Welcome to The North
Northern Mauritius puts on show the best and worst (such as it is) of the country's tourism. Grand Baie, at the centre, 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 skippersAppreciate 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.
All inclusive Mauritius 8 days catamaran cruise
Day 1: Arrival in Mauritius with a warm welcome onboard your catamaran at La Balise Marina in Rivière Noire, located south west of the island. Boarding at 1pm, for a briefing on safety and the program of the cruise. Departure to the lagoon of Benitier for the afternoon. Day 2: When you wake up your guide will suggest for you to go and greet some dolphins on a motor boat, provided you booked the excursions package. After breakfast, the crew will set sail to the lagoon of Mont Choisy. Enjoy an incredible sunset with the Moka mountain range in the background. Day 3: After breakfast, relax and embrace Mont Choisy's impressive lagoon, feel free to go swimming, snorkelling and kayaking. If you booked the excursions package, you will have the opportunity to visit the Sugar Museum and Garden of Pamplemousses. In addition to this you will learn about the culture of sugar canes and how this has played a crucial role in the history, and development of Mauritius. We sail north, and moor at the bottom of Coin de Mire cliff or in Merville lagoon for a snorkelling session. End the night at Grand Baie. Day 4: On Saturday morning, Grand Baie will wake up as slowly as you will. After a well-deserved sleep-in and a rich breakfast, take your time to discover Grand Baie shops and stroll through them all at your own pace. On this 4th day the Morne Dream cruise passengers will disembark and we’ll welcome the guest boarding for the Gabriel Dream cruise. Your catamaran will sail to the very north of the island and will stop in Cap Malheureux bay for the night, with the famous red-roofed church as a sentinel. Day 5: Visit the Domaine de Labourdonnais Sugar Estate with its castle, alluring gardens, old orchards and rum factory (in the excursions package). Lunch on board, Sail to L’Ile Plate and moor at Ilot Gabriel. Dinner and overnight stay. Day 6: After an early swim and harmonious start to the morning in these secluded islands, we will sail south west to the bay of Rivière Noire. Spend a quiet night at anchor in this fine fishermen village now converted into a favoured touristic location. A charming bay, protected from the winds by a majestic mountain range will engulf you for the night. Day 7: Breakfast. Optional excursion: visit a village in Chamarel and rum distillery. Enjoy a delicious traditional lunch. Depending on the sea's rhythm, you will either disembark at Tamarin's mythical beach or explore the mouth of Rempart river with a sea kayak. Dinner and overnight stay at La Balise Marina.Day 8: Disembarkation at 8:00 at La Balise Marina.When the time comes for the final goodbyes the crew will remind you of trips highlights, exchange emails and photos and might even give you a big hug before sending you off!
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 Sucre, PamplemoussesGuided tour of an old factory delving into history of sugar productionDuration: 1 hourStop At: SSR Botanic Garden, PamplemoussesGuided tour of a rich and diverse cultural heritage of the island.Duration: 1 hourStop At: Citadel Fort Adelaide, Port LouisPerched 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
Full-Day Northern Catamaran Cruise Mauritius
Embark on a dream cruise at 9am from Grand Bay- the jetty of Sunset Boulevard, and the team will take you to a snorkeling spot where it is your choice to either, swim in calm waters, snorkel with colorful reef fish or soak up the glorious sun rays or simply relax. Enjoy a trip to the Northern islands and take a mini cruise while admiring the wonderful landscapes. These islands with white sand and wild nature ensure a moment in paradise. Close to the northern islands, there are 3 beautiful diving spots. These sites have the advantage of being visited because they are far enough from the coast. You will visit the 'Coin de Mire', also called Gunner's Quoin, situated 8 km north of Mauritius, well known by divers as one of the best diving sites of the north of Mauritius. Then head to the 'Flat Island', the largest of the northern islands. Flat Island is also completely flat, except for its one and only hill which is topped by a beautiful lighthouse (there is a beautiful 40min trail leading all the way up to the lighthouse). Anchor near these islands and enjoy the possibility of snorkeling with equipment provided on board by the crew. Then you will be served a delicious BBQ lunch prepared by a friendly crew before reaching your next spot which will be 'Gabriel Island': Also known as Îlot Gabriel, Gabriel island is a protected natural reserve. Barbecue lunch on board will consist of Chicken, Fish barbecue, Salad bar, bread and Seasonal fruits. Drinks: Mineral water, fruit juice, soft drinks, beer, rum, and local wine. (Unlimited refreshments) Once on Gabriel Island you may go for a walk on the beach and enjoy the islands renowned sand bank before sailling back to and along the imposing cliff-face of the island nature reserve of Coin de Mire, with its white-tailed tropical birds (Pailles-en-Queue). Return is scheduled around 4pm at Grand Bay- the jetty of Sunset Boulevard.