Which Mahé West-Coast Catamaran Should You Book: Baie Ternay or Anse Major?
Updated October 28, 2026 · 5 min read
For most travellers, book the Baie Ternay Park Catamaran Cruise with BBQ Lunch: €135.30, six hours and 4.8 stars from 16 reviews. Choose the Mahé Catamaran Tour to Anse Major, Anse Diri and a Creole lunch at €179 only if you want to get into the water in several ways, because it is the one that lists snorkelling, stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking. Both are small samples: 16 and 20 reviews are encouraging, not proof.
| Tour | Duration | From | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baie Ternay Park Catamaran Cruise with BBQ Lunch | 6 hours | €135.30 | 4.8 (16) | pickup anywhere on Mahé, barbecue on board |
| Mahé Catamaran Tour: Anse Major, Anse Diri & Creole Lunch | 7 hours | €179 | 4.6 (20) | water activities, Creole lunch |
What does the cheaper Baie Ternay day give you?
The listing sells a cruise into Baie Ternay Marine National Park, promises “the underwater natural world”, and says pickup and drop-off are possible from anywhere on Mahé. Lunch is a barbecue on board. That pickup line matters more than it looks: the west-coast bays are far from Victoria and from the east-coast hotels, and a transfer that is already in the price removes the most tedious part of the day.
What the description does not say is whether snorkelling gear is supplied or how long the boat stays in the water at each stop. It is also silent on kayaks and paddleboards. If you plan to swim properly, ask on the booking page rather than assuming; if you are happy to sit on a boat in a sheltered bay with lunch, you do not need the answer.
Check dates and prices for the Baie Ternay catamaran
When is the Anse Major day worth €43.70 more?
The dearer tour runs one hour longer and heads along the coast to Anse Major and Port Launay Marine National Park. It is the only one of the two that spells out what you can do: snorkelling, stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking and swimming, followed by a Creole lunch. For a group in which at least one person gets restless on a boat, that list is the real reason to pay extra.
The trade-off is a slightly lower score, 4.6 against 4.8, and no mention of hotel pickup in the listing. Check how you reach the departure point before you count the saving or the surcharge. Anse Major is otherwise a beach you reach on foot; if you would rather walk than sail, the Mahé hiking guide covers that route and what it costs.
View availability for the Anse Major catamaran and Creole lunch
Who should skip both?
If your main goal is the reef itself, with fish identification and a guided swim stop, the Sainte Anne day trips on the other side of the island are the better-known choice; see the Sainte Anne snorkelling comparison. If giant tortoises are what you came for, neither of these listings mentions them. A west-coast cruise is a bay-and-beach day, not a wildlife day.
Nor is a seven-hour boat day sensible for anyone who dislikes being on a boat for most of the day. Sea conditions change the plan on the day, and the descriptions do not promise a fixed route.
Which one would we book?
Book the Baie Ternay cruise as the default: it is cheaper by €43.70, has the better rating and includes the pickup. Book the Anse Major day instead if kayaking and paddleboarding are the point of your boat day.
