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Catamaran Cruise to Ile Aux Bénitiers: Dolphin watching, Crystal Rock snorkeling & Transfer
3.6
43 Ratings
Riviere Noire
Embark on a thrilling catamaran cruise to Ile Aux Bénitiers in Mauritius. Watch dolphins, snorkel at Crystal Rock, and enjoy a delicious BBQ lunch on board. Book now!
Duration:
8 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Riviere Noire - Your adventurous Catamaran trip to Ile Aux Benitier begins with a complimentary hotel pick-up at your accommodation anywhere in Mauritius. You will meet and be greeted by our certified guide and after boarding to your comfortable vehicle, then set off to Tamarin, a fishing village nestled on the West Coast of Mauritius. The cruise is done on a great 40 feet catamaran along the South West coast of Mauritius which is considered one of the most beautiful area, and a must place to see when visiting Mauritius – it is a place of unique wildness and tranquility. As part of this cruise tour, you will discover the dolphins of Tamarin bay, visit and snorkel at the famous Crystal rock which stands out in the middle of the lagoon, and stay on Benitiers Island for relaxation on its beautiful sandy beaches. The cruise itself starts at 09:00 am. You will have a short pre-departure briefing by the boat’s captain. - Tamarin Bay - Then the catamaran will depart heading to Tamarin Bay area where you can encounter dolphins in their natural habitat. This is a unique chance to explore the spectacular lives of these magnificent marine mammals in their aquatic habitat. A little information about Dolphins in Mauritius Dolphins are perhaps the most fantastic of all the creatures that live in the ocean. The dolphins, cheerful and playful, are a symbol of intelligence and grace. In Mauritius, the dolphins live in pods of about 20 individuals or more and can be observed swimming from Tamarin Bay (on the west coast of Mauritius), on their way to the deep sea off the coast of the Le Morne peninsula. The most common dolphins in Mauritius are the Bottlenose Dolphin and the Spinner Dolphin. The Bottlenose Dolphin and the Spinner Dolphin have chosen the West Coast of Mauritius their place for rest and sleep before heading for the deep sea for their fishing. - Crystal Rock - From Tamarin bay the cruise will continue along the coral reefs to the lagoon of La Preneuse. During the cruise the crew members will make your time enjoyable, they will tell you about local folklore and play local Mauritian music which will lift the spirits of everyone on board. The catamaran will stop for breaks in some key locations, where you can enjoy a swim and some snorkeling in the sea, or enjoy the sun and drinks onboard the catamaran. While cruising you will visit the famous Crystal Rock and will have a spectacular view of the Rempart Mountain, the Black River mountain range, and of the magnificent Le Morne Mountain. This subliminal rock formation sits just a couple of hundred meters away from the shore and offers a splendid view to anyone who lays their eyes on it. Snorkeling is a great way to have a glimpse into the mesmerizing marine life and the underwater world of Mauritius. - Ile aux Benitiers - After snorkeling, we will cruise to Benitier Islet. While cruising, you will have a delicious BBQ lunch onboard. The menu includes fresh fish, chicken, chicken sausages, rice, pasta salad, a variety of fresh salads and a dessert. At the benitier islet, you will enjoy some relaxation time - have the leisure to tan on the beach, walk along the endless beaches of Benitiers Island or explore the amazing lagoons and coral reefs that are in close proximity to the beach. This will be a very magical moment, snorkeling in the blue turquoise lagoon, seeing the local singing and dancing sega music. A true Mauritian experience! Following the visit to Benitiers Island, the catamaran will cruise back to Tamarin. An added bonus for this excursion is that you can enjoy a full open bar service for free, including both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks This catamaran trip is all about having a relaxed and fun moment aboard a catamaran while enjoying the company of your loved ones or friends.
What's Included
- Services of a fully qualified Guide and Driver
- Dolphin watch in the open ocean
- Visit to Ile aux Benitier islet
- Private transportation in a fully air conditioned vehicle
- A wide selection of unlimited locally drinks at Ile aux Benitiers (Wine, Beer, Soft & local Rhum)
- 3-course lunch (Veg & non-veg lunch) Note: Halal food
- Snorkeling at The Crystal Rock
- Pick-up and drop-off at any hotel or accommodation in Mauritius
What's Not Included
- Gratuities (optional)
Additional Information
Set off on an entire day of sailing on a catamaran to witness the uncommon sighting of spinning Dolphins off the western shoreline of Mauritius, which also includes an underwater adventure at the Crystal rock and a trip to Benitiers Island.
Embark on a captivating journey by catamaran to Ile aux Benitiers. Throughout this voyage, you’ll have the chance to observe the marine dolphins of Tamarin Bay. After anchoring at Ile aux Benitiers, make the most of the crisp transparent waters and sandy shores, whether you prefer to snorkel or simply relax.
Savor a tasty BBQ lunch onboard the catamaran. The meal consists of fresh seafood, chicken, a variety of salads, rice, pasta, and potato salad, followed by a dessert. A wide range of unlimited local alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are also included on the 44ft stunning catamaran.
