Mauritius Trip Advisor
It is easy to run out of adjectives when attempting to describe the natural beauty of the small tropical Indian Ocean island paradise of Mauritius. The volcanic island Republic, covered with lush forest, streams and waterfalls, and fringed with palms, dazzling white sands and teeming coral reefs, lies east of Madagascar just south of the Equator. Mauritius, covering just 720 square miles (1,864 sq km), is the archetypal dream destination for an idyllic holiday, equipped with modern resorts that have been carefully developed to preserve the island's beauty and ecology.
Mark Twain is quoted as having said that 'Mauritius was made first, and then heaven was copied from it’ and anyone who has experienced the island would no doubt agree with him.
Along with its natural beauty Mauritius has a valuable tourist resource in the warmth and friendliness of its multi-cultural population. Since being officially 'discovered' in 1505 by the Portuguese, the island has been occupied by the Dutch, the French and the British. All have added to the melting pot that constitutes the island's human heritage, along with injections of African slaves, Arab traders and Chinese indentured labourers over the centuries.
Most of the tourist resorts are situated along the 205-mile (330km) coastline, with the capital Port Louis, on the west coast, being the centre of operations for most visitors. The bulk of the population, however, reside on the central plateaux around Curepipe, the island's other major town.
Although everyone who visits Mauritius comes for the sandy beaches and blue lagoons, most are delighted to discover that the island has plenty of other attractions too, from some of the world's rarest stamps to the first ever race course to open in the southern hemisphere. Of course no holiday would be complete, either, without good food and entertainment. Mauritius offers both, with some delicious local cuisine that makes use of tropical fruits and vegetables, and the chance to learn the island's indigenous wild dance, the Sega, which originated among the African slaves of yore.
BASICS
Time:Local time is GMT +4.
Electricity: 230 volts, 50Hz. Square three-pin plugs and round two-pin plugs are commonly used.
Money: The currency of Mauritius is the Mauritian Rupee (MUR), which is divided into 100 cents. Travellers’ cheques and foreign currency can be exchanged at banks, bureaux de change and larger hotels. Travellers’ cheques usually exchange at a better rate than cash. ATMs are widely available in most towns and hotels, restaurants and large retailers accept major credit cards.
Language: English is the official language of Mauritius, but the most widely used is French and the local dialect, Creole. Hindi, Urdu and Chinese are also spoken.
Entry requirements for South Africans
South Africans must have a valid passport. No visa is required for a stay of up to 60 days for tourism or 90 days for business purposes.
Passport/Visa Note: Passports must be valid for six months after period of intended stay. All visitors must hold valid tickets for onward journey and documents required for next destination, adequate funds for the intended length of stay (minimum of US$100 per day), and confirmed booking for accommodation in Mauritius.
Health: No vaccination certificates are required for entry into Mauritius, unless travelling from a country infected by yellow fever or where yellow fever is classified as endemic. It's a good idea to pack shoes that can be worn in the sea to protect against sharp coral, sea urchins and stonefish. Stonefish stings are uncommon but can in some cases be fatal. You should obtain urgent medical attention if stung; many hotels stock anti-venom serum. Visitors should take precautions against mosquito bites, as there have been several cases of the Chikungunya virus, which is spread by mosquito bites, although this is more common from October to May. Travellers should stick to bottled water. Medical facilities are good and free in public hospitals, but private clinics are expensive and medical insurance is recommended.
Tipping: Tipping in Mauritius is discretionary. However, some extra money paid for services, such as a taxi ride, waitering or cleaning is appreciated. In the hotels travellers can add around 5% of their incidental expenses when paying the bill on departure, if service has been good. Government tax is added to all hotel and restaurant bills and this is included in the basic price. However, all incidental hotel expenses will incur a 12% tax, which is generally included in the price quoted.
Climate: Mauritius has only two seasons with minimal differences between them, making Mauritius a perfect year round destination. Summer runs from November to April, with temperatures reaching as high as 93ºF (34ºC) on the coast. Humidity is highest from December to April but is never unbearable, particularly on the coast where there is a constant sea breeze. The north-east (around Grand Baie) is more protected from the south-east trade winds. Cyclones, with strong winds and heavy rain, can occur between January and March. Mauritius will normally experience about three or four cyclones a year during this period, each usually lasting a couple of days. During winter the temperature drops a few degrees, however, there is still plenty of sunshine and it is a very pleasant time of year to visit. Sea temperatures vary between 75ºF (24ºC) in the winter and 82ºF (28ºC) in the summer. The peak holiday season runs from October to April, with hotel prices dropping over the winter months.
