Catamaran Cruise – Dolphin Watching, BBQ & Drinks review
Who it’s for
Anyone who wants a day on the water with someone else doing the sailing and the cooking. Families with children who can swim, couples, groups. Vegetarian, gluten-free and seafood-free lunches are done on request. It also suits people who want to see dolphins without joining the speedboat scrum: this catamaran sits and waits rather than chasing, and reviewers notice.
It is not for people who get seasick — the operator says so, and the leg up to Tamarin is outside the reef — nor for anyone with limited mobility, because the boat and the snorkelling both need you to move about. And it is not a way to see the sandfall. If someone tells you the catamaran goes past the underwater waterfall, they mean it goes past Le Morne, and the illusion is not visible from sea level; is it real explains why.
The day in order
- Hotel pickup, then check-in at the jetty at 09:15. Sail at 09:30.
- North out of the lagoon and up the coast to Tamarin Bay, where spinner and bottlenose dolphins rest most mornings. Wild animals; sightings are not guaranteed, and the boat does not chase.
- Snorkelling off La Preneuse and L’Harmonie. No touching the marine life.
- BBQ lunch on board: fish, chicken, sausages, salads. Unlimited rum cocktails, wine, beer and soft drinks from here on.
- Crystal Rock, the coral outcrop standing in the lagoon.
- Île aux Bénitiers, free time on the island.
- Back to the jetty by 15:30, then the drop-off.
What works
- Christopher from France put it best: “Unlike speedboats, the catamaran doesn’t harass dolphins”
- Lunch and an open bar are in the price, so the day has no extras
- Snorkelling, Crystal Rock and Île aux Bénitiers in one loop, all under the mountain
- Hotel pickup and drop-off included
- Life jackets, first aid and a crew that reviewers keep praising
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours
Worth knowing
- Dolphins are wild; some mornings they are not there
- The run north to Tamarin is outside the reef and can roll
- Not for the mobility-impaired or anyone prone to seasickness
- You see Le Morne Brabant, not the underwater waterfall
- It is a shared boat, and a full one on a good day
Bring reef-safe sun cream, a hat that ties on and a dry bag for the phone. On the water the sun comes off the surface as well as down from above, and the bar is generous. If you want the whole south-west in one trip, do this one day and the hike another; the mountain and the lagoon are the same place seen from two directions.
What the reviews say
A 4.8 from 269, and the pattern is crew and food. Lucie from the Czech Republic: “Amazing chill day on the catamaran, we saw the dolphins on our way back.” Christopher from France: “Food was excellent, staff outstanding.” Marie from France: “The catamaran was great, clean, with more than enough space.” Erik from Germany: “After a short delay, a superbly organised trip began.” Nicoletta from Italy: “Everything was perfect: the staff fantastic, the services wonderful.” Emily from the UK: “Crew couldn’t have done anything more.” Kateřina from the Czech Republic: “Excellent food and drinks on board.” Françoise from the Netherlands: “Very relaxing trip, staff very helpful and friendly.”
Note that Lucie saw the dolphins on the way back, not at Tamarin. That is how it goes with wild animals, and it is why the operator does not promise them.
Is it worth the money?
For a full day with lunch and drinks included, yes; there is nothing to buy once you are aboard. It is a different purchase from a flight, and cheaper. If your budget runs to one flight and one boat, do both; if it runs to one thing and the sandfall is the point, the boat is the wrong thing, and the how-to-see page says why. Everything on the ground and lagoon is compared on Le Morne tours.
Check dates
Frequently asked questions
Can you see the underwater waterfall from the catamaran?
No. The illusion is sand sliding off the shelf edge, seen from a few hundred metres up; at sea level the surface is flat and there is nothing to see. The catamaran passes under Le Morne Brabant, which is a fine view, but not that one. How deep is it explains what is actually down there.
Are the dolphins guaranteed?
No. Spinner and bottlenose dolphins rest in Tamarin Bay most mornings, but they are wild and some days they are elsewhere. This catamaran waits rather than chases, which reviewers prefer and which is better for the animals. Lucie from the Czech Republic saw hers on the way back.
Where does the catamaran leave from?
The Le Morne Anglers’ Club jetty at La Gaulette, in the Black River district, 3 km north of Le Morne. Check-in is 09:15 and the boat sails at 09:30, back at 15:30. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included; if you are coming under your own steam, how to get to Le Morne covers the road.
Is the sea safe for snorkelling here?
Inside the reef the lagoon is calm and shallow and the crew choose the spot. Life jackets and first aid are on board, and touching marine life is not allowed. The general picture on lagoons, reef passes and swimming in Mauritius is on is the underwater waterfall safe.