Practical travel information for Mauritius.
Mauritius is an independent republic in the Indian Ocean and belongs to the continent of Africa. It is located approximately 900 km east of Madagascar and approximately 1800 km east of mainland Africa. The capital is Port Louis.
Mauritius and neighboring Rodrigues (flight time 90 minutes) and the island of Réunion (flight time 85 minutes) together form the Mascarenes, named after the Portuguese explorer Pedro Mascarenhas, one of the first to set foot on Mauritius.
The average flight time from a Dutch airport to Mauritius is 12 hours, but flights often include a stopover. We flew with Emirates where we had 2 flights of approximately 6.5 and 7 hours with a transfer in Dubai.
Language
The official language of the country is English, but the French-derived Mauritian Creole is spoken by most of the population. French dominates the media, as can be heard on the radio in the car, for example.
Currencies
On the island you pay with Mauritian Rupee (MUR). The average exchange rate between the euro and the Mauritian rupee is currently around 49 rupees for 1 euro. The rate is more favorable if you withdraw money from an ATM or pay with a credit card. When exchanging cash, it sometimes happens that you receive a less favorable exchange rate or you have to pay a commission. However, there are also costs associated with withdrawing money from an ATM. It is most advantageous to withdraw larger sums at the same time, because then you often have relatively lower costs.
ATMs can be found almost everywhere on the island, such as in the cities or at shopping centers. Always make sure your pass is set to worldwide when you go to Mauritius.
Transport
Most people who go on holiday to Mauritius use a taxi driver during their stay to take them to certain places.
We rented a car in advance. This cost us €190 for 9 days including insurance. We had the smallest car model available. We rented this car from Ola Mauritius, a company that has an office at the airport. Picking up and returning was very easy and we were very satisfied with this rental company.
The roads on the island are good and paved and we did not encounter any dangerous situations. We think it is a safe place to drive your own car. However, you must take into account the fact that they drive on the left side of the road on the island.
Time difference
The time zone where Mauritius is located is UTC +4. Despite the distance to the Netherlands, there is hardly any time difference. You will therefore hardly suffer from jet lag. There is no summer or winter time in Mauritius.
During Dutch summer time it is 2 hours later in Mauritius.
During Dutch winter time it is 3 hours later in Mauritius.
Tips
Tipping is not mandatory in Mauritius. However, staff who work in the catering industry, in hotels, as guides or as (taxi) drivers often expect to receive something. It is fine to round up in the taxi. You give a guide a tip that you consider sufficient and for housekeeping, 25 to 50 rupees per day is fine. In restaurants, 10% of the final bill as a tip is fair.
Excursions and tours
It is possible to arrange excursions through many different companies. This can be done in advance or on the island itself. Don’t forget the Facebook page Mauritius – We Love It! to follow before you leave for your holiday destination. Anyone can ask anyone questions about anything related to the island and excursions are often offered.
We did not arrange anything in advance or on the island, but we went out with our rental car. This is great to do! Also read my other blog about the tours we made during our stay.
Plugs
The same outlets as in the Netherlands are used almost everywhere on the island of Mauritius. Sometimes you also come across the English three-pin sockets. So to be on the safe side, always take a travel plug with you!
Documents
If you have a Dutch passport, you do not need to apply for a visa to visit Mauritius. However, your passport must be valid for at least 6 months when you arrive at your destination.
Before departure (or during your flight if you did not receive this message ;)) you only need to complete a health form or safemauritius.govmu.org. To do this, you must fill in information such as the address of your hotel and your flight information. Once you have completed this form, you will receive a QR code that you can have scanned upon arrival at the airport. You can complete this form in advance so that you can print it at home or via your telephone.
Weather and climate
Mauritius has a subtropical climate and tropical weather conditions often prevail.
There are 2 seasons on the island, the opposite of the season in the Netherlands. From November to April there is the humid, warm summer season with an average temperature of around 27 degrees. The warmest months are January and February with an average temperature between 26 and 30 degrees. From June to September is the cool and dry winter season with average temperatures of 22 to 24 degrees.
What is important to remember is that during the summer in Mauritius – between December and March – there is a chance of cyclones. If you are only going to Mauritius for a few days, I would definitely avoid this period. However, if you go for, for example, 2 weeks, this is not a problem, as the weather often only changes for 2 days when a cyclone approaches the island.
Good to remember: I have not seen the weather anywhere as changeable as on this island. If the weather apps indicate rain in the morning, it may well be dry all day or vice versa. It generally never rains all day, but a few short showers. If the weather is bad, it is recommended to take the car and drive to the other side of the island, because there is a good chance that the sun will shine there!
