5 Islands Private Speedboat w/ Snorkeling + Lunch & Drinks

The most memorable part of this Mauritius day is the private speedboat ride linking small islands, a waterfall, a marine park, and Ile aux Cerfs. You get a full day on the water rather than a single island visit, with snorkeling, a beach BBQ, and time to swim or sunbathe.

I like the freedom of a private group and the chance to spot sea turtles and dolphins around Blue Bay. I also like the generous lunch and drinks package, especially if you plan to spend the afternoon on Ile aux Cerfs. The main concern is consistency: some departures have ended hours early, and guide language and drink service have not always matched the advertised plan.

Key points at a glance

• Private boat for up to four people: The $498 group price works out to about $124.50 each when four people share it.
• Early starts are wise: The best departure reported began early, before the popular stops became crowded with boats.
• Blue Bay is the star stop: You get snorkeling equipment and a chance to see tropical fish, sea turtles, and possibly dolphins.
• The monkey stop needs care: You may feed wild Mauritian monkeys, but feeding them chips is not a good wildlife practice.
• Ile aux Cerfs is the long beach stop: You have about two hours for swimming, sun, lunch, drinks, music, or optional paid water sports.
• Confirm the language and return time: German guiding has not always been available, and one booking ended around 2 p.m. instead of the planned 5 p.m.

A full day from Trou d’Eau Douce

This tour starts and ends at Trou d’Eau Douce on Mauritius’s east coast. The advertised duration is nine hours, making it a serious day out rather than a quick boat ride.

You travel in a private group, with room for up to four people at the listed group price. That setup is useful for families, couples traveling with friends, or anyone who would rather not share a boat with a large crowd.

An optional hotel and Airbnb transfer is available around Mauritius. It is not included in the base price, so check the cost before booking. If you are staying near the departure point, a transfer may be unnecessary. One booking near the launch area included pickup and return at no extra charge, but you should confirm your own arrangement in advance.

The boat ride itself is part of the appeal. You are on a fast, open vessel, with the engine noise, spray, and changing views of the east coast replacing the slower pace of a standard lagoon cruise. Bring sunscreen, a camera, and something secure for small belongings.

Ile aux Cerfs starts the island route

The first planned island visit is Ile aux Cerfs, where you have roughly 45 minutes for a short introduction and refreshments. The island is best known for pale sand, shallow water, and a wide range of beach activities.

This first visit is brief, so do not expect a long swim or a relaxed beach afternoon here. It works more as a way to get your bearings before the boat continues toward the waterfall.

Later, you return to Ile aux Cerfs for about two hours. That second visit is where the island earns its place in the itinerary. You can swim, sunbathe, drink coconut water, and enjoy the beach while lunch is prepared.

Optional parasailing and tube rides are available, but they are not included in the tour price. If you want to add either one, budget separately. A parasailing session was used as a finishing touch by one family and worked well as an optional extra after the main sightseeing was finished.

Grand River South East and the waterfall

The boat then heads to Grand River South East, where a waterfall runs toward the Indian Ocean. The setting gives you a change from open sea and beach time, with the river, rock, and falling water forming one of the day’s main photo stops.

You also have the chance to see and feed wild Mauritian monkeys here. This is an unusual part of the route, but I would treat it with some caution. The tour material describes feeding the monkeys, and one account specifically noted that chips were used. Feeding wild animals processed snacks is not ideal, so ask what food is being offered and avoid encouraging behavior that could harm the animals.

The monkey encounter is also a place where a guide can add real value. A good skipper should explain what you are seeing, how to behave around the animals, and what happens next. That makes the language question important. Anil was singled out as an engaged and friendly guide on one highly rated outing, while other departures had limited English explanation.

Ile aux Phares and Ile de la Passe

After the waterfall, the speedboat continues toward Ile aux Phares, then passes Ile de la Passe on the way to Blue Bay. These islands add a historical and scenic side to the day, although the supplied details do not promise a formal walking tour or long stop at each one.

