Mauritius: Speedboat Tour to Ile aux Cerfs with Lunch

White sand, fast boats, and a beach barbecue make this a lively way to see east Mauritius. I especially like the mix of Ile aux Cerfs beach time and the ride to the Grande Rivière South East waterfall, with lunch and drinks included. You get scenery, swimming, and a taste of the island in five useful hours.

The main trade-off is time. One recent booking gave the tour four stars because lunch took too long and left less time on Ile aux Cerfs. If your top priority is a long, quiet beach day, this outing may feel rushed. If you want several sights without arranging separate transport, it offers very good value at $64 per person.

Key points to know before you go

• The trip starts at Chez Tino Restaurant in Trou d’Eau Douce, where you meet the guide before walking to the jetty.
• Ile aux Cerfs is the main beach stop, with free time to walk, enjoy the white sand, and swim in the turquoise lagoon.
• The Grande Rivière South East waterfall is viewed by boat, not as a long inland walk, so expect a scenic cruise and a pass-by visit.
• Lunch is a beach barbecue with fish, chicken, garlic bread, salad, pasta, seasonal fruit, and drinks including beer, wine, rum, soft drinks, water, and juice.
• The speedboat ride is part of the fun, with about 20 minutes to Ile aux Cerfs, 45 minutes toward the waterfall, and 20 minutes back.
• This is a poor fit for serious back or mobility problems, since the outing uses a speedboat and requires getting around the jetty and beach.

Starting at Chez Tino in Trou d’Eau Douce

Your morning or afternoon begins outside Chez Tino Restaurant on B59 in Trou d’Eau Douce. This is the central meeting point, so give yourself enough time to identify the restaurant and meet the guide before the group heads to the jetty.

The guide gives a short briefing about the route and the day’s order. French and English are spoken, which keeps the basic instructions clear for a mixed group. The tour is operated by Societe Fernand Lacour & Fils, and the organization received especially strong praise in the available feedback. One five-star account singled out the crossing, welcome, guide, food, and careful attention from the organizers.

That matters on a boat trip. A good briefing helps you understand when you will have free time, when lunch is served, and how much time is available at each stop. Since this is a five-hour outing rather than a full-day expedition, a clear schedule keeps the day moving.

From Chez Tino, you make your way to the jetty and climb aboard the speedboat. The transfer is not just a practical ride. It gives you an open-water view of the east coast and gets you to Ile aux Cerfs much faster than a slower sightseeing boat.

The first 20 minutes by speedboat

The first speedboat ride takes about 20 minutes. You travel along the coast toward Ile aux Cerfs, with the boat carrying you across clear lagoon water.

A speedboat gives the trip a bright, energetic start. You feel the movement of the boat, see the water from a low position, and reach the island without spending a long time in transit. For many people, this is one of the best parts of the day.

You should also set sensible expectations. A speedboat is not a quiet, shaded ferry. The ride can feel active, and people with back problems may find the movement uncomfortable. Mobility is another concern because boarding a boat and moving around a beach setting can be difficult for some people.

The boat format also means conditions matter. The supplied details do not promise calm water or a particular seating arrangement, so bring only what you need and keep loose belongings secure. A small bag with sun protection and swim items is more useful than a large day pack.

Free time on Ile aux Cerfs

Ile aux Cerfs is the center of the outing. Once you arrive, you have free time to walk and enjoy the island before the route continues.

The appeal is easy to understand: white sandy beaches, turquoise water, and a lagoon that invites you to slow down. You can feel the sand underfoot, take in the open views, and use this part of the trip for the kind of simple beach time that is often hard to fit into a busy sightseeing holiday.

I like that the schedule gives you time to explore rather than treating the island as a quick photo stop. The word free time is important here. You are not limited to following a guide along one fixed path, so you can choose a walk, a swim, or a quiet place to sit.

Still, do not assume this is an all-day island stay. The full tour lasts five hours and also includes the waterfall cruise and a substantial lunch. One four-star booking made the useful point that too much time at lunch can reduce time on Ile aux Cerfs. If the beach is your main reason for booking, keep an eye on the schedule and make good use of your free period.

The island also contains more than sand and water. The route takes in lush mangroves and the lagoon around the coast, giving you a broader view than a single beach landing. This is a compact introduction to east Mauritius, not an attempt to cover every corner of the island.

The 45-minute route toward Grande Rivière South East

After Ile aux Cerfs, you return to the speedboat for a longer ride of about 45 minutes. The boat travels along the coast and then heads toward the Grande Rivière South East waterfall.

This section gives the day its variety. You move from a beach setting to a river environment, with the water route passing through areas of mangrove and open lagoon. The contrast helps explain why east Mauritius is more than a beach destination.

The waterfall visit is a boat cruise and pass-by stop. You will see the famous Grande Rivière South East waterfall from the water rather than taking a long walk to a viewing platform. That makes the stop accessible in one sense, since it fits naturally into the boat route, but it also means the visit is brief compared with a dedicated waterfall excursion.

The setting includes lush green mangroves and the river meeting the sea. The supplied details also mention monkeys near the waterfall, an appealing extra for anyone interested in local wildlife. You should treat this as a scenic look from the boat, not a wildlife-focused outing with guaranteed animal sightings.

This longer ride is valuable because the waterfall is included in the same price as the island, lunch, and drinks. If you booked separate transport for each part, the day would take more planning. Here, the boat is both your transport and your sightseeing platform.

