Flights and Travel Guide to Mauritius

Geography

By definition, an Island is a body that is surrounded by water, and so is Mauritius all coasts wrapped in the Indian Ocean.  However, to give you a complete picture (continent wise) of its location let me tell you that Mauritius falls in the African Continent. The African Continent is towards the Southeast of the Island, while Indian Ocean is widespread towards the Southwest and around 900 km East is the Island of Madagascar, making the ‘boat away’ neighborhood of Mauritius.

Climate / Weather in Mauritius

Quite like you can expect from an Island in the Indian Ocean, the weather in Mauritius can be defined in one word as ‘tropical’. However, there are three seasons mainly:

• Summer: November to May continues the wet, hot and humid Mauritian summer
• Winter: the dry days of winter start in May and end in November
• Rainfall: Not particularly rainfalls, but bad weather starts from May to September and November to April when cyclones can be seen swirling the Island.

Capital City – Port Louis

Although the Mauritian capital city “Port Louis” is not particularly mentioned as the “capital” very often, and the common way of asking is ‘can I get flights to Mauritius‘. However, the capital not only is there to welcome you, but is also the largest city of Mauritius Island, located in the northwest of the country.

Other Cities in Mauritius

The concentration of tourists and business is not limited to the Mauritian capital and the other prominent towns frequented by visitors to Mauritius are

• Rose-Hill,
• Curepipe,
• Phoenix,
• Beau-Bassin,
• Vacoas and
• Quatre Bornes.

Getting In Mauritius

To get in Mauritius, all you need is a cheap flight ticket and a desire to see to best that nature has for you.

Airports in Mauritius

Mauritius is a small Island and served by one major Airport located 26 miles away from Port Louis, previously known as SSR airport. Port Louis: Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU)

Airlines to / from Mauritius

The most popular airline to and from Mauritius is the national airline of the Island, Air Mauritius (MU). The carrier is based in Port Louis and offers direct flights to Mauritius from London Heathrow Airport.

Other than Air Mauritius, British Airways (BA) also offers cheap and direct flights to Port Louis. Among cheap Mauritius flights, Air France (AF) and Emirates airline (EK) are counted as the leading airlines that also provide a wider option of connectivity to/from with Manchester, Birmingham, New Castle or Glasgow airport in UK.

Hotels and Accommodations in

Maritime Hotel, the Coco Beach Hotel and the 5-star, Le Touessrok is among the most popular accommodations in Mauritius. Apart from the exotic resorts and 5 star hotels there are all sorts of accommodations in Mauritius that includes hostels, guest house, rented apartments and lodges, 3 and 4 star hotels. The luxurious thatched roof bungalows, with plantations and swimming pools and romantic honey moon suits with panoramic views, as in Domaine, are worth a stay. One has the liberty to choose an accommodation that fits in the budget and suits your standards.

Getting Around in

hen it comes to getting around, you can see, you can do, you can shop, you can taste and you can indulge in this Indian Ocean Paradise.

Infrastructure / Transport in Mauritius

Being an Island, Mauritius’s popular means of travel include ferries and boats. However to move within the city rented cars, cabs and buses are the only limited options. In good weather, you may also enjoy walking or cycling in Mauritius.

Places to See

Out of nearly a hundred places to see in Mauritius, following is our selection:

• The Mangal Mahadev – This is the first and the foremost thing to see in Mauritius. It is a landmark and has attained an iconic position for the country. This 108 feet tall statue of Shiva is easily recognizable form miles away.
• Balaclava Ruins — the ruins provide an up-close experience and look into the history of the Island and initial era of its establishment.
• Maheswarnath Temple – Located in the Triolet Shivala village, this temply was built around 1819 to honor six Hindu gods.
• The Labourdonnais Orchards and SSR Botanical Gardens — seeing the flora of Mauritius is only as important as seeing the beach. It has the color, the fragrance, the softness and the beauty of Mauritian culture in every leaf and petal.
• Ile aux Cerfs – The heaven for Water Sports fans, the Ile Aux Cerfs is also a centre of erratic beaches and wonderful scenery.
• Ile aux Aigrettes – to find your inner peace or the get amazed at the God’s marvels head to the Ile aux Aigrettes where the rarest of the Island birds can be seen soaring and taking flight. Also, among the other “famous celebrities” here is the giant tortoise, Aldabra.
• The Village of Mahebourg – If angling in your thing that Mahebourg is your town. It is the biggest fishing village in Mauritius.
• La Vanille Réserve des Mascareignes and Domaine du Chasseur Parks – Wild Life watchers, documenters and photographers or those who just plainly are interested in the stuff of the sort find this place very interesting. The animals including, moneys, wild boars and birds like Kestrel are the natives here. Also various reptiles, marine animals, rainforest valley freshwater springs, crocodile Island and Aldabra Tortoise are famous La Vanille Reserve attractions.
• Blue Bay Marine Park — for snorkeling, diving or just soaking in the beautiful views of the crystal blue Indian Ocean, the blue Bay is great place to see in Mauritius.
• Martello Towers – this Island landmark is to commemorate the end of slave trade.
• Black River Gorges national Park: the Park established in 1994 is to protect the forests and the endangered animals and birds of the Island.
• Grand Basin beyond La Marie & Mare-aux-Vacoas – These wonderful natural lakes, in the backdrop of an extinct volcano are nothing less than a Walt Disney movie scene.
• Rodrigues Island – The small yet gorgeous Island known for its volcanic attractions has some of the most beautiful landscape to show you.
• Tamarind Waterfalls – While in Mauritius beach is not the only thing that will impress you. The Tamarind Falls also called Tamarin Falls in the Southwest of the country are an adventure to explore.

