• Introduction
• Reports (0)
• Useful information

  Identity card

  Know before you go

  Practical A to Z

  Sport and leisure activities

• Eating out
• Electricity
• Embassies and consulates
• Getting around
• Health
• Money
• Post
• Public holidays
• Shopping
• Sightseeing
• Telephone

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Eating out

Tips

While not customary, tips are increasingly expected.

Street vendors

Itinerant salesmen or hawkers sell local specialities at unbeatable prices.

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Electricity

The voltage in Mauritius is 220V. Sockets are two- and three-pin, so an adaptor will probably be necessary.

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Embassies and consulates

British High Commission – Les Cascades Building 7th Floor - Edith Cavell Street. - Port Louis - t 0202 9400 - http://ukinmauritius.fco.gov.uk/en/

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Getting around

By car

Cars are left-hand drive and motorists must give way to vehicles coming from the right.

An international driving license is sometimes required to rent a car.

By collective taxi

Collective (shared) taxis run regular services between villages at the same rate as the buses.

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Health

Also see Know before you go.

Illnesses

Mosquitoes carry the chikungunya disease. Make sure you are adequately protected against mosquito bites.

Dangers

If stung by a venomous fish (scorpion or stone fish), call a doctor and immerse the part of your body stung into water as hot as you can bear.

Water

Tap water is in theory drinkable in Mauritius but it is advisable to drink bottled water. At Rodrigues, the tap water is not drinkable.

Health care

The privately run clinics are better equipped than state-run hospitals. Go to the island of La Réunion if you have a serious problem.

Emergencies

Police – t 999 or 112

Fire brigade – t 995 or 115

Ambulance – t 114.

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Money

Currency

The currency of Mauritius is the Mauritian rupee (MRs or Rs), subdivided into 100 cents (c).

Banks / Exchange

Banks are generally open Monday-Friday from 9.30am-3.30pm, Saturday 9.30-11.30am. Currency can only be exchanged in Mauritius. The exchange rate is identical throughout the island. Some major foreign currencies are sometimes accepted in payment.

Traveller’s Cheques

Most banks accept traveller’s cheques.

Credit cards

The main tourist establishments accept credit cards. ATMs are widely available in the main towns and tourist resorts.

Budget / Cost of living

The cost of living is not as high as that of the Réunion or Seychelles.

Prices can vary twofold depending on the same season.

Average budget – A double room costs around Rs2 200 and a meal around Rs670. A bicycle rental for a day will cost 100 rupees and a scuba diving baptism around 1800 rupees.

State tax – Add 15% to hotel and restaurant bills.

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Post

Post offices are generally open Monday-Friday from 9am-4pm, Saturday 9-12noon.

Allow four days for mail to reach Europe.

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Public holidays

Fixed holidays

1 and 2 January – New Year

1 February – Abolition of Slavery Day

12 March – Anniversary of Independence and National Day

1 May – Labour Day

1 November – All Saints’ Day

25 December – Christmas

Moveable holidays

January-February – Cavadee; Spring Festival (Chinese New Year)

February-March – Maha Shivaratri and Holi

March – Ougadi

August-September – Ganesh Chathurthi

October-November – Diwali

Variable – Id-al-Fitr

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Shopping

Opening times

Shops – Monday-Saturday, 10am-6pm, Sunday (10am-12noon); at Port-Louis, Monday-Friday 9am-5pm, Saturday 9am-12noon.

Markets – Monday-Saturday, 7am-5pm, Sunday 6-11.30am.

Bartering

Bartering is a nationwide pastime, extending to hotel rooms, taxi fares, car or bicycle rentals and of course, bazaars and markets.

Customs duty

Keep invoices of your souvenir shopping.

Souvenirs

Model boats – A speciality of the Mauritian craft industry.

Gold and diamonds – This island is renowned for the size of its diamonds. Competitive rates.

Clothing – Cheap fabrics and clothes.

Culinary delicacies – Vanilla-scented Mauritian tea, Indian spices and white rum.

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Sightseeing

National museums are generally open Monday-Friday from 9am-4pm and closed from 12noon at the weekend. Opening hours vary at other sights.

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Telephone

To call Mauritius from abroad

Dial 00 + 230 + 7-digit number of the person.

To call home from Mauritius

Dial 00 + country code (UK 44 and Ireland 353) + the number of the person.

Local calls

Dial the 7-digit number of the person.