Dolphins in Mauritius

Pods of dolphins are regularly seen off the coastline of Mauritius and spotting them in the wild is one of life’s most special moments. The west coast is their favourite playground and you can see both bottlenose and spinner dolphins here, often travelling in pods of 20. Sometimes we are lucky enough to spot over 100 sliding through the water to the deeper ocean off Le Morne peninsula!

There are strict guidelines in place to keep you and the dolphins safe, which have been set by the Tourism Authority (Dolphin and Whale Watching) Regulations 2012. These guidelines include:

• You cannot feed a dolphin, or throw food or any other object, substance or matter near or around a dolphin
• You must travel with a licenced dolphin watching provider
• Pleasure crafts can only approach dolphins from the side, must follow a parallel course to the dolphin, and operate the pleasure craft at a no-wake speed
• You cannot touch, or attempt to touch, a dolphin
• You cannot make noise to attract their attention or circle around them
• If swimming with dolphins, you must be briefed on sound techniques related to calm and silent swimming. No more than three swimmers (including a designated life saver) to enter, dive or snorkel simultaneously in the sea

Find full details of the Tourism Authority (Dolphin and Whale Watching) Regulations 2012.

Respecting their underwater world is key to them returning to our coastline.