La Preneuse: Dolphin Watching and Snorkeling Speedboat Tour

Wild dolphins are the main event here, and they do not perform on command. You race across the water, wait for a pod, then may need to swim hard for a few minutes to keep up. I like the short two-hour format and the small, focused mix of dolphin watching and lagoon snorkeling. The key caution is simple: this is not a quiet boat ride where dolphins reliably come to you.

The guides, including Feliciano, Andy, and Miguel, are praised for their friendly help and personal attention. Still, conditions matter. Water clarity changes with weather and season, and busy days can put many speedboats around the same dolphins.

Key points at a glance

• Wild dolphins, not trained performers: You watch them in their natural setting, and encounters can be brief or unpredictable.
• Fast access from La Preneuse: The speedboat ride takes you from the beach toward the dolphin area in about 20 minutes.
• Swimming ability matters: Dolphins may stay roughly 3 meters below the surface, so snorkeling skill and fitness make a real difference.
• A useful second stop: The lagoon snorkeling session gives you a marine-life experience even after the dolphin search.
• Strong guide involvement: Feliciano, Andy, and Miguel have been singled out for friendly service, helpful advice, and good photo assistance.
• Good value for a short outing: At $58 per person, you get two hours on the water, a skipper, the speedboat, and masks and fins.

Meeting La Tour Martello at La Preneuse Beach

Your outing begins at La Preneuse Public Beach on the southwest coast of Mauritius. Look for La Tour Martello, the distinctive tower beside the beach. This is the meeting point, and you need to arrange your own way there because transportation is not included.

That detail matters if you are staying elsewhere on the island. Leave enough time for the drive, especially after rain or during road works. One couple had a long journey and ran into delays, but the operator was able to communicate with them and help them avoid missing the trip. Still, I would not count on every delay being easy to fix.

The beach setting makes a pleasant start. You can see the coast from ground level before heading out, then get a much wider view from the boat. Bring your swimwear, towel, sunglasses, sun hat, and biodegradable sunscreen. Food and drinks are not included, so eat and hydrate before you arrive.

The boat has snorkeling masks and fins for you to use. Bring your own equipment only if you prefer a particular fit. The supplied gear is described as well maintained, but a good mask seal is especially important here because you may spend your time looking down for dolphins.

Twenty minutes across the water

After boarding, expect about 20 minutes on the speedboat before reaching the main dolphin area. This is not a slow cruise. You feel the wind, skim over the water, and get changing views of beaches, rocky sections of coast, and the slopes around Le Morne.

The ride is part of the appeal, but it can be bumpy. Hold on, protect your phone, and keep your hat secure. A speedboat gets you out to the action quickly, which is one reason this two-hour trip works well. You spend less of the morning sitting around and more of it looking for marine life.

Your skipper speaks French and English and gives instructions before the swimming starts. Pay close attention. The practical advice can help you enter the water at the right time, keep your mask clear, and avoid wasting energy when the dolphins are moving.

The boat is also your best viewing platform. You may see dolphins from above before deciding to swim. This is useful for anyone who wants the wildlife encounter but does not feel ready for open-water swimming.

Finding dolphins at the secret stop

The central portion lasts about 85 minutes and combines dolphin watching with time in the water. The crew searches for pods, watches their movement, and positions the boat as conditions allow. You might see dolphins beside or ahead of the boat, and you may have the chance to enter the water near them.

Keep your expectations realistic. Dolphins are wild animals. They may travel beneath the surface, change direction, or disappear just as you get ready. One important tip is that they can swim about 3 meters below the surface, so you should not expect every encounter to happen at water level.

This also explains why the experience can feel more active than a standard wildlife cruise. You may need to swim quickly for a few minutes to keep up. A strong swimmer who is comfortable with a snorkel will get much more from the stop than someone who tires easily or dislikes open water.

The best approach is to treat any close encounter as a gift, not a guarantee. You may see several dolphins, watch them from the boat, or swim near them for a short time. Some outings have also spotted sperm whales, though whales are an extra possibility, not part of the promised core experience.

Several guides have helped make these moments easier. Feliciano is praised for keeping in touch before the outing and for making people feel looked after. Andy and Miguel have also been praised for their enthusiasm and for sharing the water with guests. A guide may even take your GoPro or phone into the water to capture footage, but do not assume this is guaranteed on every departure. Protect your device and ask first.

The reality of many boats on the water

The biggest issue is not the speedboat or the crew. It is the wider dolphin-watching scene. On some days, many boats gather where the dolphins are. One account described around 20 boats competing for position, which can make the area noisy and crowded.

That affects the sense of a wild encounter. You may still get close views, but other boats and swimmers can make the moment feel less calm than you hoped. There has also been concern about boats approaching dolphins too aggressively. This is worth taking seriously, especially if respectful wildlife watching is important to you.

The crew on this tour has been praised for giving clear guidance and showing care toward the dolphins. You should still do your part. Follow the skipper’s instructions, avoid chasing animals on your own, keep noise down in the water, and return to the boat when asked.

This is not a private charter, and the operator cannot control every other skipper in the area. If you want complete solitude, this probably is not the right outing. If you accept that popular dolphin sites can be busy and still value the chance to see wild animals, the trip can be worthwhile.

Fifteen minutes of lagoon snorkeling

After the dolphin stop, the boat heads to a viewpoint for about 15 minutes of snorkeling. This is a short session, so think of it as a second marine-life stop rather than a full reef excursion.

