Swim with Turtles at Balaclava Marine Park

Swim with Turtles at Balaclava Marine Park - Inclusions

• Swimming with turtles
• Boat ride to swimming/snorkelling site
• Snorkelling equipment
• Safety equipment included
• Professional guide to accompany you at all times

Transport is available for an additional supplement and will include pick up and drop off from any hotel / place of accommodation in Mauritius.

Swim with Turtles at Balaclava Marine Park

The Mauritian sea never fails to surprise! This package will allow you to discover the fascinating marine beauty the Mauritian waters can offer - you will be able to swim with turtles in the Marine Park of Balaclava and even enjoy a snorkelling break.

You will begin this adventure with a boat ride departing from Pointe Aux Piments towards the swimming/snorkelling site. As the engine roars and you start cutting through the surface of the water, you’ll feel an incredible rush, leaving behind the shore.

The waters in the north of Mauritius are warm all year round, making it the ideal place for turtles to find abode. People love snorkelling at this particular sight as the visibility underwater is fairly high. The seamounts give rise to an exceptional underwater spectacle with fishes and coral reefs adding colours to this deep blue part of the lagoon. The coral bed is magnificent and it is home to multi-coloured fish, eels and of course turtles!

The reef is home to a variety of fish species that include Damselfish, Surgeonfish, Butterfly fish, juvenile Sailfin tangs, as well as tiny Pipefish and large Trumpet fish. The reason you embarked on this adventure remains the turtles, which will not miss the opportunity to swim past you while going on their underwater daily errands!

However, as hard as it might be, you will have to resist the urge to touch them as they might be frightened. It would be best to admire them while keeping a safe distance.

About the Turtles in Mauritius

Green Sea Turtles

Green Sea Turtles are widely known because their smooth teardrop-shaped shells make them the largest shelled sea turtle in the world. These remarkable gentle giants can reach up to 1.2 metres in length and can weigh as much as 200 kg. Although large in size, Green Sea Turtles are generally quite shy herbivores. Surprisingly, green turtles got their name because of the green colour of their fat and cartilage – not the colour of their shells.

Hawksbill Turtles

The Hawksbill is identified by its curved beak and is slightly smaller than Green Sea Turtles. A Hawksbill shell is also known to change colour slightly depending on the temperature of the water. The hawksbill is one of the smallest species of marine turtles, with adults measuring about 75-90 cm in length and weighing around 70 kg. Indian Ocean turtles tend to be smaller than their Pacific and Atlantic counterparts.

Olive Ridley Turtles

The name for this sea turtle is tied to the colour of its shell—an olive-green hue. They are the smallest of the sea turtles, weighing up to 45 kg and reaching only about 0.6 metres in shell length. These turtles are solitary, preferring the open ocean. They migrate hundreds or even thousands of miles every year, and come together as a group only once a year.

About Balaclava Marine Park

Stretching over an area of 485 hectares, the Balaclava Marine Park, is one of the few protected marine parks in Mauritius - the first national marine park since 1997. These warm waters are home to about 430 different marine creatures and almost 200 types of coral - expect to come across numerous schools of fish, turtles, colourful coral reefs and other marine life.

• Participants must be physically fit with knowledge of swimming.
• A waiver form must be signed before the activity.
• Snorkelling equipment is provided and is cleaned & sanitised after each use.
• This is a weather dependent activity.

Note: There is a high probability of seeing turtles. However, there will be no refund or rescheduling if they are not spotted