Mauritius is an island country in the southeast coast of the African continent, east of Madagascar. It includes the main island, as well as Rodrigues, Agaléga and St. Brandon. The islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues, are part of the Mascarene Islands. The Dutch, French and British legacy is reflected in colonial mansions and botanical gardens, while hospitable locals of African, Indian, and Chinese heritage give the island an authentic feel, with colorful markets, temples, and fusion cuisine. Being volcanic islands, they are surrounded by vast and colorful coral reefs making them an ideal place for snorkeling and scuba diving.
Elmer nev valenzuela, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
by gminguzzi is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
Ashwin CM, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The best time to visit Mauritius is from April to June and from September to December. Mauritius also has a microclimate with different temperatures and climatic conditions depending on the region. The centre of the island located on a high plateau, benefits from cooler temperatures and higher rainfall than the coastal zones. The North and West of the island are warmer and drier while the East is constantly under the influence of the south-eastern winds, stronger in winter. The island has two seasons: a hot, wet, and humid summer (end-October to April), with a slight risk of cyclones from February to March, and a warm, dry winter (May to September).
Snorkelling and Diving: summer (November – April) is the best time to dive in Mauritius. The visibility is usually great and the warm water brings a higher diversity of sea life. Winter wind can also make diving conditions less favourable. In order to avoid cyclone season, we recommend diving in Mauritius from October to December and March to April. The weather at a given time of year likely will not affect your dive trip. From November to April, water temperature can be as high as 30 C and from March to October, water temperature can drop to as low as 21 C.
Rodrigues island: the island is a remote holiday destination and is an ideal getaway for those who are looking for a beach vacation. Rodrigues is a tropical island, the place experiences lush green and colourful vegetation throughout the year. The island has two seasons: summer season is from the month of November to April and winter season is from May to October. The average temperature in summers ranges from 24-34 degree Celsius and in winters the temperature ranges from 16-27 degrees Celsius.
Hiking: while Mauritius is a year-round destination for tourists, the best time to go hiking is during the cooler and drier months between May and November. During this time, the weather is generally pleasant, with average temperatures ranging from 20°C to 26°C and less rainfall than during the hot and humid summer months.
Wildlife: there are different types of whales you can find around, migrating humpbacks, dense-beaked whales, southern beaked whales, dwarf sperm whales, and the most famous, the sperm whale. In general, the best season for seeing whales is from July to November, for example the Humpback whales migrate to Mauritius to give birth to their calves. Sperm whales are permanent residents in Mauritius waters and they can be observed there all year round.
Birdwatching: Mauritius is constantly working on the conservation of its fauna and today the island is the home for some of the world’s rarest birds. Any time except cyclone (late-January early-February).
The Mauritian Rupee is the official currency. Typically, 39 to 50 rupees per Euro and 33 to 45 rupees per US Dollar.
Mauritian Creole and French fluently. Many also speak English and derivatives of Indian languages.
Citizens of most Western countries do not need a visa for stays of up to three months or may obtain a visa on arrival to Mauritius for tourism purpose. Your Visa Eligible Criteria for Visas is: a valid passport, where the expiry date is beyond the intended period of stay, a valid return or onward ticket to the country of origin or residence, a confirmed booking for accommodation. If the person travelling is being sponsored by a Mauritian citizen, they will need to produce evidence of sponsorship, stating their name, address, profession, relationship, etc.
For more information about visa, you can check this website
ATMs are extended on the main island, maybe less common on Rodrigues Island. Major credit cards are accepted widely by hotels, restaurants, shops, and tour companies.
Shops, department stores and restaurants in resort towns are usually open longer, while on Rodrigues Island, shops and official sites close earlier than in Mauritius Island. In the rest of the country restaurants open from 12:00 until 3pm, and 7pm to 10pm, many of them close on Sunday. Shops, open from 9am to 5pm and Saturday may close around 1 or 2pm.
Time: GMT + 4 hours.
Aéroport international Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (the airport is in the southeast of the island. The distance from the airport to the centre of Port Louis is 50 kilometres. By car, it takes 60 minutes).
Gaëtan Duval Airport (is an airport located near Plaine Corail on Rodrigues. The Bus Stand for public transport is located at a 3 minutes’ walk from the Terminal Building, opposite the Plaine Corail Police Station. Buses operate between the airport and the main town Port Mathurin as from 06:00hrs, with the last bus leaving the airport public bus stand at 1630hrs. The duration of the journey is around 35 minutes).
