Information on Mauritius
Addresses (IMPORTANT):We will send you the address of the house or hotel before you arrive. Please note this carefully as you will be required to write it on a card to be given to the Mauritian immigration authorities on your arrival in the airport .
Airport:
* The north of the island (Grand Bay/Grand Gaube) and Le Morne are about 1.5 Hrs from the airport and for Pointe d'Esny it is about 30 minutes. You will be met at the airport on arrival and returned there on departure. Please exit the terminal building and you will see the person meeting you holding a large sign with your name.
* We recommend that you change money in the airport immediately on arrival. There are several banks in the hall directly after the luggage hall. There are no banks in Grand Gaube or Pointe d'Esny for example.
Banking hours
Monday to Thursday : 9.15 am -3.15 pm, Friday: 9.15 am -3.30 pm , Saturday
:9.15 am -11.15 am (Some banks only). Banks are also open to coincide with the arrival and departure of international flights at the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport.
Climate:
The temperature on the coastal areas varies between 22°C in winter and 34°C in summer. The sea temperature varies between 22°C and 27°C. In the central part of the island, the maximum daytime temperature varies from about 19°C in August to about 26°C in February. The western and northern regions are warmer and relatively drier than the East and the South.
Conferences:
Almost all of our large hotels are equipped and ready to cater for conferences. The number of people that can be accommodated varies from 30 to 500. The International Conference Centre in Grand Bay and the Freeport Exhibition Centre in Mer Rouge can easily accommodate 600 and 1,000 people respectively.
Credit Cards :
Credit cards are normally accepted by banks and most hotels, restaurants and tourist shops.
Culture :
Mauritius is a blend of diverse cultures and religions. The population consists of Hindus, Creole, Chinese, Muslims and Europeans.
Currency:
They use the Mauritian rupee. At this time Euro 1 = 43 Rupees, 1GBP = 50 Rupees and 1 US$ = 27 Rupees. Mauritian rupees do not circulate outside Mauritius so that you can only change money on the island. Euro/UK£ or US$ travelers cheques and cash can be changed in the banks. (Please NOTE that the exchange rate for traveller's cheques is better than for cash).
There are 3 banks in the airport just after the baggage hall and there are 3 banks in Grand Bay and in other major towns on the island. Major credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard are accepted in restaurants and hotels and also in many shops and supermarkets. In addition you can use credit cards to obtain cash in the banks or use them together with the secret (PIN) number to get money from cash dispensers. Please note that direct debit cards carrying either the Cirrus or Maestro labels are also accepted by most cash machines.
Customs:
l Passengers over 18 years of age may import the following duty-free items: 250 grams of tobacco (including cigars and cigarettes), 1 litre of spirits, 2 litres of wine, ale or beer, one quarter litre of Eau de Toilette and perfume not exceeding 100 ml.
l A plant import permit must be obtained from the Ministry of Agriculture, prior to the introduction of plants and plant material including cuttings, flowers, bulbs, fresh fruits, vegetables and seeds.
l It is prohibited to introduce sugarcane and parts thereof, soil micro-organisms and invertebrate animals.
l All imported animals including animal products need an import permit from the Ministry of Agriculture and a health certificate from the country of origin.
l Drug trafficking is illegal and carries very heavy penalties. Firearms
and ammunition need import permits and must be declared on arrival.
Driving:
People in Mauritius drive on the left-hand side of the road and give way to the right.
Foreigners with a driving licence issued by a Competent Authority in their respective countries are allowed to drive during their stay in Mauritius.
Due to the high import tax on new cars and spare parts, driving on Mauritius can be expensive. We do however have good relations with 6 car rental agencies and can offer modern cars as from Rs 650 (Euro 22) per day. Only super grade unleaded petrol is available on Mauritius and all cars use this. It costs slightly less than in Europe.
If you wish to park in the center of Port Louis, Rose Hill or Quatre Bornes then there are special zones called 'Zone 1' and 'Zone 2'. To park here you need special parking tickets which can be purchased in advance at all filling stations. You should mark the date, day and time on the ticket when you arrive and display the ticket clearly behind the windscreen of the car. The fee is Rs 5 for 30 minutes with a maximum stay of 2 hours.
