Catamaran Cruise Mauritius: Prices, Routes and How to Choose

A catamaran is two hulls joined by a wide deck, which is why it is the boat the island's day cruises are built around: it does not heel over under sail, it has room for a crowd to spread out, and the net stretched between the bows is the best seat on the ocean. A typical cruise motors out of the lagoon pass, hoists sail when the wind allows, and spends the day moving between a handful of stops: a snorkelling site, a beach, sometimes a waterfall or an islet.

Lunch is grilled on deck while you sail, drinks flow from an open bar, and the crew does the work while you watch the coast slide past. The day ends with the trade wind behind you and the sun lower over the mountains. It is the single most popular excursion in Mauritius for good reason, and it is the trip our family has run from Trou d'Eau Douce since 1995.

East coast: Trou d'Eau Douce to Île aux Cerfs

The classic. Catamarans leave the village jetty at nine, run south along the coast to the mouth of the Grande Rivière Sud-Est and the GRSE waterfall, anchor at the reef for snorkelling, grill lunch on the way, and spend the afternoon at Île aux Cerfs before sailing home. The whole day stays inside the largest lagoon in Mauritius, so the water is flat even on breezy days. If you have read anything about a catamaran cruise to Île aux Cerfs, this is the route.

North coast: Grand Baie to the northern islets

From Grand Baie, catamarans head out to Coin de Mire, Flat Island and Gabriel Island, a longer sail in more open water with deeper, often very clear snorkelling. It suits people staying in the north and happy with a bit of swell on the crossing.

West coast: Black River towards Île aux Bénitiers

Cruises from Black River and Tamarin head south past Le Morne to the shallow lagoon around Île aux Bénitiers, often with a dolphin-watching run first thing in the morning. Calmer afternoons and dramatic mountain scenery are the west coast's advantages.

Shared cruises are sociable and they are how most people do it. A private charter makes sense for a birthday, an anniversary or a family that wants to set the pace: later departure, longer at the beach, the music you choose. For a group of four or five who want privacy without the catamaran price, a private speedboat day from Rs 15,000 covers the same coast.

Across the island, shared catamaran cruises are advertised anywhere from around Rs 2,000 to well over Rs 4,000 per person, and the gap is almost always about what is included rather than the boat. A fair full-day price should cover the crew, a proper cooked lunch, drinks including beer and rum, snorkelling gear and all the stops. Watch for cruises that charge separately for drinks, land you for lunch at a restaurant that is not included, or run a half day sold as a full one.

• Our shared catamaran to Île aux Cerfs is Rs 2,500 per person and includes the BBQ lunch, the open bar, snorkelling equipment and all four stops
• Our private catamaran is Rs 50,000 for the boat, up to 10 guests, same inclusions and your own timetable
• Hotel pick-up is available from anywhere in Mauritius, priced by distance from Trou d'Eau Douce at Rs 2,500 per car from East Coast hotels or Rs 5,000 from elsewhere, for one to four people; parasailing at Île aux Cerfs can be arranged for Rs 3,000 per couple
• Children are welcome; tell us ages when booking so lunch and life jackets are right

Sunset catamaran cruises exist mostly on the west coast, where the sun sets over the sea. On the east coast the sun sets behind the mountains, and the evening light on the lagoon is the show. Our evening option is the Sirène d'Or, a hand-built wooden sailing boat rather than a catamaran: a sundowner dinner cruise from 17:30 to about 19:30, at your own table from Rs 4,500 per person or with the whole boat for your party, with a souvenir photoshoot, dinner and live music as the light goes. If you are picturing a romantic evening on the water, that is the one.

• Ask what the price includes, line by line: lunch, drinks, snorkelling gear, every stop
• Check the maximum number of guests. Thirty on a big catamaran is comfortable; sixty is a party boat
• Look for a morning departure. The sea is flattest and the snorkelling clearest before noon
• Prefer an operator with its own boats and crew, and read reviews that mention the crew by name
• Confirm the weather policy in writing: a reschedule or refund if the skipper calls the day off
• Book direct where you can; it is usually cheaper and you know who you are dealing with

Swimsuit under your clothes, a towel, reef-safe sunscreen, a hat that will not blow away, sunglasses, and a little cash for anything on the island. Leave the valuables at the hotel. Sea sickness is rare inside the lagoon, but if you are prone to it, take your tablet an hour before boarding and sit at the back.