10 Activités Uniques à Faire à l'île Maurice

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The Most Unique Things you Must do in Mauritius

Many people have the perception that Mauritius is mainly a honeymoon destination and people travel here just for the turquoise lagoons or the powder-white beaches. Well, that is partially true! However Mauritius has so much more to offer and for all kinds of travellers. You should absolutely take time to explore the island beyond the luxury resorts.

Mauritius offers an extensive range of attractions, activities, tours and excursions all around the island. From sightseeing tours to once-in-a-lifetime experiences like whale encounters, walking with the lions or a submarine trip, we have something to meet the requirements of every kind of traveler.

For those looking at making their holiday epic, we have sorted a list of the most unique and fun activities to do while on this beautiful island. For several of the activities you will feel the unbelievable adrenaline rush, thrill and a sense of excitement that will make your trip very memorable.

1. Underwater Sea Walk Excursion

It is a once in a lifetime adventure which will allow you to experience a unique underwater sea walk on the ocean floor to explore the beautiful fauna, corals, and a wide variety of fish, all in their natural habitat.

Underwater Sea Walk Excursion - Mauritius

Qualified experienced driver-guides will accompany you along the course of the Underwater Sea Walk guaranteeing your maximum safety.

The Underwater Sea Walk is one of the most unique attractions that one must experience when visiting Mauritius. The activity does not require any knowledge of swimming or diving and you are not even required to remove your glasses.

The Underwater Sea Walk is offered at 3 different locations, namely:

Belle Mare Beach
Ile Aux Cerf
Grand Bay Beach

For all the available packages, upon arrival on the platform you will receive a pre-departure briefing on the gear, the local marine life, on safety procedures and on the underwater walking trail.

Then, with the help of a fun and enthusiastic guide you will go off board the platform to start your underwater walk adventure. Depending on the package, the total time of the excursion varies; however for the walk itself, it takes about 15-20 minutes.

Book your prefered Underwater Sea Walk Adventure

2. Swim with Dolphins

Check one thing off your bucket list with this uniquely memorable experience of swimming with dolphins in their natural habitat!

Once-in-a-lifetime moments that take your breath away are what most people only dream about- so make the most of this incredible opportunity and discover the spectacular lives of these magnificent marine mammals, in the crystal-clear waters of Mauritius.

Dolphins are very energetic mammals that love to show off their playful nature. Instead of a short swim limited to the confines of a pool or a quick encounter in shallow waters, you will have the chance of jumping into the warm waters of the Indian Ocean and enjoy snorkelling in the open sea to have a close encounter with these friendly and charismatic mammals in their natural setting. Along with the thrill of swimming with dolphins, you will surely enjoy watching them have fun.

Dolphins live in pods of about 20 individuals or more and can be observed in the early morning, swimming along the west coast of Mauritius- from Tamarin to the deep sea, off the coast of Le Morne Peninsula. You can do this activity on board a yacht, a catamaran or a speedboat and on a shared or exclusive basis. There are several options available ranging from 2hrs excursion to a full day trip along with many other exciting activities.

During a full day excursion, you will get to enjoy a 2.5 hours outing with the dolphins, snorkeling, afterwards travel to L’ile aux Benitiers for lunch and spend the afternoon in a magnificent lagoon. You will also visit the Crystal Rock and have a magnificent view on Le Morne Mountain.

Book your Swim with Dolphins activities:

3. Ile Des Deux Cocos Island

A luxury day at Ile des Deux Cocos is an invitation for you to enjoy a day of pure indulgence with the highest standards of comfort and services provided by a dedicated and friendly staff.

A day on the private paradise island of Ile des Deux Cocos has been the highlight of many visitors’ stay in Mauritius and it is an unmissable experience while holidaying here. Located off the South-East coast of Mauritius in the vicinity of the Blue Bay Marine Park, Ile des Deux Cocos offers an idyllic tropical island setting for utmost relaxation.

The day trip to Ile des Deux Cocos starts with a boat shuttle departing from the south-east coast of Mauritius. The 5-minute transfer is done aboard a glass bottom boat for you to enjoy views of turtles and colourful fish in the clear waters of the lagoon.

Upon arrival, you will be greeted at the Ile des Cocos jetty with refreshing towels and welcoming drinks. You will immediately feel the charm of this small paradise island and the relaxed atmosphere all around.

You will have free time to enjoy the fabulous variety of underwater life which can be explored during a snorkeling boat trip or on board a glass-bottom boat trip.

The buffet lunch which is served on the island at noon features delicious grills and salads, cooked in the open, with tables in the open air and tents with deep settees to relax in. The lunch buffet also includes an unlimited local drinks package.

To make this day even more memorable, you can select the package that includes the private 252m² vip villa, its Master Bedroom for 2 people, its many facilities, including the beautiful swimming pool. The royalty treatment is emphasized with the housekeeper, valet and chef for an outstanding personal service.

Book your trip to Ile Des Deux Cocos Island:

4. Underwater Scooter

Pilot your own underwater submarine scooter by yourself or as a couple to 3-4 meters depth in full safety, and enjoy a unique experience in the World!

