Vacation Rentals on Mauritius
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Travel destination Mauritius.
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Overview of Mauritius |
| Size |
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1,860 sq km (718 sq mi) |
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| Population |
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1.2 million |
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| Language |
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Most people in Mauritius are bilingual and are equally fluent in English and French.
Commonly used are Creole (a mixture of French and African languages), Hindi and Bhojpuri.
Urdu and Chinese are also spoken. |
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| Time Zone |
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4 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (+4 GMT). |
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| Electricity |
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220 volts AC, 50 Hz. The most common plug is the UK 3-pins. |
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| Clothing |
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Tropical, loose lightweights will help you to get along with heat and humidity, warmer wear for evenings
and winter months (July to September). Rainwear advisable all year round. In the summer months, sun-care
products and a hat are advisable. |
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| Religion |
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52 % Hindu, 28 % Christian, 17 % Muslim. |
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| Currency |
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Mauritian Rupee (MUR)
Currency Converter |
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Location of Mauritius
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Mauritius, a volcanic and mountainous island in the Indian Ocean, lies 2000 km (1240 mi) off the
southeastern coast of Africa, due east of Madagascar. The island state stands on what was once a
land bridge between Asia and Africa called the Mascarene Archipelago. Mauritius has 330 kms of coastline.
It is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs, with a central plateau and impressive mountains. The central
plateau rises to a level of some 6000 metres marked by extinct volcanic craters, crisscrossed by rivers,
streams and waterfalls. Mauritius consists of two islands. By far the biggest one is known as Mauritius
- the capital city Port Louis is located here. Then there is a smaller island some 500 km away, called
Rodrigues. Northeast are the Cargados Carajos Shoals and 900km (560 mi) to the north is Agalega.
Though nestled up alongside eastern Africa Mauritius is actually more influenced by its British
and French ties and massive Indian workforce than by the African mainland. |
Climate of Mauritius
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Mauritius has the advantage of a subtropical climate. The heat is never unbearable. There are 2 seasons:
summer (November to April), with an average temperature of 30°; and winter (May to September) with a variation
of temperatures from 17° at night to 24° in mid-afternoon. In between, a pleasant period from September to
November with temperatures between 25° and 28° Mauritius does not suffer from a monsoon climate.
The Cyclone season generally occurs between January to March. Tropical cyclones are a common occurrence
in Mauritius and tend to disrupt the weather for only about four days per year bringing a lot of rain in
the region. Visitors should be prepared to spend a few days indoors during extra-heavy rains. |
Best Time to Travel to Mauritius
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Arguably the best time to visit Mauritius is when the rain eases off from May to December. Maximum
temperatures during these months average around 25°C (77°F) compared to only slighly warmer 30-32°C
(86-89°F) in January, and you'll stay drier. December through March is the best time for diving, when
the waters are at their clearest; June through August is best for surfing; and October through April
is excellent for big game fishing, when the large predators feed close to shore. |
Events on Mauritius
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The feasts in Mauritius are as various as the origin of the Mauritians and their religions.
Visitors of the island shouldn't be afraid to attend the feasts. You are welcome! Here the most
important:
New Year (January 1st & 2nd), Yaum un Nabi (January) day of death of prophet
Mohammed. Chinese New Year (beginning/mid-February) the dragon runs in Port Louis. Thai
Poosam-Kavadee (end January/beginning of February) very important holiday for the Tamils, with
processions, ritual washing. As penitence they pierce their bodies and tongues with needles and walk
over glowing coals. Eid-Ul-Fitr (mid February) end of the fasting month Ramadan. Maha Shivaratree
(end of February) Hindus make a pilgrimage to the sacred water of Grand Bassin. Holi (March)
feast of the colours; Hindus throw coloured water on one. Independence Day (March 12th) /
Easter (End of March / beginning of April). Eid-El-Adha (August / September) Mohammedans
sacrifice sheeps and lambs and give it to friends and relatives. Pčre Laval pilgrimage (September 9th)
not only Christians make a pilgrimage to the grave (Ste.Croix) of the holy father who at life time has
primarily looked after the poor people and the slaves.
Divali (October) happy feast of the Hindus; the victory of the Good over the Bad is celebrated
with many lights. All Saints' Day (November 1st) / Ganga Asnan (November) Hindus go to
the sea to take a holy bath there / Teemeedee (December) highlight of this Hindu feast is the run over
glowing coals.
Jardin Botanique de Pamplemousses - The gardens are known to naturalists throughout the world
for their countless species of indigenous and exotic plants, including the giant Victorial Regia water
lilies, and the talipot palm, said to flower once every sixty years and then die.
