5 Islands Speedboat Cruise incl. Snorkeling in Blue Bay + Lunch at Ile aux Cerfs

Fast boats, quiet islets, and warm water. This seven-hour east-coast cruise packs Ile aux Cerfs, historic lighthouses, Blue Bay snorkeling, waterfalls, lunch, drinks, and open sea into one busy day. I like the mix of swimming and scenery, and I like that snorkeling gear, food, and bottled water are already covered.

The friendly skipper is a major part of the appeal. Andy is praised for his energy and good humor, and several parts of the day sound pleasantly social. The main caution is pace: some stops may feel short, snorkeling time can feel limited, and the music may be louder than you want on a small speedboat.

Key things to know before you book

• Blue Bay snorkeling is the main event: You get up to two hours around Blue Bay Marine Park or near Ilot Mangenie, depending on weather and coral breeding conditions.
• Five stops create a full day: Ile aux Cerfs, Ile aux Fouquets, Ile aux Aigrettes, Blue Bay, and Grand River South East are all included.
• Lunch and drinks are included: Snacks, alcoholic beverages, lunch, bottled water, and snorkeling equipment are part of the price.
• The group is capped at 18 people: That keeps the boat more personal than a large cruise vessel, though it is still a shared excursion.
• The history adds depth: Ile aux Fouquets and Ile de la Passe connect the scenery to Dutch settlement and the Battle of Grand Port.
• The schedule can feel uneven: You may spend a long stretch at one stop while other island visits or snorkeling time feel brief.

A fast, social way to see Mauritius

At $110.79 per person, this is not the cheapest way to reach the water, but it bundles together transport by boat, several island visits, lunch, snacks, drinks, snorkeling gear, bottled water, and taxes. If you want to arrange each piece separately, the price begins to look more reasonable.

I would choose this tour for a first visit to Mauritius if I wanted variety in one day. You get beaches, offshore islands, a marine park, a waterfall, historic sites, and a meal without having to plan several separate outings. You also avoid the slower pace of a traditional catamaran, although the speedboat ride may feel lively and the onboard music may not suit everyone.

The meeting point is Blue Alizé Catamaran Ile aux Cerfs in Trou d’Eau Douce, with an 8:30 am start. Private transportation is not included, so you need to arrange your own way to the meeting point. Parking is available there, which helps if you have a rental car.

Ile aux Cerfs starts the morning

The first scheduled stop is Ile aux Cerfs, one of the best-known island outings in Mauritius. You have about 45 minutes here, with refreshments included.

That is enough time to step ashore, look around, take in the beach setting, and get a feel for the island. It is not enough for a long, lazy beach session, so set your expectations accordingly. This stop works as a quick introduction rather than the main beach portion of the day.

I like beginning here because it gives you an immediate sense of Mauritius as an island destination. You are not spending the first hours only on the boat. You get a short break on land before continuing toward the Grand River South East area.

The timing can also be a drawback. One rating praised the full day but noted that the stops were short. If you prefer to settle into one place and swim for a long time, this schedule may feel rushed. If you enjoy moving on before a site becomes repetitive, the brisk pace will suit you better.

Grand River South East brings waterfalls and open views

The boat then heads toward Grand River South East, where a waterfall flows into the Indian Ocean. The sight is brief but memorable because the water meets the sea in a very open setting.

A later stop allows about 15 minutes for this area. That is a photo stop, not a full waterfall excursion. You will want to keep your camera ready and pay attention to the guide, since the boat does not linger for long.

The setting also connects with the nearby history of Grand Port. Ile de la Passe, a rocky islet in the bay, was linked to the Battle of Grand Port in August 1810. French and British frigates fought there during the campaign for control of Mauritius. The French victory did not prevent the later British capture of the island, but it gives the offshore rocks more meaning than they might have at first glance.

This is one of the tour’s quiet strengths. The guide is not only pointing out pretty water. The islands have stories tied to Dutch settlement, naval battles, and Mauritius’s changing colonial control. The quality of that explanation depends on the guide, but the route gives the day a useful historical thread.