Comfortably seated one behind the other (one or two people can ride the scooter together), on height adjustable seats, you can breathe normally inside a big broad common transparent and panoramic glass dome and enjoy a 360 degrees panoramic view.

You will enjoy a full view of the reef and of the marine life of Mauritius and will discover its marine flora and fauna.

All along the adventure you can communicate with your partner and share your comments, views and enjoy this experience together.

Before going on the adventure you will receive a full briefing about the easy control of the underwater scooter, and will be equipped with a diving suit provided for warmth and full safety.

The underwater scooter is very easy to pilot, with a steering wheel, two accelerator pedals and a single button to control the depth level. You only need to press the button to dive or to go up to the sea surface, as easy as that.

The underwater trip is done in the North West part of the island, it takes about 40 minutes, and the total duration of this excursion is about 2 hours. Please note that it is also possible to go on the underwater scooter excursion in groups of up to 5 scooters (up to 10 people in total).

All the underwater scooters are approved and certified by the international authorities for design and safety at sea. No need to be a diver or swimmer to control the sub scooter…

Book your Underwater Scooter Adventure

5. Walk with the Lions

The walking with lions is an adventurous activity proposed to those who wish to experience the wild side. Don't miss this unique opportunity which will be the highlight of your holiday in Mauritius!

The Walking with Lions is done at the Yemen Reserve, on the west side of the island and it’s part of the Casela Nature Park. Accordingly, you can purchase the Walk with lions excursion together with the entry tickets to the park.

On your arrival to the park, you will be guided to a special safari bus which will take you to the lions reserve where you could see the lions as well as tigers and cheetahs. At the lions reserve, the safari team will welcome you and consecutively will brief you with a short introductory chat on the lions and on the safety measures which should be taken during the adventure and the time you will spend with the lions. Then after, you will be introduced to the lions and their handlers to start your 1 hour walking with lion excursion.

Under the coolness of the trees you can take pleasure in viewing the lions from very close, see them playing and hopping on the rocks of the river banks and scaling the trees. The lions roam freely amongst you offering a unique opportunity of being in close contact with them.

With the supervision and guidance of the lions’ handlers, you can get even closer, and experience from firsthand how it is to walk alongside the lions, lead them the way and even pet them. You will get to see how the lions interact between them, climb trees and even how they feed.

After the walk, refreshments are offered followed by explanations about the reproduction and conservation program of the lions.

There are few packages which are available for this activity, it can be done as a solo adventure or combined with several other exciting activities.

Book your Walk with Lions activities:

6. Encounter Whales in the Open Sea

Done on the Southwest part of the island, you can enjoy a unique exclusive and private speed boat trip of whale watching activity. The whale watching trip is a unique opportunity to explore the spectacular lives of these magnificent marine mammals in their natural aquatic habitat.

Encountering whales is an incredibly moving experience. It will bring you into contact with strikingly beautiful scenery, unspoiled landscapes and wonderful animals.

Whale watching is an outing in which you will go further out to sea and the number of encounters you will have will depend a lot on weather and sea conditions. If the sea is rough, it will be more difficult to see the whales.

Encounter Whales in the Open sea - Mauritius

When you see the whales, the sight is unbelievable. Everyone has their own way of describing this incredible sight. Sometimes instead of the usual outbursts, it is the deafening silence of being lost for words as you hear the enormous humpback whale take one last breath before a dive.

Once you get on board the speed boat, and before the boat heads to its destination in the deep sea, the skipper will brief you on the experience you are about to have.

Whale Watching offers a rewarding, educational, therapeutic and amazing experience for everyone!

There are several shared and exclusive packages available for whale watching and it can be done as an activity in itself or combined with other activities. Duration of the activities varies from 2.5hrs to 7hrs.

Book your Whale Watching activities

7. Ride the Longest Zip Line

Experience an aerial adrenaline rush through a thrilling 1.5km zipline adventure, 3rd longest in the world, at the Vallée des Couleurs reserve situated in the beautiful Southern region of Mauritius.

This is a great opportunity to unveil the true beauty of this remarkable nature reserve, flying like birds from the tree tops, riding the longest zip lines in Mauritius

Children and adults are surprisingly taken by the excitement and adrenaline that comes naturally when you start zip lining for the first time. You will get to discover the beautiful scenery of the South Coast of Mauritius, including the entire nature park, its waterfalls and canyons from high above.

As part of this adventure at Vallée des Couleurs, you would be sure to have remarkable views of the canyon, the stunning landscapes and forest from high above!

Following the zip line adventure you can spend some more time in the nature park strolling along the many beautiful trails. This is a good opportunity to have a closer look at the unique 23 Coloured Earths and the animals in the park. Reach the viewpoint at the mountain top where you will enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of almost the entire South Coast.

Book your Zip line Excursions at Vallée des Couleurs

8. Sharks Diving in Mauritius

This is one of the unique highlights of diving in Mauritius. The sharks diving package consists of 2 dives, done in the same dive site. This way you will get to explore a bigger area of each dive site and increase the chances of encountering sharks.

