For most travelers and vacationers, it is one of the very special moments in life: swimming with wild dolphins. Seeing the marine mammals in the wild is one of the most unique adventures and most beautiful experiences ever. In the island paradise of Mauritius, holidaymakers can observe the animals up close, particularly in the west and southwest. But there are a few things to consider when you meet. We give you valuable tips in our experience report on swimming with dolphins in Mauritius.

The sea is as smooth as glass, there is not a breeze, the morning sun rises above the horizon and the dream backdrop of the island rises in the background Mauritius up. Suddenly a dorsal fin appears next to the boat, then two, then three - and suddenly you find yourself in the middle of a whole group of dolphins. Many people imagine an encounter with dolphins on vacation in Mauritius to be so romantic. And in fact, this incredible encounter can be just as uniquely beautiful.

You are in the water with snorkeling equipment, you can observe the wild animals in their natural environment and take photos and videos as memories. In general, encounters with the wildlife in Mauritius are one of the best ways to experience the island: you can go diving Sharks in Mauritius, discover sea turtles while snorkeling or experience the giant turtles on the island up close. The island's flora and fauna is incredibly vibrant.

Video – Impression of swimming with wild dolphins

By downloading the video you accept the privacy policy of YouTube.
Read more

Load video

Always unlock YouTube

An experience that unfortunately doesn't always go smoothly

Swimming with dolphins Mauritius is an unforgettable experience, but it is not always so harmonious. In Mauritius there are a number of dolphin tour providers who offer dolphin tours for tourists and literally chase the marine mammals through the sea. A dozen motorboats and catamarans sail behind them animals here, circle around them and repeatedly let snorkelers jump into the water.

The dolphins appear frightened and try to escape the commotion. The boats chase them. The eerie spectacle lasts for hours and is somewhat reminiscent of whaling. We are therefore giving you some valuable ones holiday tips to swim with dolphins in Mauritius.

What you should know about Mauritius

Blog | Travelogue | beaches | Hotels | Best coast | Most beautiful places | points of interest & sights | Diving | snorkeling | Wildlife | Dolphins | Hedge | Travel Tips | Rental car | Travel information | Best time to travel | location | FAQ

Snorkeling with dolphins in Mauritius

A brief overview

• Dolphins are found everywhere in the waters of Mauritius
• they can be observed around the island, being most common in the southwest
• Numerous regional providers offer excursions to the dolphins
• Unfortunately, the dolphins are often harassed by the excursion boats and dozens of snorkelers
• choose a sustainable provider for your dolphin tour in Mauritius

Book your well-deserved vacation now!

Book your dream vacation now at favorable conditions on the renowned booking portal HolidayCheck – top rated by Stiftung Warentest (01/2024). Click and browse now!

Mauritius blogs & travel reports

Dolphins in Mauritius - Species You May Encounter

The most common dolphin species in Mauritius are the bottlenose and spinner dolphins. The bottlenose dolphin is found in all of the world's oceans, as well as the Mediterranean, North Sea and Red Seas. The animals are the epitome of dolphins for many people because they are often shown in TV and media. They are often characterized by their gray color and can grow up to four meters in length and weigh more than half a ton.

In contrast, spinner dolphins in Mauritius are a species that is somewhat nuanced in color and has some stripes. The animals grow up to 2,4 meters long and only weigh up to 80 kilograms. They are therefore quite a bit smaller than the large bottlenose dolphins. Both species of dolphins are among the marine mammals most commonly found in the waters around Mauritius.

• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Facebook
• YouTube
• TikTok

Follow me too Xing, TripAdvisor and Threads!

Follow me on Instagram now

stick with Travel Blog Just-Wanderlust.com and @strandkind_co always up to date and just follow me on Instagram!

Where can you experience dolphin encounters in Mauritius?

Dolphins occur naturally in the waters around Mauritius - so in theory you can spot them in the north, south, east coast and west coast. The wild animals can move freely in the Indian Ocean and basically stay wherever they feel like. But of course there are places where they are spotted particularly often. The bottlenose dolphins are often spotted on the west coast of Mauritius.