Safety: A visit to Mauritius is usually trouble free, however petty crime can be a problem and it is not wise to wander alone at night outside the grounds of hotels. Visitors should be aware of pick pocketing in the central market in Port Louis. Care should be taken of bags and valuables when visiting popular tourist areas such as Pereybere, Grand Baie, Flic en Flac and Tamarin. There has been an increase in break-ins in self-catering accommodation and visitors are advised to only rent accommodation from registered proprietors. Cyclone season is from November to May.
Customs:Homosexuality is illegal in Mauritius. Penalties for drug trafficking and use are severe, and any personal medicinal drugs should be covered by a prescription. Scheduled drugs, such as tranquillisers, morphine and other strong painkillers require by law, authorisation before import.
Business: Port Louis is the main business hub of Mauritius. Standard business practice applies to the island: punctuality and politeness is important, handshakes and the exchanging of business cards takes place at meetings and business attire is worn. It is however possible to be somewhat more casual in terms of dress and visitors can take the cue from their hosts. Lightweight materials are recommended due to the tropical climate. Business hours can vary though are usually from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday, with some businesses open for a half-day on Saturdays.
Communications: The international access code for Mauritius is +230. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 001 for the United States). City/area codes are not required. The whole island is covered by the mobile network; the local mobile phone operators use GSM networks, which are compatible with most international operators. Handsets and SIM cards can be hired at the airport. Internet cafes are widely available.
Duty Free: Travellers to Mauritius over 18 years do not have to pay duty on 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g tobacco; 1 litre spirits and 2 litres of wine, ale or beer; perfume and eau de toilette for personal use. Prohibited items include sugarcane and fresh fruit from parts of Asia. No dogs or cats from a 62-mile (100km) radius where rabies has occurred in the past 12 months are allowed into the country.
Tourism
- Mission of Ireland to the UN, New York, United States (also responsible for Mauritius Tourist Office, Port Louis: +230 210 1545 +230 210 1545 or www.tourism-mauritius.mu
Mauritius Embassy, Washington DC, United States: +1 202 244 1491 +1 202 244 1491
Mauritius High Commission, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7581 0294-5
Mauritius Honorary Consulate, Ottawa, Canada: +1 613 7377 322 +1 613 7377 322
High Commission for the Republic of Mauritius, Canberra, Australia: +61 (0)2 6281 1203 +61 (0)2 6281 1203
Mauritius High Commission, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 342 1283/4
Consulate of Mauritius, Auckland, New Zealand: +64 (0)9 262 6262 +64 (0)9 262 6262
United States Embassy, Port Louis: +230 202 4400 +230 202 4400
British High Commission, Port Louis: +230 202 9400 +230 202 9400
Canadian High Commission, Pretoria, South Africa (also responsible for Mauritius): +27 (0)12 422 3000 +27 (0)12 422 3000
Australian High Commission, Port Louis: +230 202 0160 +230 202 0160
South African High Commission, Port Louis: +230 212 6925/6/8/9
Mission of Ireland to the UN, New York, United States (also responsible for Mauritius): +1 212 421 6934 +1 212 421 6934
New Zealand Consulate, Les Pailles: +230 286 4920 +230 286 4920
Emergencies: 999
PORT LOUIS
The capital of the island of Mauritius is a town full of character and slightly faded elegance, set prettily within an amphitheatre of mountains at the mid-point of the west coastline. Port Louis is a noisy, bustling town with some rather hectic traffic by day, but is not a hot nightspot. Nightlife in Mauritius tends to focus on the holiday resorts. The Caudan Waterfront, however, does offer some restaurants and bright lights after dark.
Symbolic of its multi-faceted colonial history, the city boasts some fine French buildings dating from the 18th century, an Anglican and a Catholic cathedral, a mosque and a fortified citadel, known as Fort Adelaide. The fort is the best place from which to enjoy a panoramic view of the town, harbour and famous racecourse (which was once a French military parade ground, and became the first racecourse in the southern hemisphere).
It may be the capital, but Port Louis is not home to the vast majority of Mauritians; the main residential areas are in the cooler, wetter highlands inland. However, Port Louis is the gateway to the prime beaches and resorts of the Mauritian coast, including Flic en Flac and Grand Baie. Although the reason most people visit Mauritius is for sun and sea, the capital city has some interesting museums and entertaining excursions to offer for those who choose to make it their base for exploring the rest of the island.
Attractions
Central Market:
The diversity of the Mauritian population is never more obvious than during a visit to the lively, bustling and colourful Central Market, accessed from Farquhar Street, near the harbour in Port Louis. When you enter take note of the ironwork on the gates, erected in 1844, dedicated to Queen Victoria. Inside the market is a whirl of Muslim traders, swarthy Indian touts, Chinese and Creoles, all demanding attention as they offer their wares. It is advisable to visit the market early, before the heat of the day descends (it opens at 6am every day including Sundays), and be prepared to have your senses assailed with a variety of odours from the fruit, herbs, spices, potions and lotions and various other goods offered for sale.
