Airports
Mauritius (MRU) (Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam), commonly referred to as Plaisance Airport is 48km (30 miles) southeast of Port Louis.
Taxis are available to the city, a 45 minute journey. Facilities at the airport include: Duty-free shops, banks/bureaux de change, snack bar, post office, shops and car hire.

Banking in Mauritius
Banks are also open to coincide with the arrival and departure of international flights at the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport.
Banking Hours- Mon-Thurs 0915-1515, Fri 0915-1530, Sat 0915-1115 (except for State Bank of Mauritius).

Climate of Mauritius
Mauritius has a tropical maritime climate, with relatively little seasonal variation in temperatures, and generally pleasant and sunny on the coast year round. Winter, from May to October is warm and dry. Summer from November to April is hot, humid and rainy. Cyclones occur between January and March. Sea breezes blow all year, especially on the east coast, and the inland central plateau around Curepipe is cooler and rainy year round.

Clothing for Mauritius Travel
Tropical lightweights, with warmer wear for evenings and winter months. Rainwear advisable all year round. In the summer months, sun-care products and a hat are advisable and long sleeves and trousers to help prevent insect bites.

Use of Credit Cards in Mauritius
MasterCard and Visa are the most widely accepted by most banks, hotels, restaurants and tourist shops followed by American Express and Diners Club. ATMs are widespread.

Visa and Passport Regulations for Mauritius Travel
A valid passport, onward/return ticket, and proof of sufficient funds are required. Immigration authorities require the validity of the entrant’s passport to be greater than six months upon both arrival and departure. Travelers must also provide a local address where they will be staying in Mauritius. Visas are issued at the point of entry. A tourist entry fee and the airport departure tax are included in the price of a plane ticket. Travelers coming from yellow fever-infected areas may be asked to present a yellow fever vaccination certificate.

Currency of Mauritius
Mauritian Rupee (MUR; symbol Rp) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of Rp2,000, 1,000, 500, 200, 100, 50 and 25. Coins are in denominations of Rp10, 5 and 1, and 50, 20, 10, and 5 cents.

Customs and Excise
The following goods may be imported into Mauritius by persons 18 and over without incurring customs duty:
200 cigarettes or 250g of tobacco products or 50 cigars; 1l of spirits and 2l of wine or beer; 250ml of eau de toilette and 100ml of perfume for personal use.

Prohibited Imports:
Sugarcane and related parts thereof, soil micro-organisms and invertebrate animals.

Restricted items:
Vegetables, fruit, flowers, plants, bulbs and seeds must be declared (all require permit from the Ministry of Agriculture), as must firearms and ammunition. Imported animal products also require a permit and a health certificate from the country of origin.

Drinking Water in Mauritius
Water for drinking should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised. Bottled water is readily available. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled.

Driving and Road Travel in Mauritius
Driving is on the left side of the road. Roads are sometimes narrow and uneven with inadequate lighting, making night driving hazardous. Speed limits are posted in kilometers per hour, but all road and traffic signs are posted in English. Drivers and all passengers are required to wear seat belts. Drivers and passengers on motorcycles are required to wear helmets. Babies and toddlers should be placed in child seats. Many accidents occur due to excessive speed and violations of road regulations.

Getting Around by Road
One major highway runs north to south, otherwise a good network of paved, if sometimes narrow, roads cover the island. Traffic drives, erratically, on the left. Coach/bus: Excellent and numerous bus services ply the island.

Taxi: These are regulated and metered and linked to provinces or hotels, printed on a yellow panel on the drivers’ door. Tips are not customary for taxi drivers, but appreciated.

Car hire: Numerous car hire firms include major international and independent firms.

Regulations:
Drivers are required to be over 23 years old. Speed limits are 80kph (50mph) on the motorway and 50kph (31mph) in built-up areas. Seatbelts are compulsory.

Documentation:
A foreign license is accepted.

Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz. UK-type three-pin plugs are commonly used in hotels.

Emergency Numbers
The local equivalent to the “911” emergency line in Mauritius is: 999 for police, 114 for emergency medical assistance, and 115 for the fire service.

