Things you should know – Discovery the Island of Mauritius

Mauritius

Mauritius is the star of the Indian Ocean, an emerald island with magnificent beaches and everything you need to delight tourists. Wedding tours and holidays, fishing and diving, excellent resorts and the paradise island of Rodrigues – everything about Mauritius: tours, prices, maps, hotels and photos.

“Small, but remote” is about Mauritius. For many years now, this tiny country has been working steadily (and, one must think, very profitably) in the niche of a rather expensive, but at the same time quite popular destination. However, no wonder: the island has excellent beaches with fine sand and a rare beauty of the underwater world , which attracts divers from all over the world. All this abundance is complemented by excellent opportunities for exciting sea fishing. In addition, newlyweds like to relax here, as well as “experienced” spouses celebrating a round or not very wedding anniversary in Mauritius. All this costs, of course, quite a lot, but those who rest here , for some reason, are not inclined to complain about the high cost.

Cities and regions

The capital is Port Louis. Major cities are Mahebourg, Rose Hill, Curepipe.

Airport in Mauritius

International Airport Sir Seewoosagar Ramgoolam – the only international airport in Mauritius – is located near the city of Mahebourg, just 46 km southeast of the capital of the island, Port Louis.

The airport is home to the national carrier Air Mauritius, which operates a network of routes to neighboring islands, and in addition, operates direct flights to some cities in Africa, Australia, Asia and Europe.

Air Austral, Air Madgascar and Air Seychelles connect Mauritius with nearby islands, while Air France, Emirates, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Condor, South African Airways, Air India, Meridiana, Kenya Airways, Egypt Air, Malaysia Airlines and Corsairfly connect home airports around the world.

The current airport terminal – Terminal 2 – is a two-story building with a large outdoor parking lot. Departures are carried out from the second floor of the building, arrivals are carried out mainly on the first floor. Only passengers are allowed into the terminal building, so there is no infrastructure other than duty-free boutiques at the airport. One shop is located in the departure area, the second is for arriving passengers.

Customs

Import and export of foreign and national currencies is not limited (the declaration is obligatory). For persons over 18 years of age, duty-free importation of 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars, or 250 g of tobacco, spirits – up to 1 liter, wine or beer – up to 2 liters, up to 250 ml of toilet water or one small bottle of perfume, as well as video, photo and other household appliances – one item of each item.

It is prohibited to import drugs and medicines containing drugs, weapons, military equipment and ammunition, fruits and foodstuffs from Africa, East and Southeast Asia, seeds, plants and flowers, as well as car tires. It is forbidden to export coral products and objects illegally raised from the bottom of the sea, as well as seedlings – especially if they are planted in the ground. The transport of animals requires a permit from the Veterinary Service of the Mauritian Ministry of Agriculture.

Mauritius transport

Air Mauritius operates daily flights from Mauritius to the island of Rodrigues (under the jurisdiction of Mauritius): 500 km are covered in a little over an hour. You can also get there (as well as to the Community Islands) by ferry.

The most economical, but not the fastest way to move around the island is buses. The network of their routes is very extensive, the buses themselves are in good condition, and some even have air conditioning. The fare depends on the distance, tickets are issued directly in the cabin by the conductor.

Taxis can be taken at the airport or near the hotel. The cost of the trip should be negotiated in advance: most taxi drivers fundamentally do not recognize counters. The cost of the trip is on average 30 MUR per kilometer, for trips over long distances the fares are reduced. For short trips, this is a rather expensive mode of transport, but hiring a taxi for the whole day is much more profitable: from 3500 MUR you can thoroughly consider all the beauties of the island.

Bargain when discussing the cost of a trip is not only recommended – it is necessary. Often you can negotiate with hotel staff who will either advise reliable taxi drivers or order a car themselves.

Rent a Car

To rent a car, you must be over 23 years old and have an international driving license issued at least a year before the start of the rental. Some companies are lowering the age limit to 21 and adopting national rights. Distances on the island are short, and from Port Louis to the main cities can be easily reached in 30-45 minutes.

Driving in Mauritius is on the left. The speed limit is 50 km/h in cities and 100 km/h on highways, it is mandatory to use seat belts. You can also rent a scooter or bike to explore the local coast.

You should rent a car no older than four years: the year of manufacture is usually indicated by the last two digits of the number.

Security

Quick weather changes in Mauritius are not uncommon, so you should take not only light things with you, but also windbreakers with raincoats. The rains, though short, are strong. Also strongly recommended for use are sunglasses and creams (the level of insolation in Mauritius is very high even on cloudy days), durable shoes and beach slippers (coral fragments come across).

Perhaps the only unpleasant moment that can spoil the local vacation for tourists is an unplanned meeting with some local marine life, whose thorns and thorns leave painful wounds.

No special vaccinations are required. There are no poisonous animals and insects on the island, however, the bites of some representatives of the local fauna are painful and can cause allergic reactions.

Water in hotels can be drunk from the tap (it is thoroughly cleaned), but it is still recommended to use bottled water.

There are few police officers on the streets, but the crime rate is very low. Pickpocketing and petty theft are found only in major tourist areas, and even then infrequently.

Climate

The climate is tropical maritime, hot, with abundant moisture brought by the trade winds from the ocean. Summer (November to April) is hot and humid: +25 °C at night, +30 °C and above during the day, humidity reaches 80%. Winter (May to October) is cooler and drier: +17 °C at night, +23 °C during the day. The water temperature is +22…+26 °C all year round.

The coolest and most unfavorable periods for holidays in Mauritius are June and July. Despite the comfortable daytime temperature of +20…+25 °C, strong winds blow. But the weather in August-September will suit those who do not like extreme heat.

