Whale and dolphin watching in Saint-Gilles: 4 boat trips, 2026 prices

This is the most-reviewed package on the entire west coast for cetacean watching in Reunion Island. 4.9 out of 5 from 126 verified Manawa reviews, and an entry price of €40 that makes it the option to pick if you're travelling with kids (accessible from age 2) or if you simply want the experience without spending €80 or €135 per person.

Meeting point is at Saint-Gilles marina, Pontoon D, around 7am or 9am depending on the slot. The trip runs 2 hours at sea, heading out to roughly 1km offshore where spinner and bottlenose dolphins are present year-round. From July to October, this is also the zone where humpback whales come up from the south to give birth and nurse their calves; the odds of seeing one during this period are around 80%.

The boat is a fast rigid-hull inflatable (RIB) that can cover a wide area over the 2 hours, while staying stable once on site. The skipper follows the Reuni'Mer cetacean charter (a gradual approach, a minimum distance of 100m, never in front of the animal), which makes a real difference to the quality of the encounter compared with operators who don't follow it.

Manawa rate €40, moderate cancellation policy (allow 48 hours ahead for a full refund). Reef-safe sunscreen is compulsory (chemical filters are banned in the marine reserve), and a hat, water and a windbreaker are recommended for the fast return trip.

This trip is run by FestiYacht de Bourbon from Le Port (north of Saint-Paul), aboard a catamaran. It's the option to pick if you want more stability than a rigid-hull boat, or if you're travelling with passengers prone to seasickness: the double-hull catamaran absorbs the swell far better than a mono-hull and lets you stay out for 3 hours without the fatigue of a rigid-hull.

Departure is from Le Port marina, with the meeting point at 1 Rue Antoine Erima (not Saint-Gilles), which is more convenient if you're staying on the north-west coast. The catamaran follows the same watching corridor as the Saint-Gilles trips: looking for pods of spinner dolphins, and from July to October humpback whales back from Antarctica. The 3-hour format allows more time with the same group without rushing from one pod to the next.

Manawa rate €37, which is €2 more than the short Saint-Gilles trip at €35, but with an extra hour at sea. It's one of the best price-to-duration ratios on this page. Flexible cancellation policy up to 24 hours ahead, which is more forgiving than the €35 trip (moderate policy).

Compliant with the Reuni'Mer cetacean charter. A safety briefing before departure, life jackets provided, water and a snack on board (depending on the slot). Reef-safe sunscreen is compulsory, a hat and sunglasses are recommended. Note: the minimum age isn't specified on the Manawa listing, so check when booking if you're bringing kids.

A short 2-hour format run from Le Port marina by Le Dodo Palmé, on a rigid-hull boat. The boat is faster than a catamaran, letting it actively search a wider area in less time. At €60 this is a pricier format than the 2-hour Saint-Gilles trip at €35, but with fewer people on board and a meeting point at 20 Rue Berthier in Le Port.

Why choose this package over the €35 Saint-Gilles trip? Three reasons: 1) Le Port marina is closer if you're staying in north Saint-Paul or La Possession; 2) the Le Dodo Palmé rigid-hull is smaller, so fewer people and a better viewing experience; 3) the cancellation policy is flexible (not moderate like the €35 trip).

The watching corridor is the same as the Saint-Gilles trips (the coastal zone between Saint-Paul and Saint-Leu where spinner dolphins are present year-round), just reached from a different departure point. From July to October, humpback whales are also expected.

Manawa rate €60, from age 8. Flexible cancellation policy up to 24 hours ahead. Compliant with the Reuni'Mer cetacean charter, safety briefing, life jackets provided. Reef-safe sunscreen is compulsory in the reserve.

This is the longest package on this page: 6 hours at sea, supervised by the skipper-divers of Reunion Diving. The slot starts early in the morning (around 6.30am) to make the most of calm seas, and wraps up in the early afternoon with a light meal on board during the offshore break.

The appeal of the full day: you cover a much wider area than the short packages, you have time to wait for pods that aren't at the surface right away, and you can make several approaches on different animals. It's also the package to pick if you're a photographer who really wants to work your shots, or a passionate naturalist who wants to rack up sightings.

During the day, the briefing at sea goes deeper: the biology of the species, the social behaviour of spinner dolphins, the migration cycle of humpback whales, the cetacean approach charter, and local conservation issues. You leave with a real understanding of what you saw.

Manawa rate €135 per person. Worth choosing if you know you'll only do this trip once and want to maximise your time at sea (6 hours rather than 2 or 3). Flexible cancellation policy up to 24 hours ahead.