Located off the coast of East Africa, in close proximity to Madagascar, Mauritius is known to be one of the best places in the world for a luxury honeymoon destination or even a family vacation. Surprisingly, 67 % of its population are from Indian origins while the rest are from French territories. This island nation also has its fair share of water activities/sports, luxury beach resorts, mountain cliffs among others. The below detailed Mauritius Travel Guide gives all the information on things to do, what to eat and where to stay.
Visa
Best part about Mauritius is its free visa. You can stay upto 30 days with a free Tourist Visa (Stamped on arrival) , applicable for most country people including India.
Currency
Mauritius uses the Mauritian Rupee. However some stores in Mauritius accepts Euros as well.
Recommendation : While travelling from India, convert INR to Euros from your local currency shop and once you land in Mauritius, convert Euros to Mauritian Rupee at a good rate from a local Foreign exchange shop.
- 1USD = 43 Mauritian Rupee
- 1 EUR = 46 Mauritian Rupee
- 1 Mauritian Rupee = 1.78 INR
Languages spoken in Mauritius
Though most people speak proper English here, primarily Mauritian speak French Creole (a subtle variation of French). Of course you can easily navigate everywhere with English & some basic French
Flights to Mauritius from India
Currently there are 2 options from India
- Air Mauritius – Direct flight from Mumbai (5 weekly flights) – Wed, Thu, Fri, Sun & Mon
- Air Austral – 1 stop flight via Reunion – Approx Return Fare (41K INR) from Chennai
Middle East Carriers like Emirates also goes to Mauritius, but tickets might be expensive .
Veg Food in Mauritius
If you want to classify one country (apart from India) where you can get so much variety of options in vegetarian, it’s definitely Mauritius. A rice eating nation, Mauritius offers plenty of options for vegetarians & Indian food as well. With a base of Rice, Banana , Coconut, Tomatoes, Jackfruit and Vegetables, Mauritius has so many interesting dishes to try out.
Pro Tip : Do check out the most popular restaurant in Mauritius called Wapalapam. Their impressive selection of veg foods esp the Jackfruit dish with rice is a must try
Most areas in Mauritius also has their share of Indian restaurants. However my recommendation to try out the veg Mauritian cuisine instead of standard Indian restaurants 🙂
Where to Stay in Mauritius
Mauritius offers different types of stay options. From 3-5 star restaurants, AirBNB’s or even beach resorts, you can be spoilt for choices From 3000 INR to 30,000 INR, you can stay across a wide variety of properties , be it on the beach side or near the capital area of Port Louis.
During my recent trip, I stayed across 3 different properties
- Tamarin Veranda Beach resort
An earthy beach resort, along the beach of Tamarin Bay, this property is very budget friendly as well. It has 2 large swimming pools (One being an infinity pool), two restaurants, outdoor & indoor games and a lovely garden side room. Everything about the property has an earthy feeling with such warm friendly service. It is located along the Central western coast of Mauritius
- Domaine De Grand Baie
An apart-hotel, Domaine De Grand Baie offers the comfort of a luxury hotel and the amenities of an apartment with large spacious double bedrooms. The property has a spa, fitness centre, a huge restaurant and very close to the main beach area as well. It is located along the northern side of Mauritius.
- Le Meridien Ile Mauris
This super premium grand property of Le Meridien, is a cut above the rest across all properties of Mauritius. Wtihout a doubt, it’s one of the finest properties I’ve stayed all over the world.
The resort boasts 261 rooms stylishly spread along the beach, giving an exceptional feeling of space and relaxation. Do not miss out on the premium suite stays here that offers quite an exceptional premium stay.
Mauritius Travel Guide
If you think Mauritius is all about island hopping and beaches, this blog might come across as a big surprise to you. My one week trip to Mauritius was frankly an eye opener to me as I discovered so much about this amazing island nation.
So here’s a list of water / non-water based activities
Water Based Activities in Mauritius
With plenty of beaches and islands all around the place, you are never far from a beach . Here’s some of the things you can do
- Scuba Diving / Snorkeling
- River Rafting
- Kayaking
- Dolphin Spotting & Swimming alongside them in Dolphin Bay, Black River, Tamarin
- Catamaran Rides
- Private Island Day trips – to Ile Aux Cerfs or Ile Des Deux Cocos or Flat Island
- Swimming in Beaches / Private Islands
- Surfing in the seas
Non Water-based Island Activities in Mauritius
Visit Mauritius ‘s biggest Oceanarium :
An Aquarium with 1000’s of fishes, sharks and other sea animals in massive overhead tanks that can leave you spellbound. In fact, I discovered so many varieties of Jellyfishes in this arena. A definite visit when you visit Port Louis, Mauritius.
Visit Hindu Temples
There are 6 large temples in Mauritius, 3 of them being a must visit
- Shiva & Parvathi Temple
The Mangal Mahadev statue in the Grand Bassin of Mauritius is the most sacred and religious monument in the island nation.
This 108ft high Shiva and Parvati statue, individually, is the second largest Shiva statue in the world
- Ganga Talao
Considered the most sacred temple in Mauritius, Ganga Talao or Grand Bassin, is located on top of a crater lake in Savanne district, nestled in the mountains of Mauritius.
