More Than Just Cheap Flights.

Mauritius Information

Overview

With world-class hotels offering the best service in the Indian Ocean and a renowned gastronomy as well as top spas and golf, Mauritius also offers more to do than many tropical islands, with trekking, mountain climbing and ecotourism playgrounds. And with its signature sunny days, the world’s third largest coral reef surrounding a turquoise lagoon and silky, blonde, sandy beaches, this island certainly comes close to paradise.

Off major shipping routes, Mauritius remained uninhabited until the 16th century, allowing it to develop into one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. It was favoured by pirates and occupied briefly by the Dutch before the French brought African slaves to work the sugar plantations. Captured by the British in 1810, Mauritius achieved independence in 1968. Its diversification into textiles, tourism and, of late, financial services, telecommunications and cyber services has been an Indian Ocean economic success story. So too has its stable multicultural society. 

Descendants of Indian labourers brought in after the abolition of slavery in 1835 now comprise 70% of the population, and Chinese and Muslim traders add to a French and Creole cultural legacy. This friendly co-existence of cultures expresses itself in croissants for breakfast and curry for dinner, and garish Indian temples near French colonial mansions.

Top Things To See

Walk around the capital, Port Louis, to see fine colonial architecture such as Government House atop the palm-lined Place d’Armes. Gaze at one of the world’s rarest stamps at the Blue Penny Museum (website: www.bluepennymuseum.com) or gawk at dodo skeletons in the Natural History Museum (website: www.mauritiusmuseums.org). 

Go souvenir shopping at Port Louis’ bustling Central Market, the craft market at The Caudan Waterfront (website: www.caudan.com) or shopping centres around the island. Bargain hunt in Chinese and Indian shops in the inland towns.

Families should head to Casela Bird Park (website: www.caselayemen.mu) in the west. With 90 aviaries on 25 hectares (61 acres), it has more than 140 bird varieties, from five continents. The main attraction is the pink pigeon, one of the world’s rarest birds. 

Stroll around Pamplemousses Gardens (e-mail: ssrbg@intnet.mu), the third oldest botanical gardens in the world, created in the 18th century. Its international collection of plants includes giant Amazon lilies and the talipot palm, which flowers once every 60 years, then dies.  

Visit Mauritius Aquarium (website: www.mauritiusaquarium.com) in the north, populated by 200 species of fish, invertebrates, live coral and sponges originating from the waters around the island. It also has a touch pool for children.

Follow the pilgrimage route to Grand Bassin, a natural crater lake and sacred Hindu site up on Plaine Champagne. A new 33m- (108ft-) high Shiva statue heralds the entrance to the few temples heaving with colour, incense and people at festival time.

Visit the National History Museum (website: www.mauritiusmuseums.org) in Mahébourg in the southeast to see the bell from the shipwreck of Le San Geran that inspired Mauritius’ most famous romantic legend, Paul & Virginie, and rooms dedicated to the Dutch, French and British periods. 

Visit the most characterful town on the island, Mahébourg, and head to its new waterfront for gajaks (snacks) and a view across the bay of Grand Port, the site of the famous 1810 naval battle, to Lion Mountain.  

Snorkel or take a glass bottom boat out to see the fish and coral in Blue Bay, Mauritius’ only marine park. Or better still, take a luxury excursion to the private island just off the coast, Iles des Deux Cocos (e-mail: individual.CRO@naiade.com), to explore it from there. 

Head to the untamed south coast to see unusual rock formations such as the blowhole at Le Souffleur, a natural rock bridge at Pont Naturel and at the wild clifftop of Gris Gris, near Souillac, a rock shaped like a witch. 

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.

Top Things To Do

For a spectacular 360-degree view of Port Louis and the north, climb Le Pouce or ‘the thumb’, at 812m (2,664ft). It is an easy two-hour climb from the village of La Laura, and takes another two hours to walk into Port Louis. 

Tour the Moka mountains by quad bike, horse or 4-wheel drive at the accessible 1,500-hectare (3,700-acre) nature park of Domaine Les Pailles (website: www.domainelespailles.net). Travel to the sugar mill and rum distillery by train or horse-drawn carriage before dining in one of four restaurants.  

Head to Grand Baie, for watersports such as parasailing, an underwater walk, submarine and semi-submersible scooters, or to La Cuvette, a long silky beach with clear water between Grand Baie and Cap Malheureux, for sailing, windsurfing and waterskiing.  

Go for a swim at the northern beaches such as Trou aux Biches, shaded by casuarinas, Mont Choisy, a 2km (1.2-mile) narrow white stretch of sand curving north from there, and Péreybère, a little cove between Grand Baie and Cap Malheureux.  

