The 15 Best Northern Islands Cruises in Mauritius

1.Full-Day Catamaran Cruise to the Northern Isles

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,798 reviews · 8 hours · from $82Our pick

Join the orange-and-white Wind Dancer from Grand Baie for an 8-hour cruise to Flat Island, Gabriel Island, and Coin de Mire. You get tea, coffee, cake, snorkeling gear, a BBQ lunch, drinks, and time to swim or relax. The English- and French-speaking crew, including crew member Paul, keeps the day friendly and well organized.

“This was THE BEST boat trip we have ever been on. The crew were incredible; professional, attentive and fun. The beaches were stunning. The crew fed the fish to help us see more of the beautiful species. We got plenty of time at the snorkeling and on the islands. On the way back from the islands the Captain took the time to stop and allow us to see the dolphins while other boats raced back to port. The food was delicious and the drink plenty. The most perfect day. We loved it. Thank you so much!”

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2.Catamaran 3 Islands Cruise & Lunch on the Island

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 918 reviews · 7 hours · from $70

Sail from Grand Baie to Ilot Gabriel, Ile Plate, and Coin de Mire on a lively 7-hour catamaran trip. You’ll reach the first two islands by dinghy, eat a BBQ lunch on Ile Plate, swim and snorkel in clear water, then cruise past Coin de Mire. English and French service, drinks included, hotel transfers not included.

“It was an incredible experience. Beginning from the Captain the entire team was so vibrant and cheerful, their interaction with all customers and updating us every step. We felt very safe with the team. Food was delicious and was catered to all needs, unlimited food and drinks. There's nothing more we could ask on this trip. They gave us enough time in all places”

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3.Ilot Gabriel: Catamaran Cruise & BBQ Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 139 reviews · 7 hours · from $69

Sail from Grand Baie to Ilot Gabriel on a lively seven-hour catamaran trip with snorkeling, beach time, a BBQ lunch, drinks, and French or English guidance. A dinghy carries you between the beach and boat. The route may change to Ile Plate in poor weather, and you should bring your own snorkeling gear.

“We booked late evening for the next day and they managed to put us on a trip for the next morning. the tour was amazing! we started on the catamaran to gabriel island and we could move around as much as we wanted, had drinks and music if we liked. the island was beautiful and the water magical! We swam and were able to snorkel if we wanted to. After we got back on the boat we got a BBQ which was very good and then headed back to the main island. all in all it was a super nice day, well organised and very friendly people”

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4.Luxury Catamaran Cruise: The Northern Islands

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 114 reviews · from $113

From Bain Boeuf Public Beach, sail toward Gunners Coin, Ilot Gabriel, and Ile Plate on a six-hour catamaran trip. You’ll have time on two beaches, use supplied snorkelling gear, and eat a barbecue lunch with drinks on board. The group is capped at 17, though rough seas can change the route.

“What we liked - on time, neat & clean boat and in good condition, good food What we disliked - we couldn't do any of the planned activities since waters were too choppy for the boat cause of winds. But that's obviously not in crew's controlRead more”

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5.Catamaran cruise to 3 Northern Isles with lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 77 reviews · 7 hours · from $76

Set out from Grand Bay on a seven-hour catamaran trip to Mauritius’ Northern Isles. You’ll visit Gabriel and Flat islands, swim and snorkel near coral reefs, and enjoy a BBQ lunch with drinks aboard. Gunners Coin may be a final snorkeling stop if weather and sea conditions allow. English and French guidance is provided.

“Bardzo miła obsługa, starali się stworzyć fajną atmosferę. Byli uważni i dbali o dobre samopoczucie pasażerów. Nasz syn bardzo chciał usiąść za sterem i kierował łodzią z dobre 10 minut. Kilka rzeczy do wzięcia pod uwagę: 1. Na wyspie nie ma żadnych napojów. Warto sobie wziąć butelkę wody ze sobą. Szczególnie, że jest mega gorąco, a na wyspie zostawiają nas na 2h. Na łodzi jest napojów pod dostatkiem. 2. Smarować się, smarować się i jeszcze raz smarować się filtrami. Jesteśmy tu już kilka dni, smarowaliśmy się sporo, a i tak wszyscy wróciliśmy dzisiaj spaleni w kilku miejscach. 3. Warto zabrać obuwie do wody. Na wyspie jest dużo raf i dużo…”

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6.Catamaran Full-Day 3 island Northern Isles Cruise in Grand Baie

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 63 reviews · from $81

Spend about eight hours aboard Wind Dancer from Grand Baie, visiting Flat Island, Gabriel Island, and Gunner’s Quoin. Captain Marcel and crew Paul and Stefan lead a day of snorkeling, beach time, reef fish, barbecue lunch, music, and included drinks. The sea can be rough, so bring sun protection and be ready for a lively ride.

“Goede boot, aangename, bekwame bemanning, en vooral Ilot Gabriël heel mooi. Lunch meer dan ok. Een aanrader!”

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7.3 North Islands Catamaran Cruise with Lunch & Drinks on island.

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 47 reviews · from $58Best value

Set out from Grand Baie at 8:30 am on a catamaran cruise to Ilot Gabriel, Ile Plate, and Coin de Mire. Swim, snorkel, relax on white-sand beaches, and enjoy a barbecue lunch with drinks. The boat carries up to 48 people, though the atmosphere can feel like a lively party cruise.

