Mauritius

The Mauritian Rupee is the only accepted currency in the country. Visa, MasterCard, American Express are widely accepted throughout. Though you should carry cash since a lot of the places you'll be visiting won't have card services.

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You can exchange currency at several places in Mauritius. Along with booths of various exchange offices, banks in Mauritius exchange currency as well. ATMs can also be used. Do enquire about international transaction costs beforehand.

Mauritius is a shopping hub with many malls and markets, most of them located in the Central region. It is a good place to buy handmade jewellery, wooden art, rum, tea and other local souvenirs. Most shops in Port Louis close by 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM. Bargaining is accepted.

Port Louis, Goodlands, Arsenal, Floreal, Grand Bay, Curepipe, Rose-Hill, Moka, Flic en Flac, Black River, Quatre Bornes, Flacq, Mahebourg, and Grand Baie are some of the popular areas full of streets markets and some famous shopping centres like the Bagatelle Mall, Phoenix Mall, Grand Bay Plaza Shopping Complex, Caudan Waterfront, etc.

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• North Mauritius: Most touristy area of the island with sandy beaches, Grand-Bay, Pereybere, Trou aux Biches or Mont Choisy village. This region is wind-free throughout the year making it perfect for swimming and sunbathing.
• East Mauritius: Windiest part of Mauritius dotted with beaches and luxury hotels. The popular Belle Mare beach, Ile aux Cerfs, Trou d'Eau Douce and more are located here.
• South Mauritius: Called Wild South because of its imposing cliffs, sugarcane fields and villages. It is ideal for those who want to get closer to nature. Rochester Falls, Bel Ombre, Le Morne, Souillac and Pont Naturel are some popular attractions here.
• West Mauritius: Similar to the African savanna landscape, this region experiences a mild temperature and low rainfall almost throughout the year. Flic-en-Flac, Tamarin, Casela Park, Black River Gorges National Park and Le Morne are located here. This region is also popular for kitesurfing, surfing and catamaran cruises to spot the dolphins.

Religion and ethnicity in Mauritius are closely related. The part of the Mauritian population having an Indian origin mostly follows Hinduism and partly Islam as well. The Tamil population in Mauritius is a development from Hinduism itself. The French and Creole staying in Mauritius are mostly Catholics. Some Mauritians of Chinese origin are known to follow Buddhism and other related Chinese religions. The diversity and secularism of all these religions are further amplified by the fact that Mauritius doesn't have a national or official religion.

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The Constitution of Mauritius doesn't specify any official language. The languages spoken mostly are French, English, Mauritian Creole, and other ethnic languages like Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Urdu, Marathi and Mandarin. French and English are preferred for professional and educational purposes. English is the primary language of Mauritius because of its usage in government administrations and offices, courts and the business sector as well.

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The Portuguese were the first to the island dating back to the early sixteenth century, approximately in 1510. It was the Dutch who named it Mauritius after the Prince of Maurice of Nassau when they came and settled in the island back in 1598. Before leaving Mauritius in 1710 and moving to South Africa, the Dutch had introduced sugarcane and Java deer in Mauritius during their stay. 

The first significant development in Mauritius came in the form of the construction of a harbour under the French Governor, Mahe de Labourdonnais and it was named after the ruling king Louis XV - which is the capital of Mauritius now, Port Louis. After the harbour was built, trade got a boost through the supply of sugar and rum to the nearby islands and other visiting vessels.

Over the years, Mauritius was conquered by the British in 1810, and it was formally handed over to them after an agreement in 1815 which allowed most the French settlers to remain in the island and practice their religions, laws and customs.

Mauritius witness the abolition of slavery of 1835 under the British rule and paid labourers were brought from India to work in the sugar plantations. Those are the same labourers who settled in Mauritius, and today it constitutes to the majority of the population. Other significant developments brought by the British include infrastructure, free primary education for improving the civil societies of the island.

On 12th March 1968, Mauritius gained its independence, and a constitution was signed following the British parliamentary system. It took nearly 15 years for Mauritius to achieve a stable economic and political state and later on 12th March 1992, Mauritius was declared as a Republic.

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The top places near to Mauritius are London which is 9756 km from Mauritius, Dubai which is located 5072 km from Mauritius, Amsterdam which is located 9552 km from Mauritius, New york city which is located 14936 km from Mauritius, Bali which is located 6311 km from Mauritius

The top things to do in Mauritius are Port Louis, Trou Aux Biches, Belle Mare Plage Beach, Scuba Diving in Mauritius, Seven Coloured Earth of Chamarel, Ile Aux Cerfs. You can see all the places to visit in Mauritius here

There are 1056 in Mauritius which can be booked through Holidify. The most popular hotels in Mauritius are Little Venice villas, West Coast Villas, Hillside Haven, 27 Gold Coast Bungalow, La Piroga, Villa Santara by Oazure 9-14 persons. You can see all the hotels in Mauritius here

Mauritius, the paradise island among the world’s famous tourist destinations, lies in the Indian Ocean and attracts people from all over the globe due to its iconic beaches, crystal clear waters and breathtaking landscapes. Along with the various countries, Mauritius witnesses the arrival of tourists from India in large numbers, be it for holiday purposes or business related work.

Whenever you plan to travel to any place, the foremost thing you have to look into is the means of travel. Although the best way to reach Mauritius from India is by air, there is another alternative of going by water, thanks to its location.
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The Mauritian cuisine is the direct reflection of its diverse and vibrant culture and is greatly influenced by the residents of the island - French, Chinese and Indian. Dishes representing the French cuisine have become very popular over the years in the island. Quite interestingly, most of the culinary traditions and dishes are inspired from the former Indian workers and slaves and Chinese immigrants who came to island in the 19th century.

Over the years, the culinary experience in Mauritius has witnessed a significant development with the upcoming of several restaurants and wild popularity of the street food in various parts of the island. You can get a taste of the most excellent specialities of the Mauritian kitchen in some of the famous restaurants such as the Domaine Anna at Black River, the Rivoli Restaurant at Grand Baie, Le Pescatore at Trou aux Biches and so on.

If you get the craving to have Indian food in Mauritius, then you wouldn't be disappointed at all as the island offers you a number of fantastic dining experience serving some of the best Indian dishes in restaurants like La Chaumiere Masala at Ile aux Cerfs, Le Tandoor at Grand Baie, Namaste Restaurant at Le Caudan Waterfront and Delhi Taj Restaurant at Quatre Bornes.

And finally, don't forget to lay your hands on the delicious and healthy street food in different parts of the island, the best found in Port Louis and tickle your taste buds with dhol puris, samosas, fried noodles, and a lot more.

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May to December (summer) is the best time to visit Mauritius, although the tropical climate of Mauritius is quite favourable for a vacation at any time of the year. The beaches are beautiful and sunny, and the waters are clear. We do not recommend going to the east coast of Mauritius in July and August as the winds are the strongest during this time of the year. January to March is the wet cyclone season in Mauritius, however, January is also the peak season in terms of footfall. February is the warmest month of the year whereas July is the coldest month of the year in Mauritius, so make sure you pack accordingly if you’re travelling during these months.

Hiking and other outdoor tours are perfect during this period. For those who wish to spend a relaxing day on the beach as well as engage in enthralling water sports, the months of May till late October is the best time to travel to Mauritius.
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