Go diving on the west coast around Flic-en-Flac or in the north, at Trou aux Biches or the Northern Islands from November to April. The Mauritius Scuba Diving Association (MSDA) can provide further information (website: www.msda-cmas.org). 

Take a speedboat from Trou d’eau Douce to the popular island playground of Ile aux Cerfs for beaches, golf and watersports. Or, for a quieter day, a catamaran to the Northern Islands - Gabriel Island, Flat Island and Gunner’s Quoin. 

Hike in the Black River Gorges National Park, a 6,794-hectare (16,788-acre) forest, to see indigenous plants, birds and wildlife. Black River Peak trail goes to Mauritius’ highest mountain, while the Maccabee Trail starts nearby and plunges into the gorge to Black River.

For an adventurous lunch of roasted wild boar, duck or deer curry with one of the best island views, try Domaine du Chasseur’s alfresco Panoramour Restaurant. This domaine is the best place to glimpse the Mauritius kestrel in the wild. 

La Vanille Réserve des Mascareignes (website: www.lavanille-reserve.com) is commonly referred to as ‘The Crocodile Park’, for its thousands of Nile crocodiles. It is the only place worldwide to breed aldabra tortoises and also has deer, monkeys, boar and an insectarium.

Tiny, rugged, volcanic Rodrigues Island (website: www.rodrigues-island.org) lies 550km (340 miles) northeast of Mauritius and is known as the ‘anti-stress’ island. The capital, Port Mathurin, is only seven streets wide, with a Creole population. Rodrigues offers walking, diving, kitesurfing and deep sea fishing. 

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.

Going Out

Food and Drink

Standards of cuisine, whether French, Creole, Indian, Chinese or English, are generally very high, but fruit, meat, vegetables and even fresh seafood are often imported.

Things to know: Waiter service is normal in restaurants and bars.

National specialities:
• Venison (in season).
• Camarons (freshwater prawns) in hot sauces.
• Octopus.
• Dholl purri (a wheat pancake stuffed with ground peas and served with curry).
• Gateaux piments (chilli cakes).

National drinks:
• Rum.
• Beer.
• Alouda (almond-flavoured ice milk drink). 
• Fresh coconut milk.

Legal drinking age: 18.

Tipping: 10% is usual in most hotels and restaurants.

Nightlife

Grand Baie is the centre of the island’s nightlife, with bars with live music, restaurants and nightclubs. Port Louis has mainly restaurants and bars. Rivière Noire is a Creole fishermen’s district where segadancing is especially lively on Saturday nights. Sega troupes give performances at most hotels. Gamblers are lavishly catered for; casinos are among the island’s attractions.

Shopping

This ranges from sophisticated shopping for designer clothing, jewellery and handicrafts in Port Louis’ Caudan Waterfront to rooting around for T-shirts and souvenirs upstairs in the capital’s bustling Central Market, while locals bargain hard over tea and other essentials while catching up on the gossip. Island crafts, found at the craft market at The Caudan include jewellery, Chinese and Indian jade, silks, basketry, glass and model ships. Cashmere is a particularly good buy.

Duty-free shopping is popular here with around a 40% saving on textiles, jewellery, perfume and electrical goods. Mauritius is to be turned into a tax-free shopping haven by 2010, with 80% tax taken off around 2,000 goods. Tourist shopping centres are located around the island, with a good selection of designer shops at Grand Baie, but the locals shop at Curepipe, Quatre-Bornes and Rose-Hill.

Shopping hours: Mon-Sat 0930-1800. Some shops are open until 1200 on Sundays and public holidays. Markets usually close around 1600. Shops in Rose-Hill, Curepipe and Quatre-Bornes close on Thursday afternoons.

Climate

Mauritius has a tropical maritime climate, with relatively little seasonal variation in temperatures, and generally pleasant and sunny on the coast year round. Winter, from May to October is warm and dry. Summer from November to April is hot, humid and rainy. Cyclones occur between January and March. Sea breezes blow all year, especially on the east coast, and the inland central plateau around Curepipe is cooler and rainy year round.

Required Clothing

Tropical lightweights, with warmer wear for evenings and winter months. Rainwear advisable all year round. In the summer months, sun-care products and a hat are advisable and long sleeves and trousers to help prevent insect bites.

Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2008-December 2009 period.

2008
1-2 Jan New Year.
22 Jan Thaipoosam Cavadee.
1 Feb Abolition of Slavery Day. 
7 Feb Chinese New Year.
5 Mar Maha Shivaratri.
12 Mar National Day. 
7 Apr Ougadi.
1 May Labour Day.
15 Aug Assumption.
4 Sep Ganesh Chathurthi.
2 Oct Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
28 Oct Diwali (Festival of Lights).
1 Nov All Saints’ Day.
2 Nov First Labourers’ Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.

