About
Mauritius Island

Where is Mauritius

Mauritius Island is a tropical destination part of the Mascarenes Island; Reunion Island, Mauritius itself and Rodrigues Island which belong to Mauritius.  They are located in the south of the Indian Ocean to the east of Madagascar.

The Mauritian population is made up of several ethnic groups: Indo-Mauritians, Creoles, Muslims, Sino-Mauritians, and Franco-Mauritians.

The island is mostly bordered with corals reefs creating large pristine and turquoise lagoons and kilometers of white sandy beaches.  Being a volcanic island with no active ones, inland Mauritius boasts with several mountains and mountain ranges watching over as peaceful giants. Hiking and climbing on these different mountains gifts you with spectacular views over the lush Nature and the blue of the Sea.

The island is relatively small ( from north to south, some 68 km and from west to east, some 45 km).   With its topography it is easy to travel around the island and discover the diferent regions.  

Hotels, Villas and Lodges in Mauritius

The reputation and hight quality of service of Mauritius hotels are widely known around the world today.   Resorts from 3 to 5 stars are located next to beaches, with nearly all of them having direct access to them.  These hotels are located all around the island.

Hotels Seasons Rates

In general, the high season runs from October to March (approx.), which are the coldest months in Europe. 

In late December and early January prices are at their highest.  Hotels usually require their guest to spend a minimum of 5 nights during this Peak Season.   

May to September are the Low Season and months where the hotels rates mostly drop.

The currency used in Mauritius Island is the Mauritian Rupee (Rs.)

1 Euro to Mauritian Rupee -  (Rs. 49 ) Approximately

1 US Dollars to Mauritian Rupee - (Rs. 46) Approximately

In Mauritius, there are many ATMs all around the island.  These can be find at the Airport, in shopping malls, near supermarkets.  Nearly all ATMs accept Visa and Master Cards.  It is good to know that upon retrieving money on these ATMS, there are bank commission fees applied.

Nearly all shops and restaurants accept the Visa and Master Cards.  Some places, mostly the small shops may add a small percentage to it ( usually between 3% to 5%) for the bank charges.

It is advisable to have a little bit of cash for places like small shops or traditional markets where they do not use credit card machines.

Consult the site below for the Exchange Rates

https://www.xe.com/

Mauritius island has this typical tropical climate with a warm temperature all year long.

Summer  

Summer is from December to April with temperature varying between 25°C to 33°C.  

Winter

Winter is from May to November with temperature varying between 18°C to 25°C.  The Central plateau where is found the town of Curepipe is usually the coldest.

During the months of June to September, the eastern and southern coasts of the island are mostly windy and as such, guests prefer to stay in hotels located on the North and West of Mauritius.

Cyclones

January and February are the months of cyclones in Mauritius island.  Although direct impact on the island are not frequents,  a cyclone being at some kilometers away can still have some consequent cyclonic gusts.

Most hotels and other accommodations are built to resist to such weather condition and are prepared for it. 

A Cyclone Warning procedure in Mauritius include:

• Cyclone Warning Class 1

Issued 36 to 48 hours before Mauritius is potentially impacted by cyclonic winds. (Winds of 120km/h or more)

• Cyclone Warning Class 2

Issued in such a way as to allow, as far as possible, 12 hours of daylight before the potential arrival of gusts of 120km/hr or more.

• Cyclone Warning Class 3

Issued in such a way as to allow, as far as possible, 6 hours of daylight before the potential arrival of gusts of 120km/hr or more.

The economic activities are at a standstill.

You must avoid areas prone to storm surges and flooding.

• Cyclone Warning Class 4

Issued as gusts of 120km/hr are recorded in some parts of the island and are expected to continue.

Stay indoors or in cyclone shelters

Take shelter in the safest part of the house

Unplug electrical appliances

• Phase 5: Safety Notice in force.

Issued when the cyclone centre has already passed its closest point to the island and cyclonic winds (120km/hr or more) are no longer expected.  Nevertheless, the weather conditions remain dangerous.

Strong winds, storm surges and heavy showers may still prevail.

Remain indoors while this advisory is in effect

• Phase 6: All alerts lifted

Issued when the weather conditions have improved and no longer represent a danger to the population.

Possibility to go out.

Watch out for downed power lines, damaged buildings and trees, and flooded areas.

Heavy Rains

The last few years, there has been a lot of development and construction in Mauritius which in some places resulted in the poor absorption of water during the months of heavy rain.   

January, February and March are the summer months where such heavy rains usually occur.  These rain lasts for a few hours only.  A Heavy Rain Warning system has been implanted in 2023 to advise the public regarding the areas and roads pron to being flooded. 

If you rent a car and plan to visit the island on your own, a good practice before leaving the hotel is to check the weather condition for the day and the regions that might possibly be affected.

Consult the Local Meteorological Service in Mauritius in the link below:

http://metservice.intnet.mu/

Local Emergency Numbers: 

POLICE : 148 and 999

FIREMAN: 115

Local Time

Mauritius is 4 hours ahead GMT.

The daylight saving system does not work because the sunset and sunrise times vary very little throughout the year.

Business Hours

The following timetables normally apply.  In the larger tourist towns along the coast, shops tend to have longer opening hours.

Banks: 9.00 am - 3.15 pm Mon-Fri

Public administration offices: 9.00 - 16.00lu-vi, 9.00 - 12.00 sa (closed on religious and official holidays).

Restaurants: 12.00 - 15.00 and 19.00 - 22.00 (many closed on Sundays)

Shops: 9.00 - 17.00 Mon-Fri, 8.00 - 12.00 Sat.

As a tropical destination Mauritius island provides a lot sea activities as well as inland things to do. 

Explore the ocean diversity and shipwrecks through some diving sessions , enjoy a special encounter with dolphins and whales on the west coast of the island or have a relaxing day on board of a catamaran while discovering the small islets surrounding Mauritius.  

Inland, enjoy the various activities in the different parcs of the island.  From quad bikings, zip linings, interactions with different animals up to walks with lions, the Parcs are great places to spend some memorable times.

If you are more adventureous, you can jump into your hiking outfit and head for some moutain climbing, some hikings to discover hidden waterfalls on some kayaking among natural mangroves tunnels at Amber Island.

For a first visit of the island, discover the famous sites of the Seven Colored Earth, the Rum Factory, the Wine Factory, the rich history of the Capital City Port-Louis while strolling through its traditional market and the small surrounding streets.

Browse our Tours and Services and book your preferred experience in Mauritius.