Coloured Earths of Chamarel - Among the oddest sites of the island are the seven-coloured dunes
at Chamarel, believed to result from the weathering of volcanic rocks. These undulating and vividly
contrasted layers of earth are a short drive away from the beautiful Chamarel waterfalls.
The Bird Garden - Set in a magnificent site between Bambous and Tamarin in the Riviere
Noire district, the Casela Bird Park hosts some 140 varieties of birds from around the world. The
main attraction remains the Mauritian Pink Pigeon, one of the rarest birds in the world, still fighting
to avoid the fate of the dodo. One of the giant tortoises is 150 years old.
Domaine Les Pailles - Ten minutes south of Port-Louis lies the nature park of Domaine Les Pailles,
stretching over 3,000 acres at the foot of the Moka mountain range. You can choose between touring the
park in a Land-Rover, riding in a horse-drawn carriage or in a train. The gardens also feature a replica
of an ancient sugar mill, an "alambic" - an apparatus formerly used in distilling rum, a spice
garden and a natural spring.
Aquarium - Situated between Pointe-aux-Piments and Trou-aux-Biches, hosts some 200 species of
indigenous fish, invertebrates, corals and sponges, providing the visitor with a unique opportunity of
admiring the fauna and flora of the Indian Ocean.
Tamarin Falls - These falls are awkward to reach, but it's worth the effort for a beautiful, deep,
cool bathe at the bottom of the series of seven falls. You can see them from the Vacoas side, if you follow
the sign from Henrietta.
Trou aux Cerfs - Possibly the main attraction of Curepipe for tourists, apart from the shopping,
is the Trou aux Cerfs crater. It's been extinct for a long time and the crater floor is now heavily
wooded, but the crater affords lovely views around the island. A tarred road leads gently up to and
around the rim. There are benches for rest and reflection, and a radar station for keeping an electronic
eye on cyclone activity.
Vanilla Crocodile & Tortoise Park - Enter this glittering forest and discover a haven
of luscious tropical flora: find a variety of endemic and exotic plants. In these lush green surroundings
where banana and palm trees as well as giant bamboo grow, more than a thousand Nile crocodiles are
bred. On a guided tour, you will meet these animals in their breeding ponds, in perfect safety.
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Society on Mauritius
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Mauritius is a densely populated island of around 1.2 million people. It is a plural society where
all the ethnic groups present: Hindus, Muslims, Creoles, Chinese and Europeans live in peace and
where all the ancestral cultures have been preserved. These features make the island a unique place
in the world.
Tipping: 10% is usual. |
Food in Mauritius
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In an island where people originate from a wide variety of places, the local cuisine is a testament
to the influence of this melting pot. This produces remarkable results: in Mauritius, you can travel
to all corners of the globe without leaving the table Mauritian cooking is in a class of its own: it
is a combination influenced by people of different cultures and cooking traditions. Mauritian people
are adventurous with food, and are perfectly happy to eat Creole, Chinese, Indian or Muslim food.
Mauritian cuisine is proud of its past but is still firmly rooted in the contemporary world. A few
leading chefs such as Paul Bocuse, Trois Gros brothers and Michel Ducasse have paid a visit to the
island and have thus played a part in the creation of this top-quality cuisine.
You can eat at the «Spoon des îles», (One&Only Le Saint Géran) of Alain Ducasse, where cooking is an art.
However, during your holidays do not deny yourself the pleasure of eating local food, at a table d’hôte
or in the various specialised restaurants. Do not hesitate to try the «dholl purri» (wheat pancake stuffed
with dholl and served with a tomato sauce), the «farata», the «gâteaux piments» or the «samosas».
If seafoods are a favourite of yours, then don't forget to treat yourself to the "Millionaire's salad" of
oysters, shrimps, crayfish, crabs, Rosenbergi prawns, served with "sauce rouge" and the heart of a palm
tree! Looking for exoticism, weren't you? |
Visa for Mauritius
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Visitors are permitted to land for a stay not exceeding 3 months provided they have in their possession
a valid passport duly visaed, return or onward passage tickets and adequate funds.
Visa required, except for:-
(a) holders of British Passports endorsed “British Citizen” or “British
Dependent Territories Citizen”,
(b) Nationals of: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain,
Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominica, Finland, France, Gambia,
Germany Utd, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland (Rep.), Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kiribati,
Kuwait, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Monaco, Mozambique, Namibia,
Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Papua, New Guinea, Portugal, Qatar, Samoa (Western), San Marino,
Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore,
c) Solomon Island, South Africa, Spain, St. Christopher, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Sweden,
Switzerland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates,
USA, Vanuatu, Vatican City, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Nationals of all other countries require a visa to enter Mauritius. |
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