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Tour

Île aux Cerfs

The flagship excursion — and the one that generates the most complaints.

Île aux Cerfs, off the east coast
Île aux Cerfs, off the east coast
The waterfall visit — chargeable, not included
The waterfall visit — chargeable, not included
Undersea walk — a strong upsell
Undersea walk — a strong upsell
Tube ride on the lagoon
Tube ride on the lagoon

What is actually included

Included — exactly three things
  • Transfer from the hotel to the jetty
  • The shuttle boat from the mainland to the island
  • The return to the mainland by catamaran
Not included — everything else
  • Speedboat trip to the waterfall
  • Parasailing, tube ride, undersea walk
  • Catamaran cruise with lunch and drinks
  • Lunch on the island
The complaint you are trying to prevent

Guests arrive, are offered a speedboat trip, pay for it, and then ask us why they paid for a boat that was “in the package”. The included boat is the shuttle to the island. The waterfall speedboat is a separate, optional, paid activity. Say this sentence in the sales call and write it in the itinerary.

How the day actually runs

  1. PickupFrom the hotel by road to the jetty at Grande Rivière Sud-Est, on the east coast.
  2. BriefingAt the supplier office at the jetty: what is in the package, the safety brief, and the optional activities that can be purchased there.
  3. ActivitiesOptional activities happen in the lagoon, before the island — not on the island itself.
  4. To the islandGuests doing activities reach the island around 13:30–14:00. Guests doing no activities take a separate direct shuttle from around 11:00 and get roughly 2.5–3 hours.
  5. ReturnThe island closes around 16:00. Return by catamaran, then road transfer back to the hotel.
Timings are given on the spot

Pickup times from the island are set by the skippers on the day. This is a sea-, tide- and weather-dependent operation — we cannot give a fixed return time in advance, and should not put one in writing.

Unlicensed operators on the island — brief every guest

There are people selling watersports on Île aux Cerfs who are not licensed and not contracted. If a guest is injured while using them there is no insurance and no recourse, and it becomes our problem. Instruct guests firmly: buy activities only through the supplier desk at the jetty.

Lunch advice that will earn you a thank-you

Three restaurants on the island — grills, burgers, pizzas and pastas, plus an Indian thali. The thali is cooked by a Mauritian kitchen and is genuinely poor. Tell guests to eat the pizza, pasta or burgers.

Tell the guest to carry: beach towel from the hotel, sunscreen, swimwear, and beach clothes worn out of the hotel. Towels are not provided at the jetty.

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