Boat trips
On almost every beach, people show you pictures of their tours to persuade you to join them, so it is easy to get confused when you are looking for a boat trip. Below are some of the most popular trips, from the north of the island to the south-west.
Catamaran cruise to Ilot Gabriel
Around the main island there are several small islands that can be reached by catamaran. The northern islands are especially popular.
Blue Safari catamaran cruises from Grand Baie
Blue Safari, the company that also runs the submarine at Trou aux Biches, offers a full-day catamaran cruise along the north coast from Grand Baie. The day starts at about 9 am and ends at about 4.15 pm, with room for up to 29 passengers. You stop for swimming and snorkelling near Coin de Mire, spend some time on the beach of Ilot Gabriel and have a BBQ lunch on board. In the evening there is a two-hour sunset cruise (5 pm to 7 pm, in winter 4.30 pm to 6.30 pm).
Do not underestimate the swell: if you have a weak stomach, you might prefer another cruise.
From quite a distance you can already make out Coin de Mire, Ile Plate and Ilot Gabriel, and later also Ile Ronde and Ile aux Serpents. On Ilot Gabriel you can enjoy the beautiful beach, but you should also take the opportunity to go for a walk, because the nature and the view are really impressive.
Blue Safari also runs catamaran cruises in the north-east (Grand Gaube, the mangroves of Ile d’Ambre and Bernaches Island), in the south-east (from Mahébourg to Ile aux Cerfs) and in the west (Black River, Crystal Rock and Ile aux Bénitiers), as well as sailing trips on its monohull Bayberry.
Blue Safari
Coastal Road, Trou aux Biches
Phone: +230 265 7272
E-mail: info@blue-safari.com
Website: blue-safari.com
Opening hours: daily 8 am to 5 pm
Google Maps: Blue Safari Submarines
Black River
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Baba Cool Co Ltd – the Sunset Cruiser since 1999
Baba Cool Co Ltd, a luxury pleasure craft operator, offers a magnificent excursion on the west coast of Mauritius, at Black River, where the beauty is incomparable. The full-day trip on the Sunset Cruiser includes full board and plenty of music.
The tour starts with breakfast on the catamaran: coffee, milk, tea and buttered bread with exotic jam. While sailing over the ocean you may see dolphins. Cruising through the lagoon of the west coast, you can snorkel on the coral reef and admire a variety of multicoloured fish and corals of incredible beauty. Masks, flippers and snorkels are provided for the day.
While you are under water, the team on board prepares a BBQ: cabbage, cucumber and carrot salad, rice salad, marinated and grilled fresh fish or chicken (tell them which when you book), grilled bananas for dessert, and of course soft drinks, rosé and white wine, beer and more. A vegetarian menu can be reserved as well.
After the BBQ the Sunset Cruiser anchors near the “Crystal Rock” in the lagoon next to Ile aux Bénitiers. Here you can snorkel again and feed the small fish, or just enjoy the sun. Then a pirogue takes you to the island for a walk along the beach. Back on board you can savour the last rays of the sun on your skin until the Sunset Cruiser reaches Black River again at about 3 pm.
If you love Sega music, book the Sunset Cruiser with or without dinner. Baba Cool takes you out of the bay and along the coast as the sun starts to set. With Sega music in the background, a homemade punch in your hand and a variety of local snacks, you enjoy a wonderful evening in the lagoon, where musicians start the party with Creole and European music. The party continues until about 9 pm.
If you would like to experience one of the outings with your family, you can book the catamaran exclusively. Feel free to stay a little longer snorkelling or with the dolphins: the skipper will be at your disposal for the day.
Prices: The full-day catamaran trip (departure at 9 am from Black River Bay) costs Rs 2,500 per adult and Rs 1,500 per child from 4 to 11 years. A private sunset cruise starts at Rs 15,000 and a private sunset dinner cruise at Rs 26,000, depending on the number of people.
Baba Cool Ltd
One Way Road, L’Amitié
Office hours: daily 7 am – 5 pm
Phone / WhatsApp: +230 5729 1849
E-mail: baba.cool.mauritius@gmail.com
Website: www.sunset-cruiser.com
Google Maps: Baba Cool Ltd
Ile aux Bénitiers
Ile aux Bénitiers is a large coral-sand island in the lagoon in the south-west of Mauritius. It is approximately 2 km long and 500 metres wide, and almost its entire coast is a beautiful white sandy beach. The water of the large surrounding lagoon is crystal clear and shallow, with many coral fields that make snorkelling very interesting. The centre of the island is covered with bright green vegetation, including a coconut plantation. The fauna is not very varied, but you can see some interesting birds. The island is a nice place for an excursion, especially for its beaches and the untouched nature in the centre. Many companies offer boat trips to Ile aux Bénitiers, either by catamaran or by speedboat. A trip to the island is one of the excursions you should do during your stay in Mauritius.
Be careful which company you book with. Some companies offer very cheap trips, and their guests end up on an overcrowded old boat.
A day trip with Vitamin Sea to Ile aux Bénitiers
Vitamin Sea is a local company in Black River that runs private speedboat tours on the west coast. Its “Le Morne Discovery” excursion lasts about seven hours and starts very early in the morning (5.30 am in summer, 6.15 am in winter), when wild dolphins visit the west coast. You observe and swim with the bottlenose and spinner dolphins for 60 to 90 minutes, although the number of dolphins and their behaviour change from day to day. Then the boat goes to a snorkelling spot called the Natural Aquarium and to the Crystal Rock in the Le Morne lagoon. Snorkelling equipment, soft drinks and a morning snack are on board.
For lunch the crew sets up a private table on the beach of Ile aux Bénitiers and serves a Mauritian barbecue with marinated chicken and fish, shrimp and vegetable skewers, garlic bread and salad, a flambéed banana for dessert, and drinks including soft drinks, homemade ti punch and rosé wine.
All Vitamin Sea tours are private, just for your group, and the boat takes a maximum of 8 to 10 people. The full-day excursion is listed from EUR 800. The company also offers shorter lagoon tours, sunset cruises, whale watching, and water sports such as waterskiing, tubing and wakeboarding.
Vitamin Sea Ltd
Black River
Office hours: Monday 8 am – 4 pm, Tuesday to Friday 8 am – 5 pm, Saturday 8 am – 1:30 pm, Sunday closed
Phone / WhatsApp: +230 5490 1450
E-mail: hello@vitaminsealtd.com
Website: vitaminsealtd.com
Google Maps: Vitamin Sea Ltd