Welcome to The North
Northern Mauritius puts on show the best and worst (such as it is) of the country's tourism. Grand Baie, the eye of the storm, has a somewhat over-hyped atmosphere, but it's the sort of place where you can take what you want – Mauritius' best nightlife, some excellent restaurants and numerous excursions, for example – and then head elsewhere.
Top experiences in The North
The North activities
Discover Scuba Diving (beginners and children over 10 welcome)
The Discover Scuba Diving (DSD) is a combination of 3 learning steps. You are guided by a PADI qualified instructor on a ratio of 1:4.1- A 20-30 minute theory session where scuba gear and its use is introduced to the diver, explanations on safety, skill developments, underwater sign language and the importance of protecting the natural ocean environment and it's inhabitants.2- There is a 1st confined dive in the shallows at the beach between 0.6 - 1.8 meters for skill practice focused on mask clearing, removal and recovery of your mouthpiece and buoyancy exercises using the jacket and breathing.3- If all 3 exercises have been performed comfortably, a 2nd fun dive without exercises is carried out further out on the reef in a depth ranging from 6-12 meters for a duration of 30-45 minutes, according to the divers air consumption.During this dive, you can see a large variety of reef life as though you were swimming in an aquarium! If you dive at the right time, you can even see dolphins, rays and other large pelagic creatures. Finally, once this short program completed, the diver can join in on any other dive site with the Instructor in the range of 12 meters for more fun dives and discovery. After the fun dive, you return to the shop for some Mauritian snacks and refreshments and chat about what was seen underwater.Bring your swimming costume, towel, sunscreen and enjoy an unforgettable experience in Mauritius.
Ilot Gabriel Catamaran Cruise in Mauritius
The catamaran cruise starts at 8am, departing from Grand Baie. The catamaran motors out of Grand Baie before hoisting its sails and passing Gunners Coin, before reaching the lagoon between Ilot Gabriel and Flat Island. The sailing time to reach Ilot Gabriel is around 1.5 hours. Ilot Gabriel is most famous for its beautiful unspoiled beaches and its crystal clear water surrounding the entire island. As one of the crew's mission is to ensure that our guests have a memorable time, they like to crack a few jokes, tell local tales, answer questions and play Mauritian séga which will set the ambiance for the rest of the day and lift the spirits of everyone on board. You may see whales and dolphins.When the catamaran reaches Ilot Gabriel, it will set anchor in an amazing lagoon, where swimming and snorkeling are a must before lunch is served. At around 12:30pm you will enjoy a delicious BBQ lunch buffet on-board of the catamaran. Vegetarians are catered for too: notification should be given upon booking. You can then go and discover the white sandy beaches of Ilot Gabriel, enjoy a sun bath and simply relax before embarking on board to sail back to Grand Bay. During the sail back the catamaran will stop at Gunners coin for a snorkeling; expected return time is around 4pm.
Le Pacha -North Cruise
Embark on board of Le Pacha from Sunset Boulevard Grand Bay to Ilot Gabriel to discover the nothern island. Sailing to Coin de Mire imposal Rock faced cliff to admire 'Le Paille en Queue' in its nature reserve. Enjoy the meeting with dolphin ,flying fishes and observe 'Le Fou ' birds feeding themselves at sea. Admire the underwater world its large variety of marine life by doing some snorkellig and taking in dip in the beautiful lagoon snorkelling and with the assistance of the skippers Appreciate the Barbecue lunch served on board and unlimited drinks during the whole day including local rum by the crew who remain at your disposal during the whole cruise.After lunch relax during the day at Ilot Gabriel and discover the sandy beach and turquoise lagoon of the island.
5-Day Sailing Cruise on West Coast of Mauritius
DAY 1: Arrival in Mauritius and welcome on your catamaran in the small bay of Cap Malheureux, located at the very north of the island. Boarding at 12h00 (noon), for a briefing on safety and the program of the cruise. After lunch, your catamaran will head on the very north of the island and will stop at Cap Malheureux bay for the night, with the famous red-roofed church as a sentinel.DAY 2: This morning you will have the opportunity to visit the Domaine de Labourdonnais Sugar Estate with its castle and its beautiful gardens, old orchards and rum factory (in the excursions package). On your way back you will be amazed by your visit of a world-renowned factory of model boats. After lunch on board, you will start sailing to L’Ile Plate and Ilot Gabriel. Depending on the meteorological conditions you will stop for snorkelling in the bay of Palissades or in the west coast of L’Ile Plate. Your catamaran will then moor in the lagoon of Ilot Gabriel. You will spend the afternoon as a Robinson Crusoe, discovering the beauty, the seclusion and the quietness of this mooring located in the middle of blue lagoon, between L’Ile Plate and Ilot Gabriel. DAY 3: After an early swim and a beautiful morning in these secluded islands, we will sail ssouth-westto the bay of Rivière Noire. Quiet night on the anchor in this fine fishermen village now converted into a favoured touristic location. A nice bay, protected from the winds by a majestic mountain range will be your scenery for the night.DAY 4: After a hearty breakfast, during the optional excursion you will visit the village of Chamarel where you will discover the magic of the coloured earths and the fantastic view on the lagoon. You will then visit a rum distillery and enjoy a delicious typical lunch. Then your catamaran will sail in this southern part of the island so that you can explore snorkelling and swimming spots. Depending on the sea, you will either disembark on the mythical beach of Tamarin or discover the mouth of Rempart river with a sea kayak.After this active day you will spend a quiet night at La Balise Marina, ready to pack your souvenirs and the wonderful memories of this cruise.DAY 5: Disembarkation after breakfast at 8h00 am.
Historical Guided Day Tour: Botanical Gardens and Port Louis from Pamplemousses Including Lunch
ItineraryThis is a typical itinerary for this productStop At: L'Aventure du SucreGuided tour of an old factory delving into history of sugar productionDuration: 1 hourStop At: SSR Botanic GardenGuided tour of a rich and diverse cultural heritage of the island.Duration: 1 hourStop At: Citadel Fort AdelaidePerched on top of the hill Petite Montague, the Citadel Fort is located at a height of 100 metres. Also known as the Adelaide Fort (named after the wife of William II, when the British held land in Port Louis)Duration: 45 minutes
Shark Scuba Diving Safari (qualified divers only)
Visit the famous Shark point or Shark Pit. It is a half day trip with 2 dives (8h30 – 15h00). We depart from Pereybere at 9h00. The boat trip takes around 45-55 minutes. The first dive is done on the Shark Pit where 5 - 60 sharks can usually be seen. The site consists of a huge arena and sharks can be observed swirling around due to the rich Oxygen available from the crashing waves above the pit. The waves crashing against the wall is by itself an awesome view. The second dive is done on Terra Canyon which is a spectacular coral reef where jacks, sharks and rays can be seen. Make sure to bring sunscreen, sun glasses and a hat on this trip and take preliminary precautions from sea sickness as medications