Travel guide – mauritius

mauritius
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Overview

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, 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.

Regions and cities within Mauritius...

Port Louis

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. 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 Easter, with hotel prices dropping during over the summer months.

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. Typhoid and hepatitis vaccinations are recommended. 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. 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.

The basics

Time

GMT +4.

Electricity

230 volts, 50Hz. Square three-pin plugs and round two-pin plugs are commonly used.

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.

Tipping

Tipping in Mauritius is entirely discretionary. However, some extra money paid for services, such as a taxi ride, 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.

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 psychotropic preparations (e.g. tranquillisers, hypnotics), narcotics (e.g. morphine) and other strong painkillers require by law authorisation before import.

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). 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 16 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 100km radius where rabies has occurred in the past 12 months are allowed into the country.

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