Natural History Museum:
Port Louis' Natural History Museum is well visited mainly for one single important exhibit: a replica of the flightless bird, the legendary Dodo, which has been extinct since the end of the 17th century. Researchers believe the Dodo was a member of the pigeon family, which weighed about 50 pounds (23kg) fully grown. The bird was found only on the island of Mauritius, and was discovered by the Portuguese explorers around 1505. The bird became extinct because of the predators such as dogs, pigs, rats and monkeys that were introduced to the island by European colonisation. Numerous other Mauritian bird species have also been driven to extinction, including two related to the Dodo.
Address: Chaussée St;
Telephone: +230 212 6912 +230 212 6912 ;
Opening time: Monday to Sunday, 9am to 5pm. Closed on Wednesdays
Blue Penny Museum:
The lively Caudan Waterfront in Port Louis features the Blue Penny Museum, which is primarily devoted to Mauritian art and history, but whose place of pride is given to two of the rarest stamps in the world: the Mauritian 1847 'Post Office' Penny Orange and Twopence Blue, estimated to be worth more than US$1million apiece. Mauritius was the fifth country in the world to begin issuing postage stamps, back in 1847, and some of the few remaining early island stamps are now highly valued around the world. The museum is run by the Mauritius Commercial Bank, which formed a consortium of local companies to purchase the stamps at an auction in Switzerland in 1993, and bring them home for posterity.
Address: Caudan Waterfront, Port Louis;
Telephone: +230 210 8176 +230 210 8176 ;
Opening time: Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm
Royal Botanical Gardens of Pamplemousses:
About seven miles (11km) northeast of Port Louis, and easily reached by regular buses, lies the island’s premier tourist attraction, the Pamplemousses gardens (now officially called the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Gardens in honour of the late Prime Minister, but still colloquially referred to by their original name). The gardens are enclosed by beautiful wrought iron railings which are today in bad repair but when first manufactured in 1862 won a prize at an international exhibition at Crystal Palace in London. The gardens were first laid out in 1735 around a mansion house called Mon Plaisir as a vegetable garden to supply ships calling at Port Louis. Later the house was bought by horticulturalist Pierre Poivre, who introduced plant species from around the world interspersed with indigenous species. The garden is redolent with the perfume of fruit and spice trees, and the 24 hectares (60 acres) also sport a collection of stately palms, ebony, mahogany, latania and pandanus. A great attraction is a pond full of the Giant Amazon water lily.
Opening time: Daily, 9am to 6pm
Beaches:
The beaches of Mauritius are close to perfect, with fine white sand and clear water running to heavenly shades of blue. Some of the island's best beaches on the west coast are easily reached from Port Louis. Flic en Flac is the longest beach in Mauritius and features a beautiful lagoon. Grand Baie, 12 miles (20km) to the north of the capital, is a major tourist centre, offering watersports, shops, nightlife and restaurants to complement its splendid beach and deep sheltered bay. Also on the north coast road is Pereybere, one of the island's favoured swimming spots. The Baie du Tamarin is at the mouth of the Tamarin River in a beautiful setting, and is popular for surfing, with Indian Ocean rollers washing the beach all year round. In the southwest is Le Morne Brabant, characterised by a basaltic outcrop and beaches shaded by casuarinas and coconut trees. Snorkellers enjoy Trou-aux-Biches with its shallow waters and coral reefs.
Domaine Les Pailles:
A short taxi ride to the south of Port Louis is the Domaine Les Pailles cultural centre and nature park, covering more than 1,500 hectares (3,707 acres) and offering plenty of entertainment for visitors. Activities include horse-drawn carriage and train rides, viewing a working replica of an ox-powered sugar mill, a rum distillery, exploring a herb garden and natural spring. There is also an onsite horse riding centre, several restaurants, a jazz club and casino.
Moka:
Those who enjoy seeking out some culture along with their sunshine holiday should visit the town of Moka, seven miles (12km) south of Port Louis, which is not only Mauritius' academic centre but also blessed with some beautiful scenery and impressive historic manor houses. Moka is the home of the University of Mauritius and the Mahatma Ghandi Institute, tasked with preserving the island's Indian culture. There is an Indian folk museum to visit, and the Eureka House (now a museum) dating from 1830. Moka can be reached by bus or taxi from Port Louis or Curepipe.
Chamarel:
In the southwest corner of the island a twisting road winds from the village of Case Noyal to an interesting geological attraction, the 'Seven Coloured Earth'. This is an undulating mound of varied coloured sand, swirled with patches of blue, green, red, purple and yellow earth, apparently caused by the weathering of volcanic rocks. There is also a scenic waterfall nearby set amid jungle vegetation.