This catamaran excursion on the west coast provides a winning mix of nature, stunning lagoons, dolphin sightings in their natural surroundings, and the pleasure of sailing. It’s a must-see destination during your Mauritius trip, characterized by its unrivaled wilderness and peacefulness.
- A minimum of 2 people per booking is required
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
- Please advise of any food allergies or illness.
- Children ages 4 years and under are free. Please notify of CHILD/ INFANT SEAT at the time of booking
Location
Riviere Noire
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
3.6
(43 Ratings)
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S_phoraa447
Nov 20, 2023
Amazing - Gorgeous! A big thank you to Mangesh for the transport, and to the boat captains for their welcome!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kevinsr5123je
Sep 22, 2023
The dolphin.. - my daughter book this trip for our wedding anniversary and it was an amazing gift! best catamaran cruise to relax. we board to a big catamaran with approx 25 people. the staff was very cool.. always serving us cocktails and beers :D. we saw many dolphins and the great view of le morne. very nice island to explore. great catamaran tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
840florentp
Sep 13, 2023
Great - Excellent catamaran trip, view of dolphins, crystal rock, clams.
Meals and organization at the top.
Very touristy but you can't escape it.
Departure from our house with a driver, thank you Manu for the punctuality and the journey.
To do !!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Francis_bolleurs
Jul 14, 2023
Amazing Mauritian Catamaran cruise - What an amazing day out. We can highly recommend this Catamaran Cruise. We saw a lot of dolphins, experienced beautiful views of Crystal rock, had a great snorkelling experience and had a fun trip to Ille Aux Benitiers (the markets and coconut cocktails were a great suprize). Definitely value for money.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tyroneh760
Jul 3, 2023
Great - This cruise met all that it was advertised to be. We only had 8 people on the cruise and it was advertised to not have more than 20 individuals which is why I was happy to pay more. The crew was attentive and we had a great swim at the Chrystal rock and the food was good. I would only mention that we had prepared a tip for the team but they never really provided us the opportunity to give it to them!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Majdsh06
Sep 6, 2023
Good - Very friendly staff and the trip was overall fun, the only issue I had is that the boat was way over booked, we were around 30-35 people and it was too crowed and uncomfortable. If we were around 10-15 it would have been way better.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
557kenm
Dec 17, 2023
SHODDY OLD CRYSTAL CRUISES CATAMARAN WITH BLARING MUSIC - ILE AUX CERF - Too loud music and really old and shoddy Crystal Cruises cataraman for the ile aux cerfs catamaran tour.
The views were great with turquoise water and the waterfall was nothing special, but nice.
However, in the boat, music was played really loud . Also, the catamaran was quite crowded with people and there was only the back of the boat exposed to the sun availablefor the last passengers.
The lunch was ok (rice, pasta, salad with grilled fish, chicken and sausages, drinks (water, soft drinks, beer, rum) were included. However, they ran out of Coca-Cola!!
Snorkeling wise, there was very little to see at the spot they stopped.
Have been on a few of these cruises before and this Crystal Cruise Company is by far the worse.
Other cruises' boats were in far better condition, the snorkeling sites were far better and their music was not so blaring.
So, choose your Cruise Company carefully to have the best experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Corine
Sep 1, 2023
Not too bad - Not up to the price the advertising is not compliant
We are made to understand that life is hard and that this job is poorly paid, so we are already well prepared for drinking.
192 euros for the cruise is excessive especially for the service really disappointed
We will not return to Mauritius, people are embittered by this 2-speed society, too bad the poor people have such a hard time surviving 🤔
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gojubill
Aug 28, 2023
To escape, tourist trap - 41 people (excluding crew) on board when it says "20 people maximum per group"; music that will make your ears bleed all day long; 20 minutes, not one more, stop on the Ile aux Benitiers before returning to the boat to eat sausages and cold meats cooked in deplorable hygienic conditions.... And the icing on the cake, we made us disembark at a different place from the boat location "it's easier for us"...so we walked 10 minutes, with three young children, on the road among the cars brushing past us. legs to find the taxi. No exchange with the crew, bordering on friendliness. It's clearly a catch-all, run away.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cilliantwo85
Jun 25, 2023
Old Rusty Catamaran - Avoid - We booked this trip prior to arriving on the island as we only had a few days there. We booked it solely off the nice pictures and long list of what's included. When we arrived we spent almost an hour waiting around an alleyway next to the Marina.
There were many nice catamarans so we were excited. Finally when it was time to get going, we had to run along the rocks to get the Marina only to see that we were getting onto a smaller boat to bring us out to our catamaran (if you could call it that). This was much smaller boat than the others and in tatters. The plastic tarp was falling a part, dirty and covered in rust so we couldn't see out. The plastic cushion covers were all wet and cut open so the sponge was showing, there was some cockroaches below deck and the toilets were simply awful, located next to heaving diesel engine fumes.
The boat had rust on the canvas from the chain and they never took the sail out.....doubtful it even worked. The only saving grace was they kept our glasses filled and the staff were nice. The BBQ to be fair was also nice.
The boat was simply not designed for tourism in my opinion. This advert does not reflect reality and does not show an accurate image of what you'll be getting. We will be seeking some sort of refund.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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