Things to Do in Mauritius

Water land or air, there is plenty to do in Mauritius:

• Wild Life and Bird Watch: it is unavoidable to watch, photograph, enjoy and amuse by this simple activity. The ancient home of the extinct “DoDo Bird”, Mauritius is still a great destination to watch brightly colorful birds taking flight. 
• Water Sports in Mauritius: This is the best activity of all, since you are on an Island. So the various options include diving to see the coral reefs, submarine and semi-submersible scooters, snorkeling, underwater ship wreaks and marine life viewing, parasailing, water surfing, an underwater walk, deep sea fishing, snorkeling, water boarding, sea kayaking, windsurfing, water-skiing, wave surfing, sailing, cruising and boating.
• Land Sports in Mauritius: There is plenty more in addition to water sports and extreme sports such as paratrooping, golf, parasailing, skiing, quad bike, cycling or mountain biking, horse riding, hiking, quad biking (Moka Mountain) at the mountains or volcanoes and trekking.
• Most Recommended things to Do in Mauritius: Safari Jeep Trips (Yemen Natural Reserve), Safari Quad biking Trips, Speedboat rides, Mauritius Tandem Skydiving, Parasailing, Water Ski, Swimming with Dolphins, Walk with Lions & Cheetahs Experience, Blue Safari Submarine, Rock climbing,  Canyoning, Sea Kayaking, Hiking and Trekking, Swimming in Trou aux Beach and Scuba diving.

Food in Mauritius

• Big or small, there are many local restaurants in Mauritius that serve the exotic local food prepared in the traditional way. Some restaurants specifically serve cuisines of one culture such as Indian or Chinese while others have all traditional, local, international and continental food on the menu.
• Near the harbor, around Caudan Waterfront there are plenty of theaters and restaurants famous for the exotic cuisines
• The food in Mauritius is highly under the Indian culture’s influence and cooked with some traditional rituals as used by the Mughal Emperor’s cooks.
• The street food includes snacks like Pao Bhaji, Vadais, Rougaille and Samosay that are puffs filled with vegetables, meat or sea food. The sweets in Mauritius “gateaux” are also prepared with recipes of Indian cuisines. Some sweets include Gulab jaman, Barfi, Laddo and Rasgulla.
• Phoenix is the locally brewed cheap beer severed in local bars.

Shopping in Mauritius

The things to buy in Mauritius include branded textile items, uniquely designed jewelery, locally made handicrafts, wooden artwork, model boats, artificial flowers and more. The popular shopping spot in Mauritius are:

• Grand Bay: This is a worth visiting place not only for the excellent landscape but also for its distinction as hub of shopping.
• Pereybere: Another of the notable spots for Shopping is Perebere. It is a public beach, well frequented by tourists and includes good eating as well as shopping places.
• The Caudan Waterfront — If you are looking for souvenirs, hit the Caudan Waterfront and 
• The Bazaar (Market) of Port-Louis – This mega market in the capital city should not be missed. From snacks to electronics you can find a lot of items of interest here.
• Flacq Market - For the traditional stuff, visit the Flacq Market in the small but important Flacq Village.
• Eureka Colonial House - with not only you can buy textile products here but also visit the waterfalls and gardens, a candy for the eye.

Night Life in Mauritius

There are various night clubs, pubs and discos located all over in Mauritius. The public beaches such as Pereybere have a range of pubs well known for their hip hop and jazz music. The theaters and restaurants in the Caudan Waterfront area are also frequented by tourists regularly. Night life in Mauritius is hot and happening as the Island enjoys a tourist boom throughout the year.

Events and Festivals in Mauritius

The festivals in Mauritius are less social and more of religious origin. The list goes as follows:

• Diwali – A Hinduism Religious celebration involving colors and drinks
• Mahashivratri – A night festival of Hindu Origin
• Christmas – Celebrated along with the rest of the world according to Christian Calendar
• Chinese New Year – Celebrated with the Chinese Community according to Chinese calendar
• Eid Al-Fitr – celebrated with the Muslim Community according to Muslim Calendar
• Cavadee and Père Laval – commemoration of local heroes and legends 

Passport / Visa Information

Nationals of many European counties as well as New Zealand, Malaysia, Japan and Singapore are exempted from Visa. However it is highly recommended to call and inquire about the visa or entry permit policy before making travel arrangements, as the policies can be revised at any time.
Moreover a valid passport, with 2 or more blank pages and 6 month validity is ideal travel document for a tourist.

Travel Tips for Mauritius:

• Take light woolen clothes when visiting Mauritius in winters from June to September. If travelling anytime other than these months, carry you light summer clothing along.
• Avoid flashing money in front of strangers and wearing expensive jewelery. 
• Make sure you do not go swimming in areas that are forbidden.
• Notify the person responsible for the boat house when going for individual sea trips. 
• Mauritians are very courteous and expect you to be courteous too. A hand shake is considered the most acceptable form of greeting.
• Mauritius is a little conservative when it comes to dressing so make sure you have robes and sarongs to cover yourself before and after the beach trip.
• Bargain in not common in Mauritius and the local merchants may not come down on price.
• While on wild life safari and visiting the forests, keep mosquito repellent with you.
• Do not irritate the wild animals, birds or damage the plants.
• Export or import of wild life animals, reptiles, birds etc without the permit is an offense.
• Observe the legal age of drinking and consent.
• Public displays of affection are not well liked.

Travel Advice for Mauritius

Mauritius is a safe destination overall, and is visited by tourists year round.

Is it Safe to Travel to Mauritius?

Mauritius has been declared as a safe place to travel to by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. There are no restrictions in place as of now however, it is strongly recommend to all travelers, to recheck fco website for up to date information and travel advice about Mauritius before proceeding with their Travel Arrangements.