The lagoon may offer colorful fish and a chance to look for species such as scorpionfish, stonefish, lionfish, reef fish, and possibly an octopus. You might spot only a few of these, since marine life and visibility vary. The water can be especially affected by the season and the weather.

The snorkeling stop gives the trip better balance. If the dolphins stay distant, you still get time in the water with a different focus. If the dolphin encounter is excellent, the lagoon provides a relaxed final look at Mauritius beneath the surface.

Fifteen minutes passes quickly. Use the time well. Listen to the guide’s tips, check that your mask fits before swimming away, and stay close enough to hear instructions. Non-swimmers should not book this tour, and even confident swimmers should remember that open water is more tiring than a hotel pool.

What the $58 price really buys you

At $58 per person, the tour is fairly priced for a two-hour speedboat outing with a skipper and snorkeling masks and fins. You are paying for a fast boat, local guiding, equipment, and access to a popular stretch of marine habitat. The short duration also makes it easier to fit into a day of sightseeing.

The value depends on what you want. If your main goal is a guaranteed dolphin photo, the price may feel less attractive because wild animals do not follow a schedule. If you want a compact ocean trip that combines speed, wildlife, swimming, and snorkeling, the package makes more sense.

There are extra costs to consider. You must reach La Preneuse Beach yourself, and food and drinks are not included. You also need to bring your own towel and sun protection. Those are minor expenses, but they matter when comparing this with a longer trip that includes transport or refreshments.

I like the fact that you do not lose a whole day if the dolphin stop is brief. A two-hour trip leaves time for lunch, the beach, or another sight. One person even preferred this shorter outing to a full-day dolphin trip because it gave enough time on the water without taking over the day.

Who will enjoy this most

This tour suits you if you:

• Swim confidently in open water
• Can use a mask and snorkel without much help
• Enjoy fast boat rides
• Want a short marine-life activity rather than a full-day cruise
• Accept that dolphin encounters are unpredictable
• Like having a guide nearby to give timing and safety advice

It is less suitable if you are a non-swimmer, have limited mobility, use a wheelchair, are pregnant, or have epilepsy. The activity is also not a good match if you want a slow, quiet cruise with guaranteed animal sightings.

Families should think carefully about each participant’s swimming ability. The boat may be fun for older children and confident swimmers, but the dolphin portion can involve quick movement and open water. The supplied information does not specify a minimum age, so ask the operator before booking for a young child.

Practical advice for a better outing

Arrive ready to swim. Wear your swimsuit under your clothes, bring a towel, and apply biodegradable sunscreen before boarding. A sun hat and sunglasses help during the ride, but secure them well because the boat moves quickly.

Do not eat heavily just before departure if speedboat motion bothers you. Food and drinks are not provided, so have water before and after the trip. Keep personal items to a minimum and use a waterproof case for phones or cameras.

If you have your own GoPro, bring it with a secure strap and ask before handing it to a guide. Crew members have helped capture excellent underwater footage, but you should not expect a dedicated photographer or guaranteed video service.

Listen closely during the briefing. The difference between a frustrating dolphin encounter and a good one may come down to timing. You may need to enter the water quickly, swim in the right direction, and keep your head down long enough to spot animals below you.

Finally, be honest about your swimming ability. It is perfectly fine to remain on the boat if you do not want to swim, and one person was glad not to be the only non-swimmer aboard. But you must not book if you cannot swim safely.

Booking flexibility and guide languages

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the activity for a full refund, and the reserve-now, pay-later option gives you some flexibility while planning. Starting times depend on availability, so check the schedule before building the rest of your day around it.

The live guide service is available in French and English. The crew’s personal contact can be a real plus, especially when weather or road delays affect plans. Feliciano has been praised for checking in before the trip and helping with arrival details.

The tour is operated by The Kind Of Blue Boat Ltd. The published rating is 4.7 from 92 reviews, with especially strong praise for dolphin sightings, friendly crew members, good communication, and the short but well-used schedule. The less positive feedback centers on crowded waters and the hard work needed to swim with moving dolphins.

Should you book this dolphin tour?

Book it if you want a lively, efficient outing and you are a capable swimmer who understands that wild dolphins set the rules. The chance to see dolphins below the surface, possibly swim near them, and then snorkel in a lagoon gives the $58 price solid value.

Choose something else if you want private waters, a guaranteed close encounter, or a gentle boat ride that requires no swimming. La Preneuse Dolphin Watching and Snorkeling Speedboat Tour offers a real wildlife experience, but it asks you to be active, flexible, and respectful. That is also what makes the best moments feel genuine.

FAQ

Where does the dolphin and snorkeling tour start?

The tour starts at La Preneuse Public Beach in Mauritius. Meet at La Tour Martello, the tower beside the beach.

How long does the activity last?

The full experience lasts two hours. The speedboat ride takes about 20 minutes, the dolphin-watching and swimming stop lasts about 85 minutes, and the snorkeling stop lasts about 15 minutes.

Are snorkeling masks and fins included?

Yes. The speedboat tour, skipper, snorkeling masks, and fins are included in the price.

Do I need to be a strong swimmer?

You should be comfortable swimming in open water. Dolphins may stay about 3 meters below the surface, and you may need to swim quickly for a few minutes to keep up. Non-swimmers should not take this activity.

What languages does the guide speak?

The live guide service is available in French and English.

What should I bring?

Bring sunglasses, a sun hat, swimwear, a towel, and biodegradable sunscreen. Food and drinks are not included, and transportation to La Preneuse Beach is also not included.