This activity can be done in 3 different locations namely Tamarin, Trou D’eau Douce and Grand bay.

One of the most famous dive sites in Mauritius - “The Pass of Jacque”. The dive site is situated off the west coast of Mauritius between the Tamarind Bay and Le Morne. You will travel by speed boat from Tamarin Bay heading south west to the deep sea until reaching the diving site. The boat trip from Tamarin to the diving site takes about 30 minutes. As part of this diving package you will have two dives along this underwater passage, each in a different area of this 200 meter passage. Both dives are drift dives through the reef where you could see sharks, rays, turtles... and many more…

The Passage of Belle Mare dive site is situated off the east coast of Mauritius between Belle Mare and Trou d’Eau Douce. The departure point for this diving trip is the village of Trou d’Eau Douce and the boat trip to the dive site takes about 15 minutes. There is a fantastic parade of pelagic and reef fish to be observed at this dive site. Strong tidal currents push the deep water back and forth through the passage, providing nutrients for a staggering array of species. The seascape for itself is a sight worth seeing, rich with numerous chasms, gullies, coral, canyons and sandy valleys; the sight is very impressive. The passage attracts several types of sharks, especially bull sharks and grey sharks which regularly patrol the area.

In the North part of the island, you can dive at the famous “Sharks Pit” situated off the coast of the beautiful Flat Island. The Sharks Pit diving site is situated at the south-western side of Flat Island, on the foot of a huge rock called pigeon rock. The dive site got its name for its large concentration of sharks. Due to rough seas and strong sea currents, this site is generally only dived in summer (October – March) and only by highly experienced divers. Originally a cave, the roof of the cave collapsed at some points leaving the open pit visible. This pit has become a sanctuary for sharks. During the dive you will encounter bull sharks, back tip reef sharks ranging from 1 - 1.5 meters in length as well as grey reef sharks and silvertip reef sharks swimming in a circular pattern in the open pit. Inside the pit you can witness anywhere from 5 to 30 sharks swirling within it for the rich Oxygen available due to the crushing waves above the pit.

Book your Sharks Diving Activities

9. Submarine Underwater Trip

Enjoy a dream adventure going underwater to 35 meters depth on board a real submarine. Go for a once in a lifetime experience and discover the beautiful marine life and the underwater world of Mauritius!

As part of the submarine trip, you will get to visit a shipwreck, explore the rich coral reefs of Mauritius, and observe and encounter various species of fish.

The submarine is air-conditioned with a fully transparent-glassed cabin so you will enjoy exceptionally clear panoramic views of the extraordinary underwater world. It is designed so each passenger has an individual observation window for viewing outside of the wonderful underwater world.

At Mauritius Attractions, for this activity, we designed 2 packages and both are located in the North part of the island.

Amazing Submarine trip to the deep mystery of the sea of Mauritius
Exclusive Submarine Trip

Enjoy an exclusive submarine trip with your partner, family and friends going for a 30 meter deep. Depending on your preferences, the Submarine will head to the deep sea unveiling the underwater world of the North Coast reef. The submarine pilot will provide personal guidance while manoeuvring the submarine to discover the coral reefs, the undersea world and the famous wreck of the "Star Hope".

Based on the selected package, a choice of canapés, a bottle of champagne or even lunch can be added at a supplement.

Book your Submarine Underwater Trips:

10. Canyoning Excursion

The canyoning excursion is offered at the Tamarind Falls which constitute a scenic attraction of the South West of Mauritius.

Situated on the central plateau, near the small village of Henrietta, the Tamarind Falls canyon is the one canyon of Mauritius which you really do not want to miss. With its 11 waterfalls, multiple jumps, deep ponds and lush green vegetation; Tamarind Falls remains one of the most beautiful canyons of the island that is suited to anyone - from beginner to extreme adventurer.

This is the ideal excursion for those seeking more adrenalin and thrill. It will challenge you to abseil down the waterfalls of the Tamarind Falls canyon using nature watercourses and canyoning gear.

The canyoning trip starts at 08:30 with a safety briefing and equipment introduction. You will be guided and mentored the whole time by qualified monitors who are specialists in the activity.

You will begin with a spectacular abseiling experience down a waterfall of 40 m, followed by the "shower" aesthetic track under the waterfalls, secured by a rope. Followed by the crossing of a pond of about fifty meters in diameter.

You will abseil through the other remaining waterfalls of about a dozen-meter height, followed by a short swim. To reach the final waterfalls of twenty meters, adults will have the option of jumping from a 6-meter height after a rope descent.

The jump is not compulsory, you can abseil down. Abseiling this part though is undoubtedly the most challenging segment of the activity. Your efforts will, however, be rewarded with a breathtaking view over the magnificent gorge. The canyoning activity will end above this great waterfall of 55 meters, and after a short climb of 20 minutes you will reach the plateau and will be back to the starting point.

Book your Canyoning Excursion - Tamarind Falls

Conclusion:

Mauritius is a real paradise for both sea and land activities. The selection is vast and you are sure to find your preferred activity that will thrill and challenge you while offering breathtaking views and unique underwater discovery experience.