Economy:
The Mauritian economy is based on four sectors: Textile, Tourism,
Sugar and Services.
Electricity:
220 volts.
Emergency:
Police(ambulance ) :999, Police : 208-7018/20
Fire : 995, Samu : 114
Flights from Europe
Air Mauritius operates over 30 weekly flights to and from all the European major cities including 15 combined flights with Air France to and from Paris.
British Airways operates four weekly flights, Emirates Airlines three and Condor one.
Geography
Mauritius is located approximately 2000 kilometres to the south eastern coast of Africa and lies east of Madagascar on 20°5, 57.5E. The country covers an area of 1865km_ with 330 kilometres of coastline. Mauritius is 45km in width and 65km in length.
Government
Mauritius is a democratic state based on the Westminster model and enjoys political stability.
Health
No vaccinations are required. However a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for travellers over 1 year of age who arrive from areas where yellow fever cases are reported.
The local water is clean and 60% of the Mauritians drink it. You need therefore have no fear if you use it for cleaning your teeth etc. It is better however if visitors boil the water before drinking it or buy bottled water which is freely available in the local shops.
History:
Of volcanic origin and generally sheltered by barriers of coral reefs forming natural, safe, crystal clear lagoons, Mauritius has long been a dream destination. Known to the Arabs as early as the 10th century, but officially «discovered» in 1505 by the Portuguese navigator Pedro Mascarenhas, the island was occupied successively by the Dutch (1598-1712) and the French (1715-1810), and was ceded to Great Britain in 1814 through the Treaty of Paris. On 12 March 1968, Mauritius became Independent. Republic Day was proclaimed on 12 March 1992.
Language:
Most people in Mauritius are bilingual and are equally fluent in English and French. Creole and French are the main languages in the everyday environment and several oriental languages are also spoken.
Medical services:
Free public medical facilities are widely available. Private clinics provide medical services for a fee.
Mosquitoes:
As in all tropical countries (even Europe in the summer) mosquitoes do exist. We recommend using a mosquito repellant cream to keep them away.
The houses are equipped however with electrical mosquito repellers (vapes) which you can use at night. Small impregnated tablets are inserted into the apparatus which is then plugged into the electricity. The effect will last for about 8 hours. You may leave 1 window open in the bedroom but you should ensure that there is no strong wind as this blows the vapour away. If you run out of tablets they can be purchased locally for about 45 rupees.
Newspapers:
Besides a wide choice of local papers, the pick of the European and American press is available.
Nudism:
Nudism and topless sunbathing are frowned upon on our public beaches. No hotel permits nude sunbathing on beaches. Topless sunbathing is sometimes tolerated.
Population:
1.4 million (Year 2006)
Population literacy rate
82.9%
Public holidays:
There are 15 public holidays every year. Seven of them are fixed holidays: January 1st & 2nd, 1st February, 12th March, 1st May, 2nd November and 25th December. The remaining public holidays are religious festivals whose dates vary from year to year.
Security:
A tourist police service has been set up to ensure security in tourist zones.
An anti-terrorist law has also been proclaimed. A specific law relating to all tourist activities and corrupt practices has also been voted.
The following essential pieces of advice are meant for you :
> Keep an eye on all personal belongings at all times.
> Be careful when withdrawing money from a cash point.
> Avoid wearing expensive jewellery.
> Do not leave anything inside your car.
> (For trips or purchases) use only recognised operators or suppliers.
> Keep your passports, plane tickets, jewellery of value and large sums of money in safe custody.
> For sea excursions, do not rent boats with inadequate security standards.
> During individual sea trips, always notify the person responsible for the boat house.
> Do not go swimming in areas where it is forbidden.
Shopping:
Shopping hours in our main cities range from 9.30 am to 7.30 pm (Monday-Saturday). Some shops are open till noon on Sundays and public holidays. Many duty free shops and modern shopping centres (Caudan, Curepipe, Floréal Square, Happy World House, Orchard Centre) offer a wide choice of products.
Please note that there are no shops open in Rose-Hill, Curepipe and Quatre-Bornes on Thursday afternoon.
Sun Cream:
The sun is exceptionally strong on Mauritius and many people are surprised (too late) by its strength and have to suffer sunburn for several days. Even on cloudy days, please make sure that you use a good sun cream (min. 25).
