Parasailing in Mauritius

Parasailing (also known as paradescending) is an activity where a person is attached to a special parachute and towed by a boat in open waters. It has become a common activity worldwide but the plus that Mauritius offers is that the person gets a bird’s view of the marvellous lagoons with the wind in his/her hair while the sandy white beaches and lush mountains fly by. It is a sport offered by numerous hotels on the island and can be easily accessed without pre booking. The price is £ 20 per person for a 15minutes’ ride. A parasail is a huge parachute of vibrant colours that attracts attention from miles around when a person is parasailing. Though this activity has existed for near 30 years, it is now that it is becoming a common recreational business. The rider is attached by a harness to a parachute (which is connected to the boat by a rope) while crew people spread out the parachute around him/her. The boat then starts to move while at the same time pulling on the tow rope which is about 300 feet thus stretching it. The rider resists the pull until a certain speed is reached until he/she is suddenly pulled into the air.The altitude can go up to 200 feet depending on the length of the tow rope. The rider is also equipped with a life vest and safety shoes to soar high above the beautiful waters. There are two options for parasailing. The first one is the normal parasailing where the person gets to fly above and simply enjoy the view and the second one involves dunking into the ocean for a fresh dive before being reeled back onto the boat. When the trip comes to an end, the boat reduces its speed gradually while the rider flies down into the water or onto the boat. Parasailing can be done either individually or in couples on the same parachute and if the boat is strong enough, up to three people can be pulled. This is an activity for everyone as of the age of 6. Parasailing can be done at several places in Mauritius such as Blue Bay, Flic en Flac and Grand Baie.