Water sports and leisure activities East Coast

On the banks of the river, Otentic, in addition to offering nights in tents, is open to day-trippers who wish to discover real Mauritian cuisine prepared as at home by the village ladies. For a fairly modest fee, guests can enjoy the friendly atmosphere of the place, its leisure facilities (swimming pool, pétanque, kayaking...) and a shuttle service to Île aux Cerfs. At an additional cost, you can take part in some great off-the-beaten-track activities - mountain biking, kiteboarding, hiking...

Popular in Mauritius, underwater walking consists of walking in the lagoon at a depth of 3 meters with a diving suit on your shoulders. Even if you are wet to the neck, you can breathe freely, wear your goggles and admire the small reef fishes in their natural environment without fear of creasing your hair. As the guides bring bread, the tête à tête with the fishes is guaranteed, as well as some good laughs given the slightly crazy side of the activity! To be done as much for the experience as for the funds explored.

Top-of-the-range services (cocktails on arrival and deckchairs on the beach) at super-correct rates under the aegis of the Sunlife (= serious) hotel group. Here's the best value for money for regular, scheduled crossings on uncrowded boats, from a jetty in the grounds of Shangri-La's Le Touessrok hotel, with guarded parking. A choice of packages, including buffet lunch and drinks. Activities available at extra cost.

Operational for years, this small agency knows its business well and brings dozens of tourists to Ile aux Cerfs every day. Its various packages cover almost the entire range of beach activities: from a simple round-trip transfer to a full day with lunch and a choice of activities. On the island, the company offers towed buoy tours and parasailing. Nice staff and good prices.

A special mention for this excellent club based at Constance Belle Mare Plage but open to all, and with branches in 4 luxury establishments which is a guarantee of quality. Even if he no longer gives courses, it is Jean-Michel Langlois, a great name in Mauritius diving, who supervises the centre. Several outings and training courses are offered: first dives, exploration dives, wreck dives, exclusive dives around the island, CMAS-PADI courses, etc. Prices are a little more expensive than elsewhere, but this is justified by the quality of the service: 4 clients per instructor maximum.

Versatile and well established on the east coast, this company can combine several types of services. From its platforms anchored off Ile aux Cerfs, it offers fun nautical activities: towed buoy tours, parasailing, underwater walking... Fast boat crossings are organised at any time and can be enhanced with multiple options depending on the package chosen: visit of the waterfall, BBQ etc. Also catamaran day trips.

Although the school is located on the beach of the C Mauritius resort (a dynamic and cool boutique hotel promoting fun, unrestricted, zen and/or sporty vacations...), it is of course open to all. With its vast expanse and steady winds, this section of the eastern lagoon offers excellent conditions for kitesurfing for all - beginners, intermediates and advanced. Passionate Martin and his team of IKO-certified instructors encourage fun-filled learning, with a range of options: private lessons for 2 or families; downwind on request.

Supervised by Mukesh Buldewa, one of the great divers of Mauritius, this club is open to all and also has a branch in the nearby Long Beach Hotel. Well equipped, it offers all the classic PADI and CMAS courses, as well as first dives, exploration dives by day and night, and even snorkelling courses for those who don't want to pass their level but are attracted by the beauty of the underwater world. Children are welcome from 7 years old. Instructors are pedagogical and very professional.

THE specialist in catamaran cruises in Eastern France is Océane, which pioneered the activity on the island over 37 years ago and is now a benchmark in the sector. Of the company's 9 boats, 6 ply the Île aux Cerfs lagoon daily, offering not only classic day cruises, but also private cruises (choice of itinerary and timetable) enriched by a range of à la carte experiences.

The company also offers private excursions for up to 10 people in speedboats or Pontoon Boats - fast, flat-bottomed boats ideal for the lagoon.

This water park occupies 4,000^m2 of the gardens of the Maritim Crystals hotel. It consists of 3 pools, one of which is shallow for children, and 5 slides: one of 71 meters that you can slide down in a buoy, another of 57 meters and 3 smaller ones of 17 meters each. If the park is accessible free of charge to hotel guests, non-residents can purchase a day pass including a buffet lunch and unlimited ice cream, milkshakes and drinks. An entertainment program is included in the price: aquagym classes, zumba, water volleyball.