2009
1-2 Jan New Year.
Jan or Feb Thaipoosam Cavadee.
26 Jan Chinese New Year.
1 Feb Abolition of Slavery Day.
Feb Maha Shivaratri. 
12 Mar National Day.
Mar or Apr Ougadi.
1 May Labour Day.
15 Aug Assumption.
Sep Ganesh Chathurthi. 
21 Sep Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
18 Oct Diwali (Festival of Lights).
1 Nov All Saints’ Day.
2 Nov First Labourers’ Day.
25 Dec Christmas Day.

Note

(a) Hindu festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon. The dates given above are approximations. (b) There is a diversity of cultures in Mauritius, each with its own set of holidays. (c) Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Some disruption may continue into Eid al-Fitr itself. Eid al-Fitr may last from two to 10 days, depending on the town or region. (d) Chinese festivals are declared according to local astronomical observations and it is often only possible to forecast the approximate time of their occurrence.

Health

Diphtheria

Special Precaution: Sometimes

Hepatitis A

Special Precaution: Yes

Malaria

Special Precaution: No

Rabies

Special Precaution: No

Tetanus

Special Precaution: Yes

Typhoid

Special Precaution: Sometimes

Yellow Fever

Special Precaution: No*

Health Care

Public medical facilities are numerous and of a high standard and there are several inexpensive private clinics, mostly staffed by doctors educated in the west. There is no reciprocal health agreement with the UK; foreign visitors have to pay at state-run clinics and hospitals. Emergency evacuation health insurance is advised for those at serious risk. Note: For travellers applying for a working visa or permanent residence, an HIV test will be required.

Note

* A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required of travellers over one year of age arriving from infected areas.

Further Health Information

We advise you to check health requirements for the country you are traveling to with your GP, practice nurse or travel health clinic as health requirements and vaccinations can change at short notice.

Money

Currency

Mauritian Rupee (MUR; symbol Rp) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of Rp2,000, 1,000, 500, 200, 100, 50 and 25. Coins are in denominations of Rp10, 5 and 1, and 50, 20, 10, and 5 cents.

Currency Exchange

Available in banks and at bureaux de change. A better rate of exchange can be obtained on traveller’s cheques than on cash. Mauritius Commercial Bank is reputed to have the quickest service.

Credit/Debit Cards and ATMs

MasterCard and Visa are the most widely accepted by most banks, hotels, restaurants and tourist shops followed by American Express and Diners Club. ATMs are widespread.

Traveller's Cheques

May be exchanged at banks, hotels and authorised dealers.

Banking Hours

Mon-Thurs 0915-1515, Fri 0915-1530, Sat 0915-1115 (except for State Bank of Mauritius). Banks are also open to coincide with the arrival and departure of international flights at the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport.

Passport/Visa

British

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: Yes

Australian

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: Yes

Canadian

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: Yes

USA

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No
Return Ticket Required: Yes

Other EU

Passport Required: Yes
Visa Required: No/1
Return Ticket Required: Yes

Passport Note

All visitors must hold valid tickets and documents for their onward or return journey and adequate funds for their intended length of stay.

Passports

Passport valid for at least six months from date of entry required by all nationals referred to in the chart above.

Visas

Not required by all nationals referred to in the chart above for stays of up to three months except:
1. nationals of Bulgaria and Romania who should obtain a two-week visa on arrival.

Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).

Types of Visa and Cost

On arrival: free of charge.

Contact Addresses

Mauritius High Commission in the UK

32-33 Elvaston Place, London SW7 5NW, UK
Tel: (020) 7581 0294-6.
E-mail: londonmhc@btinternet.com
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1200 (consular section); 0930-1700 (general enquiries).

Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority in the UK

32 Elvaston Place, London SW7 5NW, UK
Tel: (020) 7584 3666.
Website: www.mauritiustourism.co.uk

Embassy of Mauritius in the USA

4301 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 441, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 244 1491/2.
Website: www.maurinet.com/embasydc.html

Travel Advice

Warning

Crime levels are low.

Drug trafficking carries severe penalties.

The threat from terrorism is low. But travellers should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be against civilian targets, including places frequented by foreigners.

The cyclone season in Mauritius is generally between November to May.

This advice is based on information provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK. It is correct at time of publishing. As the situation can change rapidly, visitors are advised to contact the following organisations for the latest travel advice:

British Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Tel: 0845 850 2829.
Website: www.fco.gov.uk

US Department of State
Website: http://travel.state.gov/travel

• Mauritius Overview
• Mauritius Things to See
• Mauritius Things to Do
• Mauritius Events
• Mauritius Climate
• Mauritius Public Holidays
• Mauritius Health
• Mauritius Currency
• Mauritius Passport & Visas
• Mauritius Contact Addresses
• Mauritius Travel Advice