Mauritius is romance: an island made from lagoons, with beautiful beaches surrounded by palm trees and protected by a colourful coral reef. A fertile island where the landscape is dominated by waving fields of sugar cane. An island with large areas covered by forest, where large craters and deep gorges cut through the landscape and where magnificent waterfalls rush down mountainsides. Mauritius is nothing less than a paradise for those who wish for stunning natural scenery and exotic beaches. And best of all: the island is cheap and not overwhelmed by tourists.
Find your travel arrangement to Mauritius here
Region and City Guides
Region:
City:
Facts
Local name
Mauritius
Capital
Port Louis (146.499)
Size
1.860 km2
Principal Languages
English is the official language. Other languages include French, Creole, Hindi, Urdu, Hakka and Bojpoori.
Principal Religion
Hinduism
Inhabitants
1.179.368 (2000)
Government
Republic
Geography
Mauritius lies in the Indian Ocean about 800 kilometres east of Madagascar. The island Mauritius is a volcano island. The island Rodrigues 600 kilometres east of the main island also belong to the Mauritian State.
Travel preparation
Best time to visit
There is no high or low season in Mauritius. During the winter months from July to September the temperature during the day is 25-28 degrees Celsius and between 15-20 degrees during the night. The warmest months are from January to April when the temperature during the day rises to 35-37 degrees Celsius. During these months tropical storms and heavy rain can occur. The rest of the year the climate is comfortable at around 30 degrees Celsius during the day.
Literature
The Mauritius Command
Lonely Planet Mauritius, Reunion & Seychelles
Insight Guides Mauritius and Seychelles
Lonely Planet Mauritius, Reunion & Seychelles
Insight Guides Mauritius and Seychelles
Local conditions
Weight and Measures
At Mauritius you use the following weight and measurements:
Temperature: Celsius
Length: metres
Weight: kilos
Volume: litres
Temperature: Celsius
Length: metres
Weight: kilos
Volume: litres
Photography
In some mosques you are not allowed to take pictures but they usually have signposts. In general, it is a good idea to ask the locals. You should avoid taking pictures in the airport and avoid taking pictures of police and military installations.
Drinking water
You must never drink tap water or use it for brushing your teeth. You should also avoid ice cubes at restaurants and bars. Instead you should buy water in bottles.
Electricity
In Mauritius you use
220 volt AC/50 Hz
220 volt AC/50 Hz
Behaviour
It is strictly prohibited to sunbathe or bathe topless. In some parts of the country the inhabitants are strict adherents of Islam. In these parts you should, if you are a woman, dress fully and avoid short skirts and low-necked blouses.
Business Hours
Banks are open from 10.00 to 14.00 (Monday-Friday) and from 9.30 to 11.30 (Saturday)
Shops are open from 8.00 to 16.00 (Monday to Friday) and from 8.00 to 12.00 (Saturday)
Public Offices are open from 9.30 to 16.00 (Monday to Friday) and from 9.00 to 12.00 (Saturday)
Shops are open from 8.00 to 16.00 (Monday to Friday) and from 8.00 to 12.00 (Saturday)
Public Offices are open from 9.30 to 16.00 (Monday to Friday) and from 9.00 to 12.00 (Saturday)
Food and drink
The kitchen in Mauritius is a mixture of Creole, Chinese, Indian and European food. At a typical buffet in Mauritius you will find Muslim Biryani, Indian curried chicken-flesh, Chinese pork, French vegetables and barbecued Creole beef. Mauritian people mostly drink beer and rum, but the almond drink Alouda, or fresh coconut milk, are also popular.
Disabled travellers
Mauritius is not the best place to go for the disabled. The luxurious hotels often have lifts but apart from this do not expect that your needs have been taken into consideration.
Holidays
New Year, 1st of January
Second Day of New Year 2nd of January
Independence Day 12th March
Labour's Day, 1st of May
All Saint's Day 1st of November
Christmas Day 25th of December
Mauritius has a lot of religious holidays since there are many different religions on the island. The dates for the holidays change year for year. The local tourist information will provide you with a calendar that shows when there is a holiday coming up.
Second Day of New Year 2nd of January
Independence Day 12th March
Labour's Day, 1st of May
All Saint's Day 1st of November
Christmas Day 25th of December
Mauritius has a lot of religious holidays since there are many different religions on the island. The dates for the holidays change year for year. The local tourist information will provide you with a calendar that shows when there is a holiday coming up.
Accommodation / Hotel
Mauritius is one of the cheapest places to stay in the entire area. If you spend more than five nights at the same place the prices usually fall often up 25 percent. The are good places to sleep everywhere on the island and the money you will spend on accommodation will not destroy your holiday budget.
Book your Hotel in Mauritius here
Book your Hotel in Mauritius here
There are good inexpensive hotels on the entire island. From June to September it is a good idea to book in advance.
Bed og breakfast or guesthouse
You will not find many Bed & Breakfasts at Mauritius but there are two in Guildford, which are both cheap and cosy.
Hostels
You will not find standard hostels at Mauritius. Instead you will find cosy and cheap boarding-houses in Curepipe and Mahébourg.
Other Accommodation
Bungalows and self-catering apartments can be found around Mauritius. The standard and prices vary a lot.
Local transport
As there are no trains on the island most of the transport is by bus. The buses on the main island are in good shape and go almost everywhere. If you want to travel between Mauritius and Rodrigues you can go by plane or by boat. Transport by plane is faster but also a lot more expensive.
Planes
Mauritius has two airports. The main airport lies at Port Louis. From here there are daily departures to Rodrigues Island.
Bus
The entire island has good bus connections. It is cheap to take the bus, but remember to keep you ticket as inspectors often board the buses.
Trains
There are no railways in Mauritius.
Taxi
Taxis in Mauritius are recognised by their white number plates. The taxis have no taxi-meters, so you have to agree on a price beforehand. There are taxis in the city areas.
car rental
You can rent a car at the airport and in the larger towns. In Mauritius there are the large companies, but also a considerable number of local car rentals. To rent a car you have to be over 23 years old and to have an international driver's license. In Mauritius the cars drive on the left hand side of the road, just like here in the UK.
Boat or Ferry
There is a ferry to Rodriguez Island once a week from Port Louis. if you want to spend a day on the sea most ports have boats to rent.
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