3 hand-picked catamaran trips on the water in Mauritius — sunset cruises, snorkel runs, full-day sails — ranked by what real guests say, not by who paid us.
Mauritius private catamaran, full-day cruises, north-islands tour & paradise sunsets.
— Editorial summary
The Île aux Cerfs full-day catamaran cruise is the canonical Mauritius product — pickup at Trou d'Eau Douce, the GRSE waterfall stop on the way over, snorkel inside the lagoon, BBQ on the beach, return mid-afternoon. North-coast Grand Baie runs dolphin sunrise tours (Tamarin Bay), Benitiers Island day-trips, sunset cruises, and the popular 'north islands' loop covering Coin de Mire (Gunner's Quoin), Île Plate, and Îlot Gabriel.
What you can typically expect on a Mauritius catamaran: lagoon snorkel · dolphin watch · waterfall walks · beach bbq. Boats are sailing and motor catamarans both common; many include onboard catering. English and French standard on tourist-facing operators. Reef-safe sunscreen required in Mauritius lagoon and Seychelles marine parks.
The marinas, reefs and bays that anchor the catamaran scene in Mauritius. Knowing what each spot is — and what it isn't — helps you read tour itineraries critically.
Trou d'Eau Douce day-cruise; lagoon snorkel + beach BBQ
Sunset cruise hub and dolphin sunrise tours
Add-on stop on most Île aux Cerfs tours
All-day catamaran loop from the north
South-west day cruises
Travel to the Northern Isles of Mauritius aboard a beautiful catamaran on a sailing trip. Depart from Grand Baie toward Gabriel, Flat, and Coin de Mire for the
Embark on a catamaran cruise to Ile Aux Cerfs from Trou D'eau Douce. Visit the Grand River South East Waterfall, snorkel in the crystal-clear waters, and enjoy
Discover the northern islands on a catamaran cruise. Swim and make stops on the islands, admire the magnificent sea views, and savor a delectable BBQ lunch fres
Sort by rating, reviews, or price. The same trip can be twice the cost from a different operator — this is where you spot the value.
| Tour | Location | Rating | Reviews | From | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mauritius: Full-Day Catamaran Cruise to the Northern Isles | Grand Baie, Mauritius, Republic of | ★ 4.7 | 1990 | From $77 | Book |
| Mauritius: Catamaran Cruise to Ile Aux Cerfs with BBQ Lunch | Trou d'Eau Douce, Mauritius, Republic of | ★ 4.3 | 1169 | From $61 | Book |
| North Islands: Full Day Catamaran Cruise, BBQ lunch & Drinks | Grand Baie, Mauritius, Republic of | ★ 4.3 | 464 | From $75 | Book |
Tap any column header to re-sort. Prices and ratings pulled from GetYourGuide on our last refresh.
The Indian Ocean sailing calendar has three windows that matter. The peak is april – may and september – november (sweet spots). Shoulder months — june, july, august (still good, slightly windier) — beat the peak crowds and the peak pricing. Avoid january – march (cyclone window).
April – May and September – November (sweet spots). Trade winds are predictable, water clarity is at its best, and operators run at maximum frequency. Book 4–6 weeks ahead.
June, July, August (still good, slightly windier). Smaller crowds, lower prices, mostly the same conditions. The best value window for Mauritius catamaran tours.
January – March (cyclone window). Operators may pause routes or run reduced schedules. If you must travel in this window, build flexibility and travel-insurance coverage into the plan.
25–28°C. Trade winds 10–20 kt; calmer in shoulder months. Sailing and motor catamarans both common; many include onboard catering.
3 tours shown
Tourist-facing catamaran operators in the Indian Ocean have run the same routes year after year, and they remember which guests were a pleasure to host. A few defaults keep you in the welcome column.
Reef-safe sunscreen required in Mauritius lagoon and Seychelles marine parks. Buy a tube before you board; operators don't always sell it on board, and the captive-sale price stings if they do.
10 % cash; some private charters include service. The crew runs hard in the sun all day for tip income. Local currency or EUR; USD accepted on Mauritius.
Open-bar cruises serve at a pace that's easy to underestimate. The wind and sun hide intoxication. Drink water between drinks, eat what the crew puts out, and never enter the water if you're unsteady.
English and French standard on tourist-facing operators. GetYourGuide handles the booking and customer support layer; most operators reply in English even when the local language is something else.