Things to drink:
As mentioned above you should not drink the local water unless you boil it first. Tea is grown on the island and is plentiful in the shops. The local people rarely drink ground coffee although an excellent version called coffee Chamarel is grown on the island. They mostly prefer instant coffee.
Locally bottled wine and imported South African and French wines can be purchased from 100 - 300 Rupees per bottle. An excellent beer called phoenix is brewed on the island and has proved to be very popular with our guests. Locally manufactured rums are also available and cost very little.
Tipping:
Tipping is not compulsory.
In some houses, the maid can cook for you. We would recommend paying her MUR 100 rupees each time as this is not covered in the house rent. If she washes your personal clothes for you then the normal price would be about MUR 75 per person and per week.
Time & Telecommunications:
Mauritius is four hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time and three hours ahead (2 hours in summer) of mid-European Time. Mauritius has international direct dialling facilities to most parts of the world as well as high speed fax and internet services.
Telephone:
1. Your house may have a telephone with which you can make international calls. In this case we will ask you to pay us a deposit in advance as there are no counters on the telephones and we only receive the bill 4 weeks after your departure. Any credit will be returned to you as quickly as we can.
2. Your house may have a telephone which is restricted to calls on the island only. There is no deposit in this case and you may use the telephone freely and make as many calls as you want. You can give the number to your friends at home and ask them to call you. The country code for Mauritius is (+230).
3. Mauritius now has two mobile telephone networks which conform to the international GSM standard. Roaming contracts exist now with most countries. If you own one of these telephones why not bring it with you ? Local prepaid cards can also be purchased if you would like to have a local Mauritian number which would allow local people to call you more easily.
4. Telephone cards are now available on shops, post offices and many other outlets across the island. These cards allow you to make international calls with great savings from any telephone on the island to destinations all over the world. The price for the UK, France and Germany for example is about Rs 5-6 per minute.
TV channels:
Satellite TV and local tv & radio are available in most of the hotels.
Vaccination:
Mauritius is fairly unique for a tropical country in that it is free of such diseases as malaria, yellow fever and cholera. This is because of the very effective efforts of the government to combat these diseases. For most people therefore, vaccinations, etc. before departure are not necessary. If in doubt please check with your local Mauritian embassy before departure.
VAT:
A value added tax of 15% is payable on goods and services including hotel and restaurant bills.
Visa & entry requirements:
A visitor must be in possession of a valid passport and a return or onward ticket. A visitor’s visa is normally granted for a period of two weeks to one month upon arrival, to almost all holders of a valid passport, with one or two exceptions. Visitors are strongly recommended to contact the Passport and Immigration Office in Mauritius or the nearest Mauritian Embassy or Consulate. The visa can be extended upon request at the Passport and Immigration Office, Sterling House, 11-19 Lislet Geoffroy Street, Port-Louis, Tel : (230) 210-9312 to 210-9317 Fax (230)210-9322.
What to wear:
Take your best beach and casual wear. In the winter months (June -September), carry some light woollen clothing for the cool evenings.
Please show due respect when visiting religious places. Wear appropriate clothing (and remove leather shoes and belts) when entering the premises.
Men can usually spend most of the time in short trousers unless you want to enter a hotel for the evening, in this case long trousers are required. Additionally the maid in the house washes and returns clothes by the next day so that you do not need to take much with you. Do not overload your suitcase with unnecessary clothes. Leave some room for any shopping that you do on Mauritius.
Mauritius has a well advanced textile industry so that instead of taking all your holiday clothes with you might consider buying them locally on the local market. The shops are full of ready to wear polo shirts, T-shirts, shorts, shirts, trousers, pullovers, dresses and beachwear at low prices.
Disposable nappies for babies cost about 3 times the price on Mauritius as they do in Europe. We recommend either taking enough with you or taking nappies which the maid can wash.
Working Hours:
Private Sector : Monday to Friday: 8.30 am - 4.15 pm Saturday : 9am -noon (Some offices)
Public Sector : Monday to Friday: 9 am - 4 pm
Saturday : 9 am - noon (Skeleton service).
Have a nice holiday !
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