“Fand nicht statt, wegen Wetter - gut "safety first", aber die Stornierung seitens Veranstalter wurde uns erst vor Ort bekannt gegeben - das kostete uns 1800Rupien fürs Taxi - was ist los mit dem Veranstalter? Wir müssen 24h vorher stornieren”

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8.Ilot Gabriel Catamaran Cruise in Mauritius

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 42 reviews · from $81

Set out from Grand Baie at about 8am on a catamaran limited to 32 people. Cruise toward Ilot Gabriel, Ile Plate, and Coin de Mire for swimming and snorkeling, then enjoy a buffet barbecue, snacks, beer, wine, soft drinks, tea, and coffee. Marcel and his crew are known for friendly, attentive service.

“Point positif : Croisière agréable, équipage attentif à la sécurité. Point négatif : Départ annoncé à 8h mais on a reçu de mauvaises informations car en réalité il partait à 9h20. Buffet ne contient pas de produit locaux, ne vous attendez pas à mRead more”

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9.Three Islands Private Boat Trip and Beach BBQ

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 41 reviews · 7 hours

From Grand Baie, your private group takes a speedboat to Flat Island, Gabriel Island, and Coin de Mire. Expect white beaches, a crew-prepared BBQ, snorkeling gear, and time in clear northern waters. The team includes guides named Samir and Sameer, and early departure helps you enjoy Flat Island before larger boat groups arrive.

“everything was well organized; great guides, good food; island and snorkeling options are fantastic!”

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10.North: Cruise to the flat island & Gabriel island.bbq lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 36 reviews · from $76

Set sail from Grand Baie on a catamaran to Ile Plate and Ilot Gabriel, with about an hour on each island for swimming, snorkeling, or beach time. Enjoy a BBQ lunch, drinks, and music aboard, then cruise close to Coin de Mire before returning. Hotel transfers are not included.

“Great activity, the entertainers on the boat are super nice! Music and a great atmosphere guaranteed The northern islands are amazing, and when you go snorkeling, you might just get lucky and spot some turtles! The BBQ is awesome! I'd recommend it 100 times”

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11.Catamaran Cruise to Flat Island with BBQ Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 30 reviews · 7 hours · from $70

Spend seven hours sailing from Grand Baie to Île Plate, also called Flat Island, near Coin de Mire and Round Island. A dinghy takes you ashore for beach time, swimming, island walks, snorkeling, and a fish-and-chicken BBQ with drinks. French and English are spoken, but music and rough seas can affect the day.

“Bonjour, les iles du nord sont toujours aussi belles, et l'attraction principale est l'incroyable diversité de poissons tropicaux. L'équipage du bateau très sympathique. Par contre, nous étions probablement plus de 50 personnes, et il n'y a qu'une quarantaine de places assises dans le cockpit du bateau, et seulement une dizaine de places pour manger sur une table. Sur la nourriture et les boissons rien à dire, par contre on mange sur ses genoux. Mais ce qui m'a le plus gêné, c'est la musique ''A FOND'' du matin jusqu'au soir !!! Je sais qu'on est à Maurice mais quand même... Donc, si vous êtes jeune, aimez faire la fête et la…”

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12.Full-Day Northern Catamaran Cruise: Coin de Mire and Ile Plate Island

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 21 reviews · from $111

Spend about seven hours aboard a catamaran from Grand Bay, sailing past Cap Malheureux and Pereybere to swim and snorkel near Coin de Mire and Île Plate. A barbecue lunch, beer, wine, rum, soft drinks, and hotel transfers are included. Crew members may include Kevin, Rudi, Bruno, and Olivier.

“Info said a maximum of 8 travellers - we had 30. The boat's captain sat on the rear steps for the entire journey nursing what looked like a massive hangover and finally we spent 90 minutes going round in circles on the ocean on the way hoRead more”

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13.GBaie: 3 North Islands Cruise, Lunch & CoindeMire Snorkeling

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 18 reviews · 7 hours · from $70

Spend seven hours on a catamaran from Grand Baie, visiting Flat Island and Ilot Gabriel, with lagoon swimming, beach time, snorkeling, drinks, and a barbecue lunch. The multilingual crew speaks English, French, Hindi, Urdu, Spanish, and Arabic. Coin de Mire is viewed from the water, with snorkeling there possible when sea conditions allow.

“Holiday with the kids? This is an absolute must. Had a great trip. The crew were very friendly, lively and entertaining. Worth every rupee.”

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14.Full Day Catamaran Cruise – North Ilot Gabriel (sharing)

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 18 reviews · from $84

Set sail from Grand Baie at 9:00 am on a shared catamaran to Île aux Gabriel. Enjoy a 1h30 cruise past Coin de Mire, three hours for swimming, snorkeling, and beach time, plus onboard local and international food. The boat holds up to 29 people and returns to Grand Baie.

“Magnifique mais trop de monde à la fois il y a beaucoup trop de bateaux en même temps Cela gâche un peu le moment”

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15.Ile Aux Cerfs 3 islands Speed Boat Trip with BBQ

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6 reviews · from $88

Start at 7:30 am in Trou d’Eau Douce for a seven-hour speedboat outing around Mauritius. Visit Île aux Cerfs, Île aux Fouquets lighthouse, and Île aux Aigrettes beach, with snorkeling at Eau Bleue, a Grand River waterfall, BBQ lunch, and drinks. The boat holds up to 15 people, and hotel transfers cost extra.

“We were under the impression that it was a private trip for four - found out when boarding that it was not - the speedboat was filled with about 12 people. We were refused a refund. Despite this disappointment the trip was enjoyable, Read more”

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