Ile aux Fouquets is small but important

Ile aux Fouquets is also called Ile Phare or Lighthouse Island. A lighthouse built in 1864 gave the island its name, and it served a strategic purpose in the bay of Mahébourg.

You should not expect a long land visit or a full museum-style tour. The island is mainly appreciated from the boat, as part of the route through the bay. The attraction is the combination of a weathered lighthouse, exposed rock, and the history tied to Grand Port.

I like this stop because it breaks up the beach-and-snorkel pattern. It gives you something to look at that is human-made and historic, not only natural. The guide’s commentary matters here, so this is a good moment to listen rather than simply take photographs.

If you booked a French-speaking guide, confirm the language before departure. One person who expected French was placed with an English group. That issue may not affect every departure, but it is worth checking ahead of time if language is important to you.

Blue Bay Marine Park is the water highlight

The longest active portion of the day is the snorkeling session, scheduled for about two hours. Blue Bay Marine Park lies on the southeast coast and became a national park in 1997. It was later designated a wetland site under the Ramsar Convention in 2008.

The appeal is easy to understand. The water near shore is calm and shallow, and the marine park is known for coral gardens and many types of marine life. Snorkeling equipment is included, so you do not need to rent a mask and fins separately.

The exact location can change. Depending on the weather and coral breeding season, the crew may use Blue Bay or an area near Ilot Mangenie. That flexibility is useful because sea conditions matter more than sticking rigidly to one named site.

Two hours sounds generous, but the actual time in the water can feel shorter once the boat stops, equipment is handed out, and everyone gets organized. One rating specifically found the snorkeling too brief, while another praised the swimming and snorkeling as a fun part of the day. Your experience will depend on sea conditions, group timing, and how much of the scheduled window is used in the water.

You should also think about the style of the marine encounter. A separate comment described feeling uneasy when the boat followed dolphins, as if the animals were being pursued. Dolphin sightings are not presented as a guaranteed feature, and you should not book this tour for that reason. If dolphins appear, pay attention to how the crew approaches them and decide what feels comfortable to you.

Ile aux Aigrettes adds a short break

After the marine park, the boat passes by Ile aux Aigrettes, an islet off the southeast coast. It is a nature reserve and scientific research station, as well as a popular place to visit in Mauritius.

The stop is listed as about 20 minutes and includes refreshments. The open bar is described as available at this point, adding alcoholic drinks to the snacks and bottled water already included.

This is a pause more than a full nature-reserve visit. You should not assume that you will take a guided walk through the reserve, since the experience described here is a pass-by and refreshment stop. Still, the island gives the day another angle, with conservation and scientific work alongside the marine park and historic lighthouses.

The open bar is useful at the end of an active morning, but drink sensibly. You still have boat travel and water activities in the schedule, and the sea may be moving.

Lunch is included, but confirm the day’s timing

Lunch is one of the tour’s strongest practical advantages. Food is included, along with snacks, alcoholic beverages, bottled water, snorkeling equipment, and all fees and taxes. You can leave the hotel without worrying about finding a restaurant during a day spent offshore.

The exact lunch arrangement appears to vary by departure. The planned route gives you refreshments at Ile aux Cerfs and Ile aux Aigrettes, but one experience described a long lunch stop on an island with little to do. That person felt that two islands would have been enough and found the extended stop frustrating.

This is a useful warning. A long meal break can be welcome if you want to relax, eat, and talk with the group. It can feel like dead time if you hoped for more swimming, sightseeing, or snorkeling. Ask the operator where lunch is served and how long the stop lasts if the schedule matters to you.

The food itself received strong praise from one person, who called it the best lunch of the day. That suggests the meal can be a highlight, not merely a basic packed lunch. The exact menu is not specified, so do not book expecting a particular dish.

The skipper shapes the whole mood

The speedboat is more than a way to move between stops. The skipper sets the rhythm, volume, and personality of the day.