Curepipe:
Curepipe, sitting atop the high central plateaux of inland Mauritius 12 miles (20km) from Port Louis, owes its existence to a malaria epidemic in 1867, when thousands fled to the healthy, cooler high ground from Port Louis to escape the mosquitoes. The town is the centre of a spread-out suburban area, and offers some good shopping opportunities. Its main attraction for visitors, though, is an extinct volcano, Trou aux Cerfs, west of the town near the botanical gardens, with a massive wooded crater floor. A road leads to the rim of the volcano and there are spectacular views from the summit. Another natural attraction, just four miles (6km) south west of Curepipe, is the Black River Gorges National Park, home to the rare tambalacoque tree and a variety of exotic flora and fauna.
Ile Aux Cerfs:
The small island of Ile aux Cerfs (Stag Island) off the east coast of Mauritius is a popular tourist haven, managed by the adjacent Touessrok Hotel, but open to the public. The island, featuring splendid tropical vegetation and encircled by magnificent beaches, can be reached by boat from the small fishing village of Trou d'eau Douce. The island is equipped with a bar, restaurant and shops, as well as watersports facilities from parasailing to windsurfing. The most recent, and somewhat controversial, development on the island is an 18-hole Bernhard Langer designed championship golf course, which affords a sea view from each hole and often requires the novelty of hitting a tee-shot over a natural sea inlet onto the fairway.
Transport: Boats leave every half hour from Trou d'eau Douce between 9am and 5pm
Black River Gorges National Park:
Situated in the south-west of the Island, the Black River Gorges National Park is a popular spot for picnics, hiking and scenic drives. The park encompases thick pine forests, gorges and rugged mountains and is a sanctuary for wildlife and fauna. Bird-watchers should look out for the Mauritius kestrel, the green echo parakeet and the Mauritius cuckoo shrike. Don't feed the bands of macaque monkeys. The park's Chamarel Waterfalls are the highest in Mauritius at 83m (270ft) and are best seen after heavy rains. The best viewpoints are at the Alexandria Falls or the Black River Gorges viewpoint.
Transport: A short drive from Curepipe or Chamarel
La Vanille Reserve des Mascareigne:
La Vanille Reserve des Mascareigne is nature reserve best known for its thousands of crocodiles and the giant tortoises, which they are helping re-introduce to the island of Rodrigues. Children can sit on the giant tortoises and watch the crocodiles being fed. The shop sells crocodile skin products, and the restaurant serves crocodile steak.
Transport: Riviere des Anguilles;
Telephone: 626 2503;
Website: www.lavanille-reserve.com/index_eng.html ;
Opening time: Open daily from 9.30am – 5pm. Crocodiles have lunch at 11am;
Admission: Rs 230 (adults); Rs 95 (children) on weekdays. Rs175 (adults); Rs 75 (children) on weekends
Souillac:
This small seaside resort is sited along the rugged coast in the southern Savanne district. The appeal of Souillac lies in its scenery, as it is not a bathing spot. In striking contrast to the soft curves of the northern coastline, the high cliffs here drop abruptly to the sea to face the bracing winds of the Indian Ocean as it blows all year round. Among the features of the area is a public garden overlooking the sea, the popular Gris-Gris viewpoint, and the nearby Rochester Falls.
AIRPORTS
Mauritius International (MRU)
Location: The airport is 30 miles (48km) south east of Port Louis.
Time: GMT +4.
Contacts: Tel: +230 603 6000 +230 603 6000 ..
Getting to the city: A regular bus service operates from the airport every 30 minutes, taking an hour to reach Port Louis. Taxis are available at a fare of Rs 700 and take 45 minutes to reach the capital.
Car rental: Car hire companies Avis, Europcar and Hertz are represented at the airport.
Facilities: The airport has a bureau de change and branches of Barclays Bank, Mauritius Commercial Bank and the State Bank of Mauritius. There are duty-free shops in the arrival and departure lounges, and various other shops selling handcrafts, books and souvenirs. There is a post office on the public terrace open from 8am to 4pm Mondays to Fridays, and 8am to 11.45am on Saturdays. There is a restaurant in the departure lounge and on the arrivals terrace and a bar in the departure lounge.
Departure Tax: Rs 500.
LANGUAGE
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English
hello
goodbye
thank you
please
yes/no
my name is
where is
do you speak English?
I don't understand
I need a doctor
one, two, three, four, five
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French
bonjour
au revoir
merci
s'il vous plait
oui/non
je m'appelle
où est
parlez-vous anglais?
je ne comprends pas
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Pronounciation
boh-jhour
au rev wahr
mehr see
seel vu play
wee/noh
juhm up el
oo eh
par lay vu on glay
juh nuh cohn praw pa
je buh zwa da dok tur
oon, dew, twa, quart-re, seenk
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