebrate hard.
Pick Mauritius if
You want a luxury beach holiday with spectacular golf alongside. Mauritius has fewer courses, but Ile aux Cerfs, Anahita and the Constance and Heritage layouts are as scenic as golf gets, and they come wrapped in some of the world's best beach resorts, often with golf included. It is the connoisseur's escape and the natural pick for couples and honeymooners willing to fly a little further.
Plan your golf trip
Dubai, Mauritius or help deciding between them. Tell us roughly when and who is traveling, and one concierge builds the tee times, transfers and base, and costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Dubai vs Mauritius questions
Is Dubai or Mauritius better for a golf holiday?
They suit different trips. Dubai is the better choice for a dedicated golf trip: it has far more championship courses, including the Majlis at Emirates Golf Club and the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, plus winter sun a short flight from Europe and a huge off course scene. Mauritius is the better choice for a luxury beach and golf escape, with fewer but spectacular courses such as Ile aux Cerfs and the MCB Tour Championship venues, and is ideal for couples.
What are the best golf courses in Mauritius?
Ile aux Cerfs, Bernhard Langer's dramatic course on its own island, is the most famous, while Anahita by Ernie Els and Heritage Le Chateau, host of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, are the strongest tests. The two courses at Constance Belle Mare Plage, the Legend and the Links, host the MCB Tour Championship. Together they make a small but high quality golf island.
How much does golf cost in Dubai and Mauritius?
Both are premium. Indicative 2026 peak green fees at Dubai's flagship courses run from roughly 190 to 330 US dollars, while Mauritius runs a little lower at around 110 to 200 euro, often with discounts or free golf for guests of the resort that owns the course. Both reward booking golf and hotel together. Figures are indicative and move with season, so always confirm directly before booking.
When is the best time for golf in Dubai and Mauritius?
Dubai's season runs October to April, when the heat eases and the courses peak, with very hot summers. Mauritius plays year round, but the best golf weather is the drier, cooler austral winter from roughly May to December, while January to March is hotter and wetter with a cyclone risk. The two seasons overlap in the northern winter, when both are at their best.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Course facts and indicative fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.