Andy is specifically praised for his enthusiasm and energy. Another high rating describes the people running the outing as attentive and consistently checking that everyone was happy. That kind of hands-on service matters on a small boat, where a good crew can make the hours feel easy and friendly.

The group limit is 18 people. That is small enough for a more personal atmosphere than a large vessel, and it gives you a chance to meet other people without being packed into a huge crowd. The tradeoff is that the group still has to move together. You cannot extend one stop simply because you are enjoying it.

Music is part of the atmosphere, but it may be loud. If you want a quiet nature trip, this may not be your ideal boat outing. If you like a social, upbeat ride with a lively skipper, the same feature will probably add to the fun.

What the $110.79 price really covers

The price makes the most sense if you plan to use the included extras. You are paying for a full day of boat transport between several sites, snorkeling gear, lunch, snacks, bottled water, alcoholic drinks, taxes, and a capped group size.

That is good value for someone who wants a ready-made day with very little planning. You also get a guide who explains the islands and local history, plus parking at the meeting point. The package removes several small costs that can otherwise add up.

It is less attractive if you mainly want one beach and a long snorkeling session. In that case, the multiple short stops may feel like too much movement for the money. The tour is built around variety, not slow exploration.

I would also budget for your own transport to Trou d’Eau Douce because private transportation is excluded. The tour begins at 8:30 am and returns to the same meeting point, which makes the day’s boundaries clear.

Who will enjoy this outing most

I would recommend it to you if you:

• Want beaches, islands, history, snorkeling, and a waterfall in one day
• Prefer a speedboat to a slower cruise
• Like a social atmosphere and an energetic skipper
• Want lunch, drinks, and equipment included
• Are comfortable with a fixed group schedule
• Have limited time in Mauritius and want broad coverage

I would be more cautious if you:

• Need a French-speaking guide and have not confirmed the language
• Want long, quiet stops at each island
• Prefer a calm boat with little music
• Plan to spend most of the day snorkeling
• Dislike the idea of following wildlife if dolphins appear
• Want hotel pickup or private transport

The tour is suitable for most people, but it requires good weather. If poor weather cancels the trip, you are offered another date or a full refund. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the 8:30 am start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund.

Should you book the five-island cruise?

Book it if you want a lively, well-filled day that shows you several sides of Mauritius. The best parts are the Blue Bay marine setting, the historic lighthouse and naval sites, the included lunch and drinks, and the friendly energy associated with skipper Andy.

Do not book it expecting five long island visits. Some stops last only 15 to 20 minutes, and even the 45-minute visits are quick. The tour gives you a broad sample rather than deep time in any one place.

At a rating of 4.4 from 40 ratings, the experience has a strong overall record, with clear differences in what people value. I would choose it for variety, social fun, and convenience. I would choose another type of outing if your priority is quiet snorkeling, a relaxed beach day, or private sightseeing.

FAQ

How long does the speedboat cruise last?

The experience lasts approximately seven hours, beginning at 8:30 am and ending back at the meeting point.

Where does the tour start and finish?

It starts and finishes at Blue Alizé Catamaran Ile aux Cerfs in Trou d’Eau Douce, Mauritius.

Is private transportation included?

No. Private transportation is not included, so you need to make your own way to the meeting point.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch is included, along with snacks, bottled water, alcoholic beverages, snorkeling equipment, and all fees and taxes.

Is snorkeling equipment provided?

Yes. Use of snorkeling equipment is included in the tour price.

Where does snorkeling take place?

Snorkeling takes place at Blue Bay Marine Park or near Ilot Mangenie, depending on weather conditions and the coral breeding season.

How long is the snorkeling session?

The scheduled snorkeling portion lasts about two hours.

How many people can join the tour?

The group has a maximum of 18 people.

Is parking available at the meeting point?

Yes. Parking is available at the meeting point.

What happens if bad weather cancels the tour?

Because the experience requires good weather, a cancellation caused by poor weather gives you the choice of another date or a full refund. You can also cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time.