That distinction matters. You are mainly seeing these places from the boat or making short visits, not taking a museum-style history tour. If you want extensive historical commentary, ask before departure how much explanation the guide plans to provide.

The route is still worthwhile because island hopping gives you a better sense of Mauritius’s eastern waters than staying in one resort area. You see small islands, open lagoon, beaches, and changing water conditions in a single outing.

Snorkeling in Blue Bay Marine Park

Blue Bay Marine Park is the strongest reason to book this tour if you care about the sea. Snorkeling equipment is included, and you get time to look for tropical fish around the marine park.

You may also see sea turtles and dolphins. Those sightings are not guaranteed, but they are listed as part of the wildlife focus of the route. One highly praised day included a dolphin group and a sea turtle seen at close range, followed by enough snorkeling time to enjoy the underwater world near Ile aux Aigrettes.

I like that the marine park stop is not treated as a token photo break. Snorkeling is one of the central activities, and the boat carries the equipment. Still, conditions at sea can vary, and wildlife sightings always depend on nature. Bring sunscreen and a camera, but keep your expectations sensible.

If snorkeling is your main goal, ask how much time will be spent in the water and where the boat will stop. The route includes several island visits, so the total day is divided among many activities.

Ile aux Aigrettes and the return across the lagoon

After Blue Bay, the route passes by Ile aux Aigrettes for refreshments before heading back toward Ile aux Cerfs. This is also when the open bar is described as fully available, with rum, wine, beer, juice, soft drinks, and water.

Here is one point to clarify before you pay. The package is advertised as an all-inclusive open bar with unlimited snacks, but some outings had only a small cooler with limited snacks and drinks during the earlier part of the day. Another account described plenty of food and drink, but mainly at the final island stop.

I would ask the operator exactly when drinks are served and what snacks are carried on the boat. Do not assume that unlimited service means a full bar throughout every hour at sea. The barbecue lunch and final beach setup appear to be the strongest part of the food offering.

Two hours at Ile aux Cerfs

The longer Ile aux Cerfs stop is the relaxed center of the day. While you swim or sit on the sand, the crew prepares a beach BBQ with grilled chicken, grilled fish, rice, pasta, garlic bread, and salad.

The menu is broad enough for a mixed group, and one family reported that vegetarian requests were handled. Still, tell the operator about dietary needs before the trip rather than waiting until lunch.

Drinks include beer, wine, rum, cocktails, juice, soft drinks, and water. A barman prepares rum cocktails, and the day may include live music or a sega show. That gives the final island stop a social, party-like mood.

This atmosphere will suit you if you enjoy music, beach drinks, and a lively lunch. It may be less appealing if you want a quiet picnic. One positive account noted that the beach could still be used away from the main group, so you may be able to find a calmer patch of sand.

The island also offers parasailing and tube rides for an additional charge. These activities are not included in the $498 price, so ask for current rates before agreeing to them.

What the $498 private price really buys

The listed price is $498 per group of up to four, not per person. With four people, that is about $124.50 each for a nine-hour private excursion. For a couple, the price becomes much harder to justify unless you place a high value on privacy and a dedicated boat.

The price includes the speedboat route, island stops, waterfall visit, snorkeling gear, beach BBQ, snacks, drinks, and the chance to see dolphins, turtles, and monkeys. It also avoids the usual problem of fitting your day around a large shared group.

Value depends on how reliably the full schedule is delivered. A complete nine-hour day with a private skipper, lunch, snorkeling, and drinks can make the price reasonable for four people. A shortened day with limited refreshments feels expensive.

The biggest practical issue is the return time. The planned day suggests a finish around late afternoon, but one booking ended at about 2 p.m. after an expected 5 p.m. return. Another person reported returning around 3:15 p.m. despite booking until 5 p.m. Confirm the exact departure and return schedule in writing, and raise the issue immediately if the boat leaves stops early.

Guides, languages, and the level of explanation

Live guiding is offered in English, French, German, Italian, and Romanian. In practice, language availability may depend on the individual departure.

