Worth remembering
- The seaplane is a short private flight from the east coast; the helicopter flies longer, and its own listing names hotel transfers.[1][2]
- The seaplane listing runs 15 - 30 minutes; the helicopter listing runs 3 hours.[1][2]
- From-prices start at US$254 for the east coast seaplane and US$860 for the scenic helicopter flight.[1][2]
- Seaplane passengers must be at least 15 years old and weigh no more than 100 kilograms.[3] Check the limits before you book.
- The seaplane and helicopter listings both offer free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.[1][2]
- Top choice East Coast Seaplane Tour from US$254 Duration15 - 30 minutes[1]Group sizePrivate group[1]Rating4.22 from 128 reviews[1]CancellationCancel up to 24 hours before[1]LanguagesEnglish, French[1] Check availability
- Scenic Helicopter Flight from US$860 Duration3 hours[2]Group sizeLimited to 6 participants[2]Rating4.60 from 98 reviews[2]CancellationCancel up to 24 hours before[2]LanguagesEnglish, French[2] See this tour
- South East Speedboat Tour from US$144 Duration7 hours[4]Group sizePrivate or small groups[4]Rating4.77 from 452 reviews[4]CancellationCancel up to 24 hours before[4]LanguagesEnglish, French[4] See this tour
At the source of this river lies the magnificent Grande-Rivière-Sud-Est waterfall, accessible either by sea or by traversing the lush sugarcane fields.
Seaplane or helicopter for your Mauritius trip?
Things to check
Seaplane and helicopter: two ways off the ground
Mauritius is a small island with a busy interior and a very long coastline, and the quickest way to understand its shape is to leave the ground. Two options do that. A seaplane lifts off the water, with no runway and no terminal, and a helicopter lifts off a pad. The east coast seaplane tour here is a private group flight with Belle Mare among its stops, and it runs 15 - 30 minutes, with your time going on lagoon, reef and shoreline rather than roads.[1]
The scenic helicopter flight is built differently. It lasts 3 hours, is limited to 6 participants, and its listing names pickup among the options you choose, which makes it a half day out rather than a single hop.[2] Neither option needs a full day if you pick the shorter version, and neither is a tour bus with wings. What they share is the angle. From the air the lagoon reads as a clean gradient of pale sand, bright turquoise and deep blue, with a white line of surf along the reef and green cane fields behind the beach.
What the seaplane flight is actually like
A seaplane flight is short and intense. You meet the pilot, climb aboard, and the aircraft accelerates across open water until it lifts and the note of the engine changes. Because the flight is private, you are not queuing for a window or shouting over a cabin full of strangers. Starting times depend on the date you choose, so check availability before you build a morning around it.[1]
The east coast route suits first-time flyers. Sandbanks and shallow flats pass underneath, the reef draws a bright edge between lagoon and open sea, and small green islets appear and vanish within a couple of minutes. The air is warm, the altitude is low, and the view stays open on both sides. Wear soft shoes, bring a light layer, tie your hair back, and keep your camera on a strap so it stays with you in the air.
The lagoon from a seaplane window: pale sand, turquoise flats and a white line of reef.
What the helicopter flight is actually like
A helicopter tour in Mauritius is the other way up, and it is sold as a fuller experience. The listing lasts 3 hours in total, is limited to 6 participants, and names pickup among the options shown at booking, with drivers speaking English and French. You can reserve now and pay later, and cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.[2]
Helicopters fly higher and faster than seaplanes, and the cabin is enclosed, so the shape of the day changes: more ground covered, more glass between you and the view, and a louder ride. Reflections are the main photographic problem, which dark clothing and a lens held close to the window both help with. If small aircraft make you nervous, a helicopter is usually the steadier of the two in bumpy air, and the crew will talk you through the harness and the headsets before you lift.