You are almost guaranteed to see some animals there. In the morning there is often a large group of dolphins in Tamarin Bay near Flic en Flac in the west of the island. The animals stayed there overnight in the shallow water and in the early morning swim towards the bay in front of the Le Morne Brabant mountain, the landmark of Mauritius.

Dolphin tours in Mauritius

The dolphin tours in Mauritius can usually be booked either as two-hour, pure dolphin watching tours or as longer trips (half day or full day) with an excursion all the way to the south - for example to Ile aux Benitiers or to Le Morne. There is then a barbecue on the beach and the opportunity to explore the area a little on your own, go swimming, do some snorkeling or simply relax. Overall, a successful tour that you can definitely take part in with a sustainable provider.

Buy snorkel gear

How do I find a responsible dolphin tour operator in Mauritius?

The best way to find a sustainable provider for dolphin tours in Mauritius is to search locally. The reviews on travel portals on the Internet on which the providers are rated are not necessarily informative about whether the companies are really sustainable.

Many vacationers are not aware of how the dolphins are treated during the tours. Accordingly, they give positive reviews, even though the animals were harassed during the tour or a hundred snorkelers were in the water at the same time and almost jumped on the dolphins' heads.

Inquire about sustainable excursions at the local diving school

It is better to inquire at an established, local diving school. The dive centers are much more aware of the protection of the underwater world and usually know how the providers of dolphin tours and whale watching treat the animals on the excursions. Accordingly, the diving school will either recommend a reputable and sustainable operator for swimming with dolphins in Mauritius. Or what would probably be even better: They offer you a snorkeling tour to see the dolphins.

Then you have the dolphins all to yourself in a small group of snorkelers and don't have to share them with dozens of boats and hundreds of other swimmers. The employees of the diving schools usually know when and where you can encounter dolphins and whales. If in doubt, you can get advice from one of the established dive centers.

Excursions with Roman Duda

A responsible provider of dolphin tours in Mauritius?

An established provider of dolphin tours in Mauritius is Roman Duda. The company's full name is “Mauritius German-speaking tours – The Friendly Dodo” (Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mauritius.Deutschsprachige.Touren/). The provider has specialized in excursions to Mauritius for more than 15 years. On the dolphin tours, Roman Duda attaches great importance to having the animals alone for his excursion group if possible and to be with the animals before the other boats.

In addition, the company's excursion boats are smaller - correspondingly fewer. I have not been on a trip with Roman Duda myself and therefore have no personal experience with the provider. However, according to some credible reviews, this operator seems to take a very sustainable approach to their dolphin tours in Mauritius.

Mauritius blogs & travel reports

Swimming with dolphins in Mauritius - my experiences

My detailed conclusion

Swimming with wild dolphins in Mauritius is one of the most beautiful and exciting activities you can do on a vacation on the island. However, my own experience has been that an encounter with bottlenose and spinner dolphins can turn into a pretty sad event when there are dozens of boats and even more snorkelers on site. You should therefore always pay attention to sustainability if you want to go swimming with wild dolphins in Mauritius.

After the disappointing tour I was lucky

After experiencing this disappointing tour, I went again a few days later with a high-quality local diving school. During the morning trip in the northwest of Mauritius we also met a group of dolphins - it was an incredibly beautiful and peaceful encounter - really a unique experience. Later we were even able to briefly watch the animals while diving. An experience that I won't soon forget, because dolphins are definitely one of the most fascinating creatures on this planet.

Have you ever watched dolphins on vacation or gone swimming with the marine mammals? Share your experiences in the comments.

*Affiliate links (advertising) & Amazon advertisements with affiliate links / sales by Amazon or third-party providers on the Amazon marketplace. / As an Amazon partner, we receive a small commission - you don't pay anything extra. / Product data last updated on November 24.04.2024, XNUMX / Images from the Amazon Product Advertising API / Product images are served via a privacy proxy / Disclaimer: The price shown may have increased since the last update. The actual price of the product as stated on the seller's website on Amazon.de at the time of purchase is decisive for the sale. A real-time update of the prices stated above is not technically possible.