Beach barbecue, drinks, and the pace of lunch

The group returns to Ile aux Cerfs for lunch on the beach. The meal includes fish, chicken, garlic bread, mixed salad, pasta, and seasonal fruit. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are available if requested in advance.

This is a practical meal for a beach outing. You get a choice of main dishes, something fresh, and fruit to finish. The setting adds much of the pleasure: you eat with the island’s sand, lagoon, and coastal views close by rather than stopping at an unrelated restaurant.

Drinks are included too. The list covers beer, wine, rum, soft drinks, water, and juice. That is a generous inclusion at a $64 price point, especially if you would otherwise buy drinks separately during a day in a resort area.

The meal is also the tour’s biggest scheduling question. A five-star account praised the beach barbecue, rum, and overall care, but another four-star booking felt that lunch lasted too long. I would read this as a useful warning rather than a serious flaw. A relaxed meal is part of the experience, yet every extra minute at the table is a minute you do not spend on the island.

If Ile aux Cerfs matters most to you, use the early free time well. If you prefer a social meal with drinks and a slower break from the boat, lunch may be one of the highlights. Request special dietary needs before the trip, since vegetarian and gluten-free food is offered on request rather than automatically.

The 20-minute return to Trou d’Eau Douce

After lunch, you board the speedboat for the approximately 20-minute ride back to Trou d’Eau Douce. The trip ends at the same area where you started, outside Chez Tino Restaurant.

The return ride closes the loop neatly. You do not need to arrange a separate taxi from another beach or port, and the central meeting point makes the outing easy to pair with time in Trou d’Eau Douce.

The entire five-hour schedule is best seen as a sampler. You get an island, a waterfall, a river and mangrove route, a beach meal, drinks, and several boat rides. None of these parts is likely to feel like a full standalone day, but together they give you a well-rounded taste of the east coast.

The schedule also explains why organization matters. The experience received a rating of 4.6 from 158 reviews, and the strongest praise focused on the welcome, guide, meal, boat crossings, and smooth handling of the day. That combination is important because the route has several moving parts.

Is $64 good value?

At $64 per person, this tour is priced as a bundled day on the water rather than as a simple boat transfer. The price includes lunch, a broad drinks selection, Ile aux Cerfs, the GRSE waterfall, and the return boat rides.

I consider that good value if you want convenience. You do not need to work out separate transport to the island, find your own way to the waterfall, or buy a beach lunch and drinks on site. The speedboat gives you a faster route between the stops, and the five-hour duration leaves room for other plans later in the day.

The value is weaker if you only want an extended beach stay. You are paying for the waterfall route, food, drinks, and speedboat experience, so someone who plans to spend the whole day lying on Ile aux Cerfs may prefer a simpler island transfer with more independent time.

The high overall rating supports the idea that the package works well for most people. The consistent strengths are not luxury touches. They are the useful basics: friendly staff, good organization, a satisfying meal, an attractive route, and plenty included in the price.

Who should book this Mauritius speedboat tour?

I would recommend it to you if you want a first look at east Mauritius and prefer a planned outing to arranging several pieces yourself. It suits couples, families with suitable mobility, and anyone who likes a day with changing scenery rather than one long beach stop.

It is also a good match if you enjoy boat travel. The speedboat is not just a way to get from point A to point B. It accounts for a large part of the day’s character, with a 20-minute outbound ride, a 45-minute route to the waterfall, and a 20-minute return.

You may want to skip it if you have back problems, mobility impairments, or a strong dislike of boat movement. You should also think twice if your only goal is several uninterrupted hours on Ile aux Cerfs. The lunch and waterfall visit make the outing more varied, but they divide your island time.

The tour is offered in French and English. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours in advance, and you can reserve now and pay later, which is useful if your Mauritius schedule is still shifting. Those booking terms do not change the route itself, but they reduce the risk of committing too early.

My verdict: a well-priced east coast sampler

I would book this tour if I had five hours and wanted the main sights around Ile aux Cerfs without managing transport myself. The combination of a lively speedboat, white sand, turquoise lagoon, the Grande Rivière South East waterfall, and a beach barbecue gives you plenty for the price.

Go in knowing that lunch may take a sizeable part of the schedule, and that the waterfall is a boat-view stop rather than a long visit. For a fuller beach day, choose a more independent option. For a friendly, organized introduction to the east coast with food and drinks already covered, this is a strong choice.

FAQ

Where does the Ile aux Cerfs speedboat tour start?

The meeting point is outside Chez Tino Restaurant on B59 in Trou d’Eau Douce, Mauritius.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts five hours. Starting times vary, so you need to check availability for the date you want.

What places does the tour visit?

The route includes Ile aux Cerfs and the Grande Rivière South East waterfall. It also travels through the coastal lagoon and past lush mangroves.

How long is the first speedboat ride?

The first speedboat ride from Trou d’Eau Douce toward Ile aux Cerfs takes about 20 minutes.

How is the Grande Rivière South East waterfall visited?

The waterfall is visited by boat cruise and pass-by. The supplied details do not describe a separate walking visit.

What food is included at lunch?

Lunch includes fish, chicken, garlic bread, mixed salad, pasta, and seasonal fruits. Vegetarian and gluten-free food is available on request.

What drinks are included?

Included drinks are beer, wine, rum, soft drinks, water, and juice.

Is the tour suitable for people with back problems or mobility impairments?

No. The activity is listed as unsuitable for people with back problems and people with mobility impairments.