Price, duration and group size, side by side
The east coast seaplane starts from US$254 and runs 15 - 30 minutes, with a private group on board, and it is rated 4.22 from 128 reviews, with Guide at 4.3 and Value for money at 4.4.[1] The scenic helicopter flight starts from US$860 and lasts 3 hours, and it is rated 4.60 from 98 reviews, with Guide at 4.9, Transportation at 4.8 and Value for money at 4.1.[2]
If budget decides it, the seaplane costs far less and takes a fraction of the time, which suits a morning slot with the beach saved for the afternoon. If you want the aircraft to fill a half day, the helicopter is the one that does it, and the higher price buys the transfers and the longer flight. A boat day sits between the two. The south east speedboat listing starts from US$144 and runs 7 hours, covering far more water without leaving the surface.[4]
from US$254
A private group seaplane flight of 15 - 30 minutes over the east coast, with Belle Mare among its stops.[1]
Age, weight and the rules worth checking first
Seaplane passengers must be at least 15 years old and weigh no more than 100 kilograms.[3] That limit is worth checking before you book, and before you promise anyone a window seat. Bring the question up early if you are travelling with teenagers who are still growing or with adults who are tall and heavy, because a booking that cannot fly helps nobody.
Paperwork and pickup are the other things to pin down. The seaplane listing runs with English and French speaking drivers, and the helicopter listing names pickup among the options shown at booking.[1][2] Both let you reserve now and pay later, and both allow free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, which takes most of the risk out of booking a flight months before your trip.[1][2]
Weather, cyclone season and when to book
The official cyclone season in Mauritius runs from 15 November to 15 May.[5] Small aircraft are sensitive to wind, cloud and rain, and no operator will fly in conditions that look wrong, so build some slack into your plans. A flight booked for your first full day has room to move. A flight booked for your last morning does not.
Mornings usually give the calmest air and the cleanest light, and an early slot leaves the rest of the day free for the lagoon. If you are visiting in the wetter months, keep a backup day in mind and check the forecast a day or two ahead. Booking ahead matters most in high season, when seats on both aircraft sell out, and it costs nothing extra on these listings because payment comes later.[1]
The seaplane tour here is an east coast flight with Belle Mare among its stops, so staying on that side of the island keeps the morning simple, while the helicopter listing names pickup among the options shown at booking.[1][2] If your hotel is on the west or north coast, factor the drive into your plans and take the earliest slot you can comfortably reach.
Boats, islands and the view from sea level
Flying is not the only way to see the coast, and for plenty of travellers a boat is better value. The south east speedboat tour runs 7 hours, starts from US$144, and its stops include the Grand River South East Waterfall, Ile aux Aigrettes, Ile aux Fouquets Lighthouse and Ile aux Cerfs.[4] Ile aux Cerfs is a picturesque 87-hectare island off the east coast, known for white sandy beaches, turquoise lagoons, restaurants, water sports and land activities.[6]
The catamaran cruise to the northern isles runs 8 hours, starts from US$81, and has English and French speaking drivers.[7] Grand River South East waterfall sits at the source of the river and can be reached by sea or by crossing the sugarcane fields, and it is one of the stops on the south east speedboat route.[4][8] If you want to see the same coastline twice, once from above and once from the water, book the flight for one day and the boat for another.
Helicopter tours in Mauritius include a quick fifteen-minute ride that starts at roughly 8,500 MUR per person, which is the shortest way to get airborne if a full flight experience feels like too much.[9] Between the seaplane, the helicopter and the boats, there is an option for almost every budget and appetite, and a morning in the air is a different kind of day from a morning on the water.
From-prices of the flight and boat options
Values are the from-prices shown on each of these listings.[1][2][4]
Build your airborne budget
From-prices in US dollars, per person. Child rates are not published on these listings.[1][2][4]
When to book a Mauritius flight
Choosing your flight
Decide your time
A short hop over the lagoon or a longer flight with transfers. The longer option covers more ground and costs more.
Check the limits
Seaplane seats carry an age and weight limit. Check it before you book, and before you promise anyone a window seat.[3]
Pick your day
Fly early in your trip rather than on the last morning, and keep a spare slot free in case the weather turns.
Compare the boats
The south east speedboat and the northern isles catamaran both run full days on the water.[4][7]
Book and confirm
Reserve now and pay later, then check availability for your starting time and pickup details.
Ready to see the east coast lagoon from a seaplane window?
from US$254Reserve now & pay later