"We got picked up from our resort and our driver was very friendly. He also accompanied us to our guide for the catamaran experience. From start to finish the catamaran cruise was phenomenal! We went to Ile Aux Cerfs, snorkelled in the Indian Ocean, visited the waterfall and…"
on Mauritius: Catamaran Cruise to Ile Aux Cerfs with BBQ Lunch
"This was a great experience to live! All the staff were amazing and so accommodating. The journey to the islands was enjoyable and the views once there were out of this world. The food and drinks were delicious. Thank you all for the amazing day"
on Mauritius: Full-Day Catamaran Cruise to the Northern Isles
"The trip was great! The Indian Ocean is quite rough, in my opinion the Catamaran trip is much better than speed boat. The staffs are friendly and like to offer you the drinks. Lunch is good !! There’s nothing I could complain about :)"
on North Islands: Full Day Catamaran Cruise, BBQ lunch & Drinks
"Amazing day with great and entertaining crew and amazing views. The lunch and selection of drinks was also fantastic. Definitely recommend :)"
on North Islands: Full Day Catamaran Cruise, BBQ lunch & Drinks
"The activity was super fun :) the views were great. Timing was perfect. Food was increíble with vegetarian friendly options. Fully recommend"
on Mauritius: Catamaran Cruise to Ile Aux Cerfs with BBQ Lunch
"Crew, music and BBQ were so good. Boat is nice as well! Thanks for the trip to whole crew!:)"
on Mauritius: Full-Day Catamaran Cruise to the Northern Isles
A full-day catamaran loop from Grand Baie or Cap Malheureux up to the three islets north of Mauritius — Coin de Mire (Gunner's Quoin), Île Plate, and Îlot Gabriel. Snorkel at each, lunch on board or beach BBQ on Îlot Gabriel. Best in the May–November window.
Shared half-days run around $55-90 per person; full-day Île aux Cerfs cruises with BBQ are $80-140. Private charters scale by boat size — typical 8-guest private full-day is $700-1,400. The comparison table above pulls live GetYourGuide prices on click-through.
Yes — almost every Mauritius catamaran operator offers a private whole-boat option. Per-head price beats shared at 6+ guests; the captain will adjust the route, swim stops, and music. Book 3-6 weeks ahead in the May-November peak.
Sunrise tours from Tamarin Bay on the west coast, year-round. The dolphin pods are wild and the operator stops the boat — you swim out with fins and snorkel. Reputable operators do not chase or harass the pods; check reviews before booking.
April – May and September – November (sweet spots). Shoulder months (june, july, august (still good, slightly windier)) are the best-value window — smaller crowds, lower prices, mostly the same conditions. Avoid january – march (cyclone window).
10 % cash; some private charters include service. Service is sometimes included on private charters — check the booking confirmation. Cash is preferred.
Reef-safe sunscreen required in Mauritius lagoon and Seychelles marine parks. Bring a mineral (zinc-oxide) sunscreen from home if possible; operator-bought is usually marked up significantly.
English and French standard on tourist-facing operators. If you have a specific question or need (allergies, mobility, kids), message the operator through GetYourGuide before booking — they almost always reply within hours.
Sailing and motor catamarans both common; many include onboard catering. Shared day-charters usually carry 12–25 guests; private charters scale 2–12 typically.
Yes on almost every shared day-charter — most operators take all ages with no minimum. Open-bar adults-only sunset cruises usually have a minimum age (8 or 12). Check the offer card before booking.
Most GetYourGuide catamaran tours offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. Look for the cancellation policy on the tour page. Travel insurance with weather coverage is the right backstop for non-refundable shoulder bookings.
Mauritius catamaran search demand clusters around three product categories. The Mauritius catamaran cruise, Mauritius catamaran, Mauritius catamaran tour, and Mauritius catamaran trip queries all describe the volume product — typically the Île aux Cerfs day-cruise out of Trou d'Eau Douce with waterfall stop, lagoon snorkel, and BBQ on the beach. The Mauritius full day catamaran cruise terminology refers specifically to this 6–8-hour format.
The Mauritius sunset catamaran search is the evening open-bar slot, mostly out of Grand Baie. The Mauritius private catamaran and Mauritius paradise catamaran queries both point to whole-boat charters (Paradise Catamaran is an active operator brand in Grand Baie). The Mauritius north islands catamaran tour query is the full-day loop covering Coin de Mire, Île Plate, and Îlot Gabriel — Mauritius's other major catamaran product. The Mauritius catamaran cruise price query is mostly about budgeting: shared half-days run around $55–90 per person, full-day cruises $80–140.