German-speaking guests specifically need to confirm their guide. Several bookings requested German but received an English-speaking guide instead. Limited commentary was also a concern on some trips, with questions left unanswered.

That does not mean every guide is quiet. Anil received special praise for being friendly, engaged, and helpful throughout the day. If you want the trip to include history and wildlife information rather than only transport between stops, ask if Anil or another named guide is available.

The tour is promoted as suitable for people interested in history, adventure, and exploration. The adventure part is clear. The amount of history depends more heavily on the skipper.

Timing matters more than you might expect

An early start is one of the smartest choices you can make. One highly rated outing began early and found the island stops calmer, while later departures were expected to face many more boats.

Earlier timing may also make snorkeling feel less hectic. Blue Bay and Ile aux Cerfs are well-known stops, so the boat traffic can affect how peaceful the water and beach feel.

The nine-hour claim needs a second check. Most of the itinerary is built around a long day, but several departures finished well before the stated end. Ask these questions before boarding:

• What time will the boat return to Trou d’Eau Douce?
• Will the full two-hour Ile aux Cerfs stop be included?
• When are lunch, snacks, and drinks served?
• Is the requested guide language confirmed?
• Is hotel pickup included or charged separately?

These are simple questions, but they can prevent the main disappointments reported on this excursion.

Who should book this private boat day?

I would recommend it most strongly to a group of four that wants a private day on the water and likes variety. You get wildlife, snorkeling, a waterfall, island views, beach time, lunch, and optional water sports without arranging each part separately.

Families may like the mix of activities, especially because the beach stop allows some freedom after the more structured boat route. Vegetarian food requests can be accommodated, based on one successful outing, but mention them ahead of time.

Couples can enjoy the privacy, though the price per person is high for only two people. If you mainly want a quiet beach and a short boat ride, this itinerary may include more stops and speedboat time than you need.

This is not the best choice if you require guaranteed German guiding, a strictly quiet day, or a tightly controlled schedule. It is also not ideal if the ethics of feeding wild monkeys concern you. Ask for details before booking, especially about the food used at the monkey stop.

Should you book the 5 Islands private speedboat tour?

Book it if your group can fill the boat, you want a packed day of sea activities, and you are willing to confirm the details before departure. The best parts are genuinely appealing: private transport, Blue Bay snorkeling, possible turtle and dolphin sightings, a proper beach BBQ, and two hours on Ile aux Cerfs.

I would choose an early departure and confirm the guide, return time, refreshments, and transfer cost in writing. If the operator delivers the full nine-hour schedule, the package offers solid value for four people.

I would skip it if the price is being paid by only one or two people, or if you want a calm, highly informative tour with guaranteed language support. The experience has earned a 4.2 rating from 18 ratings, but the mixed accounts show that the day can depend heavily on the skipper and how closely the schedule is followed.

FAQ

Where does the speedboat tour start and finish?

The tour starts and ends at Trou d’Eau Douce on Mauritius’s east coast.

How long does the activity last?

The advertised duration is nine hours. Confirm the actual return time before departure, since some outings finished earlier than planned.

Is the boat private?

Yes. The activity is for a private group, with the listed price covering up to four people.

Is hotel pickup included?

Hotel and Airbnb pickup and drop-off are available around Mauritius as an optional service. They are not included in the base activity price.

What food and drinks are included?

The package includes a beach BBQ with grilled chicken, grilled fish, rice, pasta, garlic bread, and salad. Drinks include rum, wine, beer, juice, soft drinks, and water, along with snacks. Confirm when the drinks and snacks will be available during your particular outing.

Is snorkeling equipment provided?

Yes. Snorkeling equipment is included, with the main session taking place in or near Blue Bay Marine Park.

What languages are available?

Live guiding is offered in English, French, German, Italian, and Romanian. Confirm your preferred language before booking, as German-speaking guests have not always received a German-speaking guide. Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours in advance, and you can reserve now and pay later.