Currency Exchange in Mauritius
Available in banks and at bureaux de change. A better rate of exchange can be obtained on traveller’s cheques than on cash. Mauritius Commercial Bank is reputed to have the quickest service.

Health Issue for Travel to Mauritius
A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required of all travelers arriving from infected areas. The Mauritius government considers those countries and areas classified as yellow fever endemic to be infected. Immunization against typhoid and poliomyelitis is sometimes advised.

Malaria risk, exclusively in the benign vivax form, exists throughout the year in northern rural areas, except on Rodrigues Island.

Medical Facilities in Mauritius
Public medical facilities are numerous and of a high standard and there are several inexpensive private clinics, mostly staffed by doctors educated in the west. There is no reciprocal health agreement with the UK; foreign visitors have to pay at state-run clinics and hospitals. Emergency evacuation health insurance is advised for those at serious risk. Note: For travelers applying for a working visa or permanent residence, an HIV test will be required.

Languages in Mauritius
The official languages are English and French (with French being the most dominant), the most commonly used are Creole (pidgin French with other languages added to the mix), Hindi and Bhojpuri. Urdu and Chinese are also spoken.

Public Holidays in Mauritius
1-2 Jan New Year.
1 Feb Abolition of Slavery Day.
1 Feb Thaipoosam Cavadee.
15 Feb Maha Shivaratri.
18 Feb Chinese New Year.
12 Mar National Day.
20 Mar Ougadi.
1 May Labor Day.
15 Aug Assumption.
16 Sep Ganesh Chathurthi.
13 Oct Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
1 Nov All Saints’ Day.
2 Nov First Laborers’ Day.
9 Nov Diwali (Festival of Lights).
25 Dec Christmas Day.

Public Transport in Mauritius
Getting Around Towns and Cities
Bus and taxi services are best used in urban areas. Bicycles and motorbikes are also available for hire.

Journey Times
The following chart gives approximate travel times (in hours and minutes) from Port Louis to other major cities/towns/resorts in Mauritius.

Safety and Security in Mauritius
Crime levels are low.

Drug trafficking carries severe penalties.
The threat from terrorism is low. But travelers should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be against civilian targets, including places frequented by foreigners.

The cyclone season in Mauritius is generally between November to May.
Thefts in tourist areas are a concern, and visitors should keep track of their belongings at all times. Women are advised against walking alone, particularly on public beaches and at night. There have been reports of sexual assault and harassment of foreign travelers. Americans should avoid crowds and street demonstrations, and maintain a low profile.

Shopping in Mauritius
This ranges from sophisticated shopping for designer clothing, jewelry and handicrafts in Port Louis’ Caudan Waterfront to rooting around for T-shirts and souvenirs upstairs in the capital’s bustling Central Market, while locals bargain hard over tea and other essentials while catching up on the gossip. Island crafts, found at the craft market at The Caudan include jewelry, Chinese and Indian jade, silks, basketry, glass and model ships. Cashmere is a particularly good buy. Duty-free shopping is popular here with around a 40% saving on textiles, jewelry, perfume and electrical goods.

Shopping hours in Mauritius
Mon-Sat 0930-1800. Some shops are open until 1200 on Sundays and public holidays. Markets usually close around 1600. Shops in Rose-Hill, Curepipe and Quatre-Bornes close on Thursday afternoons.

Telecommunications
Country code: 230. There are no area codes. There are a limited number of public telephone booths, mainly at the airport and in major hotels. Mauritius Telecom (website: www.mauritiustelecom.com) offers a good, reliable service and payphones are found in their customer service centers in towns around the island.

Mobile Telephone
Roaming agreements with international mobile phone companies are available and coverage extends over the entire island. Local mobile calls are the same as the price of landline calls, so it may be worth renting one if doing business here.

Internet
There are Internet cafes in both main towns and tourist centers such as Grand Baie and Port Louis. Most hotels offer high-speed Internet access.

Time
GMT + 4.

Tipping
Tipping: 10% is usual in most hotels and restaurants.