- Sokkalingam Meenakshi Amman Kovil
A temple that was based on the Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple in India , the Sokkalingam Meenakshi amman temple gives the perfect vibe of a temple, like in Chennai
Visit the 7 Coloured Earth
A geopark in Mauritius, that’s almost like a wonder of Earth’s beauty. Volcanic rocks were subjected to hydrolysis that caused the resulting soil containing iron and aluminum. These were cooled down to multiple temperatures simultaneously causing a multi coloured soil separation. In fact even if you take them on hand and mix, it’ll still separate into multi coloured soil.
The 7 coloured soil can be seen so clearly during sunrise with a rainbowish effect on the sandunes.
This geopark is rated to be one of the top tourist attractions in Mauritius and definitely something to experience
Shopping in Local Markets
There’s plenty of stuff you can buy from Mauritius as a gift back to your home. Here’s a list of things you can buy exclusively from Mauritius
- Dodo Bird Doll – National bird of Mauritius and now extinct but still highly missed by the islanders
- Cane Sugar – Sugar cane was incidentally one of the biggest revenue generators for Mauritius and a pillar of their economy. When you visit one of the sugar factories, don’t miss out on buying a kilo of their cane sugar
- Souvenirs like Magnets, T-shirts and Stickers with the famous Mauritius island logo
- Wooden Boat – Something that’s a symbol of the island nation, the wooden sail boat souvenirs is a beautiful purchase for your showcase viewing.
So shopping is definitely something you keep in your Mauritius itinerary
Visit the famous La Sucre Sugar Factory
Ever wondered how original raw cane sugar is being produced on a mass scale? Then you should definitely pay a visit to La Sucre Sugar factory. They give you a full tour of the museum , that demonstrates the actual production cycle. The best part : They have a small store selling 12 different types of sugar in various sweet proportions
So don’t forget to add an afternoon at the La Sucre in your Mauritius Itinerary
Rum Tasting Tour Rhumerie de Chamarel
You can enjoy a visit to the Rhumerie de Chamarel and have a guided tour of the factory and a detailed explanation of the rum making process,while you visit the distillery. They also offer a complimentary rum tasting session of their 7 different flavors of rum. You can check out their details here : https://www.rhumeriedechamarel.com/product/spices-rum/
Lion & Cheetah Safari @ Casela Zoo
Casela Zoo is one of the largest animal enclosures in Mauritius. From Rhinos, Zebras, Tortoises , Giraffees, they have an impressive list of African species in this place. However the biggest highlight is the “Walk with the Lions & Cheetah” offering. With experienced trainers alongside, you can actually get inside an actual mini enclosure of 2 large cheetahs and pet them.
Note : I verified with Casela and they said both the Lion & Cheetahs were trained human-friendly . It is not drugged unlike other countries.
Maconde Point
Situated along the Baie Du Cap Coastal Road, the Maconde view point sits on top of a small hill with a stunning view of Le Morne Brabant mountain and the river beneath. The curvy road along Maconde is also known to be one of the most beautiful roads in the world and has featured in many film shootings.
Mauritius Itinerary- 6 Nights 7 Days
I have put together this 7 day Mauritius Itinerary based on my schedule and trip in the month of April. This covers the length and breadth of what Mauritius has to offer . So do try to cover almost all places here mentioned.
Day 1
- Arrival in Mauritius
- Check in at Hotel
- Lunch at a Local Mauritius Restaurant
- Visit Slave Monument
- Visit Maconde Point
- Dinner & Activities at Hotel
Day 2
- 0630 hrs Leave for Dolphin Watching in front of hotel beach
- 0900 hrs Back to the hotel. Breakfast.
- 1100 hrs Visit Grand Basin.
- 1245 hrs Visit Rhumerie Chamarel
- 1330 hrs Reach Le Chamarel restaurant for lunch
- 1500 hrs Visit Chamarel seven coloured earth
- 1615 hrs Visit Curious Corner / Trick Eye Museum
- 1900 hrs Dinner
Day 3
- 0930 hrs Casela Nature Park. Interaction with Lions & Safari.
- 1230 hrs Visit Glass Gallery
- 1315 hrs Leave for Moka
- 1330 hrs Lunch at Escale Creole.
- 1500 hrs Leave for
- 1600 hrs Visit Cap Malheureux Church
- 1730 hrs Arrive at Hotel
- Dinner at the hotel.
Day 4
- 0800 hrs Transfer to Bain Boeuf beach
- 0830 hrs-1530 Boat Trip, northern islands & Grill Lunch
- Snorkeling in Island
- 1630 Start back from Island
- 1800 Reach Mauritius
- Dinner at the hotel.
Day 5
- 0900 hrs After breakfast, check out & leave for Port Louis
- 0945 hrs Visit Fort Adelaide
- 1045 hrs Visit Oceanarium
- 1200 hrs Caudan waterfront. Visit Blue Penny Museum
- 1230 hrs Lunch at Hotel Labourdonnais
- 1330 hrs Visit Crafts Bazar and Caudan Waterfront area.
- 1545 hrs Visit Apravasi Ghat.
- 1700 hrs Arrive and check in.
Day 6
- 0915 hrs After breakfast, leave for Aventure Du Sucre
- 0945 hrs Reach Sugar World
- 1145 hrs Visit & Lunch at Chateau De Labourdonnais
- 1515 hrs Pamplemousses Garden visit
- 1645 hrs Arrive at hotel and check in.
Day 7
- Breakfast , Lunch at Resort
- Check out for Flight
In case you have any details on my Mauritius Itinerary, please let me know.
