Swim with dolphins Mauritius

Dolphins, being naturally graceful and intelligent mammals, are loved and admired by many people. Most of the time they can be observed in pools or from boats but Mauritius offers an exceptional chance to enjoy a splash with these creatures in their natural environment. Dolphins can be seen on the west coast of Mauritius, preferably at La Preneuse, Tamarin, Riviere Noire or Le Morne, but sightings can extend from the whole north to south coast of that part of Mauritius. Numerous species of dolphins have been observed in the Mauritian waters such as the pacific bottlenose dolphin, pantropical dolphin and on rare occasions Fraser’s dolphin, rough toothed dolphin, hourglass dolphin, indo pacific humpback dolphin, long beaked common dolphin and Risso’s dolphin. However the two main species that can be commonly seen near the coasts and can be encountered during the journey are namely the bottleneck dolphin (dark grey in color with decreasing color on the undersides, about 2-4m long) and the spinner dolphin (dark grey with dark spots on the back, 1.5-2.5m long). The best way to go for the dolphin swim is via speed boats which can get the anxious and excited visitors to the place in relatively a few moments but catamarans can also be chosen which tend to be slower and hence take more time to get to the spot where the mammals may no longer be present. Before the activity starts, skippers brief the visitors on the dolphins that will be seen (sometimes may not be seen depending on the weather, in that case a second trip is usually arranged but there is no money refund), safety measures and how to behave around them because even if humans are getting into the natural habitat of the mammals, it is done with all respect to nature following specific rules laid down for the dolphins’ benefits. This activity is proposed by most of the hotels found in the regions where the mammals can be seen as part of an excursion package but very often people having speed boats also offer the service right on the beach where there are numerous people. The excursion package usually consists of a 2hr swim with the dolphins, lunch (barbeques, salads, alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks) on nearby Ile aux Benitiers where people can relax on the beach or swim or snorkel to enjoy the diversity of corals found in the waters there. The trip starts as early as possible so as to catch the dolphins like 8am/9am; a specific pickup point is arranged or transport to and from hotels for tourists can be organized.