Beaches

All the beaches on the island are sandy, maintained in perfect condition: every day they are cleaned from debris, coral debris and algae. For guaranteed safety of feet in Mauritius, as in any country “with corals”, it is recommended to go into the water in beach slippers (for the most part, this applies to wild beaches). The level of insolation on the island is very high even on cloudy days (proximity to the equator affects), therefore, sunscreens with a high SPF are highly recommended. Plus, of course, do not forget about sunglasses and hats.

Theoretically, Mauritius can be crossed on foot from north to south in less than 24 hours. It stretches only 65 km long and slightly less than 50 km wide – this is a little more than the average diameter of Moscow.

The place Flic-en-Flac is very popular with the Mauritians themselves for a reason: the beaches there are beautiful, and the Casela Bird Park nature reserve is located nearby. Tamarina Bay has a completely different “profile”: it is the wildest and most pristine on the coast, and due to strong waves it is a “tidbit” for surfers.

In the east of the island is the beach of Bel Mar with deep lagoons and calm waters. Pereybere Beach in the southwest is considered the most “party” on the island. In the southern part of the island, the hilly coastline gives way to the Trois d’Haus Douce beach, which stretches for 11 km as a wide strip of the finest sand.

Nudism in Mauritius is banned.

Hotels

The country does not have a “star” hotel classification system – the categories are conditionally defined, in accordance with the standards of the Swiss Hotel Association, but meet the highest demands. Even in bungalows and small inexpensive studios, living conditions are very comfortable.

As a rule, hotels are divided into categories Super Deluxe, Deluxe, Superior. When choosing a place to stay, you should familiarize yourself with the specific list of services provided.

Most of the hotels in Mauritius belong to the French “chains”. They usually have a large territory and spacious rooms. Many hotels have private villas with pools that provide their guests with complete privacy. The ratio of staff to guests in hotels is very high, so the service is at an excellent level.

Mains voltage 220 V, 50 Hz, three-pin sockets. An adapter can be requested at the hotel.

Banks and exchange offices

The monetary unit of the country is the Mauritian rupee (MUR), in 1 rupee 100 sous. Current exchange rate: 1 MUR = 1.87 RUB (1 USD = 43.05 MUR, 1 EUR = 46.68 MUR).

Foreign currency exchange is unlimited, it can be done at any bank or at a hotel exchange office (the commission in the latter is higher). Traveler’s checks are cheaper to exchange than cash. The exchange of rupees for foreign currency is made only at the airport when leaving the country. American Express, Visa, Diners, Master Card and travelers checks are accepted in almost all hotels, shops and travel agencies, ATMs are ubiquitous. Banks are open from 9:15 to 15:00-15:30 on weekdays and from 9:15 to 11:15 on Saturdays.

Shopping

The most popular natural souvenir is the multi-colored earth “chamarel”. Immiscible layers of pink, orange, yellow, brown and bluish soil are placed in a glass vessel. Also popular are models of old wooden sailboats, cashmere, textiles, vanilla tea, local Green Island rum and, of course, cane sugar. Jewelry with precious stones here is on average 40% cheaper than in Europe.

Shops are usually open from 9:30 to 19:30 (in Port Louis) or from 10:00 to 18:00 (in other cities) on weekdays, on Saturdays from 12:00 to 17:00 in capital, in other cities they usually work longer. Department stores are also open on Sundays from 9:00 to 12:00. Once a week (usually on a Thursday afternoon) Mauritian merchants take a half day off. In the capital, shops are closed on Saturdays, but all outlets on the Codan embankment are open until 18:00-19:30. The largest market on the island takes place in Flacq, it is called: Flacq Market.

Especially lively trade happens every Thursday and Sunday in the town of Quatre Borne, when the local fair opens, as well as in Goodlands on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Cuisine and restaurants in Mauritius

The local cuisine is a mixture of Indian, French and English, thus reflecting the history of Mauritius. Its basis is rice and curry.

Hotel restaurants usually provide a very varied buffet. In addition, the island has “named” restaurants of famous chefs – Alan Ducasse and Vineta Batia. A local coconut milk cocktail with rum and a slice of lime is also good.

Local culinary delights include palm heart “millionaire’s salad”, smoked blue marlin fillets, “samussa” – triangular pasties stuffed with vegetables and meat fried in oil, Green Island Mauritian white rum and Mauritian beer Phoenix, Blue Merlin and Black Eagle.
10% of the total amount of the order is usually left for tea.

Spa and thalasso in Mauritius

There are professional spa centers in all 5* and almost all 4* hotels, the cost of services in them starts from 150 EUR . Mostly European and Asian brands are represented on the island, but many centers, in addition to the standard set of procedures, offer up to a bunch of Ayurveda and yoga. And they even specially write out Indian specialists.

Here is a far from complete list of hotels with spas: Belle Mare Place – Le Spa de Constance, Le Talfair – Six Senses Spa, Paradise Cove – Cinq Monde Spa, Prince Maurice – L’Institut de Guerlain, Shandrani – La Source, Shanti Ananda – ESPA, Taj Exotica – Taj Spa, The Heritage – Seven Colors Spa, The Oberoi – Banyan Tree, The Residence – La Prairie, The Sands – The Sandsation Spa, Veranda Paul et Virginie – Seven Colors Spa. The Givenchy Spa network is located in the Le Touessrok, One & Only Le Saint Geran hotels, and the Spa by Clarins network is located in the Paradis, Dinarobin and Royal Palm hotels.

We specialize in providing Cars rental services, Sightseeing in Mauritius, Boat tours in Mauritius,… many things and beautiful places are waiting for you to discovery.

Contact for booking

OnlyCars Hire Ltd

Address: 39 Souillac Street, Port Louis, Mauritius
Telephone: (+230) 54662888
Email: [email protected]
Mob (+230): 58583188 or 58584688