Mauritius, Indian Ocean » travel guide

General information | Mauritius

Official language
English

Capital
Port Luis

Head of state
President Sir Anerood Jugnauth and vice president Abdool Raouf Bundhun

Form of government
Parliamentary Democracy

Size
2.040 km²

Population
1.220481

Density of population
598 inhabitants per km²

Religion
Hindus 52%, Christians 28.3%, Muslims 16.6%

Entry requirements
Please check the visa requirements for your destination at the appropriate consulate or embassy in your county and do this well in advance of your travel date.

Location
Mauritius is composed of the main island Mauritius, the side island Rodrigues (size 109 km²) and a lot of smaller islands. The area is located in the Indian Ocean, about 1000 kilometres east of Madagascar and about 200 kilometres northeast of La Reunion.
The landscape of Mauritius is mountainous with heights up to 800 metres.

Language
The official language is English. Nevertheless French is most frequently spoken.
The colloquial language is also French Creole; Furthermore you might listen to Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Bhojpuri, Gujrati or a Chinese accent like Mandarin or Hakka.

Time difference
CET +2 hours during summer, +3 hours during winter.

Electricity
220/240 volt alternating current, 50 Hertz. Adapters are often necessary. They might be provided to you at the reception of your hotel.

Telephone
The dialling code for Mauritius is 00230, for Rodrigues 00095.
Telephone cards can be purchased in the post office or a kiosk.
2 GSM networks available.

Post
The main office is located in Quay Street, facing the western entrance of the market at the harbour of Port Louis.
Airmail to Europe takes about 5 days.

Internet
There is an internet café at the hotel Indian Resort.

Climate/clothing
The climate is slightly tropical with frequent brief showers especially during the warmer month (November - March). The temperatures during the Mauritian summer fluctuate between 24 degrees in the morning and 31 degrees in the afternoon. During winter it is about 7 degrees less than during summer.
The temperature of the water is about 25 degrees throughout the year.
The rain periods are often very short and confined to the nighttimes when it is colder.
Light cotton clothing is recommended. Pullover and jacket are advisable for the cooler evenings, especially if you are planning to spend some time in the mountainous country.
Furthermore sunglasses and raincoats are necessary throughout the year. Headgear is recommended while hiking.
Men should wear long trousers in restaurants in the evening.

Health regulations
If you travel from Europe there won't be any immunization required. Nevertheless it is recommended, especially for individualistic travellers, to get a vaccination against hepatitis A, tetanus and typhoid.
Malaria does not exist on Mauritius.

Transfer
The transfer from the airport in Le Morne takes about 1 hour.

Rental cars and transport
Taxis are available. A rental car costs about 50 Euros a day. Mind the left-hand traffic!

Currency/mode of payment
Local currency is the rupee (MR)
1 € = Approx. 43 Rupees.
All credit cards in common use are accepted. Traveller's checks by banks and hotels.