The public transport in Mauritius is run by the National Transport Authority that owns two bus companies, United Bus Service (UBS) and National Transport Corporation (NTC), with frequent routes through the entire island. Bus transportation is quite cheap and allows one to mingle with the locals. There are two types of buses: standard and express, and the latter ones are both air-conned and much faster. The buses usually operate from 5:30am-8pm in built up areas and from 6:30am-6:30pm in the countryside; however, there is a late service between Port Louis and Curepipe until 11pm. Bus tickets in Mauritius are paid with cash, and many of the conductors are friendly and helpful, often assisting tourists with directions and routes.
Taxis are by far one of the best and easiest ways to get around Mauritius but, they can also be a little more on the expensive side, especially if you are travelling far. Be very careful which taxis you choose, you want them to be reputable, licensed and metered, here, negotiation is the key. Meters sometimes are not used and you will usually cheat if you get into a taxi without agreeing on a price first. If you are not sure which to choose, rather ask your hotel o refer taxi companies they trust. The roads can be a little tricky to traverse if you are not used to them (they are often narrow, and lined with people and animals).
Car hire, is the easiest and quickest way to get around Mauritius and Rodrigues (keep in mind it will be on the left side of the road). Both local and international car hire companies exist in Mauritius, but it is important to opt for a reputable company that you trust and that has an enterprise license. Car hire insurance companies require a minimum driving age of 21 or 25.
Bicycles or motorbikes, if you are travelling short distances or wanting to travel the island according to your own rhythm. Many hotels offer bicycle rentals or bicycle tours and motorbikes (or scooters) are available to rent across the island.
Hiking without a guide
Park on double yellow lines
Catch a late-night bus trip
Public display of wealth in the form of expensive jewellery/watches while sightseeing
Nudity in any form, miniskirts and singlet tops are not accepted
Touching a carving or statue of a deity
Mauritian food is a mix of Indian, African, French, and Chinese culinary traditions. The most common ingredients used in Mauritian cuisine are: tomatoes, onions, lady’s fingers, eggplants, chayote, garlic, and chilies, seafoods, such as fish, smoked blue marlin, octopus, camaron, are also a staple ingredient along with rice. The typical dishes in Mauritius are: “Rougaille” (is a dish based around a tomato and onion sauce, to which various flavors are added. These will vary depending on the exact recipe, but ingredients are likely to include garlic, ginger, thyme, curry leaves, and chilly. The sauce is usually mixed with some type of meat or fish), “Vindaye” (done with mustard and vinegar, accompanied by turmeric, and usually is made with fish or chicken), “Biryani”( rice and potato, cardamoms, cloves, cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, onions, coriander leaves and turmeric or saffron, usually accompanied with meat or fish), “Gateau Banane” (a mixture of mashed banana, flour and sugar, which are mixed together into a batter and then fried into large balls, they can be served as is, or with ice cream or syrup).
For Mauritius there are two associated plug types, C and G. Plug type C is the plug which has two round pins and type G is the plug which has three rectangular pins in a triangular pattern. Mauritius operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz.
Mauritius has a well-developed health system. About 73% of the health needs of the population are catered to by public health institutions and 27% by the private sector. Public hospitals are free in Mauritius, but there are also several private clinics. Public healthcare services are free for citizens of Mauritius and are entirely funded by tax revenues, while private clinics and practices can get quite expensive, but are easily accessible throughout the island. Most private clinics are modern and obtain their equipment through private investments. Consequently, there is been a boost in the medical tourism industry. Health insurance is recommended.
No vaccination certificates are required for entry into Mauritius, though vaccinations are usually recommended for hepatitis A and hepatitis B.
Tourists should take precautions against mosquito bites, as there have been several cases of the Chikungunya virus, which is spread by mosquitoes, although this is more common from October to May. Malaria medication may also be necessary, if visiting rural areas. Travelers should stick to bottled water.
Medications are usually easily available but, it is better that travelers bring any prescription medication with them, in its original packaging, with a signed and dated note from their doctor detailing what it is and why they need it.
In Mauritius, tipping is at the discretion of the client. It is not mandatory, but any money received for good service from taxi drivers, waiters, maids etc., shows genuine appreciation as salaries are generally quite low. Always try to tip in Mauritian Rupees as it is much preferred by the locals.
Some Hindu temples request that you remove all leather items, such as belts o bags. At mosques you may be required to cover your head.