Mauritius is a beautiful island that, despite being located 1,800 kilometers from the African mainland, belongs to the continent of Africa. It is mainly known for its beautiful white beaches and clear blue sea. This makes Mauritius a perfect destination for sun lovers or as a honeymoon. However, it is wise to first familiarize yourself with the country’s customs and culture. Therefore, we have written out below the 13 things you need to know before you go to Mauritius.
Content of this blog:
1. Mauritius is considerably humid
Especially during the months of November through April, when the sun shines a lot but there is also a lot of rain, Mauritius is very humid. This is also due to the tropical climate. We had not fully taken this into account and therefore packed way too many warm clothes, which we did not wear.
If you are still riding the scooter in the evening, a sweater can be nice but otherwise, in 4 weeks of Mauritius, we did not put on warm clothes a single day. Above all, bring some light clothing that does not irritate or stick easily.
Therefore, for the sporty, it is also advisable to exercise early. Running between 06:00 and 08:00 is best. After that it gets incredibly hot and in combination with the humidity this does not feel nice. Hydrate well after exercise, this is extremely important when you sweat so much.
2. There are an awful lot of speed cameras on the roads
One thing you will quickly notice in Mauritius. Everywhere along the road you will see speed cameras. The speed limit is clearly indicated in advance and then you will see yellow speed cameras a few hundred meters away. Therefore, stick to the speed limit everywhere, even though you will probably be overtaken by other road users at a tremendous speed. Mauritians know how to find the gas pedal well….
3. Mauritius is a culture mix of India and France
This probably sounds really crazy. What does a culture mix of India and France look like, you ask? It has everything to do with history. France colonized Mauritius in 1715. After this, it was taken over by the British, but French history and roots lived on. In the meantime, many Indian workers were brought to Mauritius to provide cheap labor or slavery. These Indians settled in Mauritius and today are true Mauritians.
Mauritius’ cuisine reflects this well. Everywhere on the island you will find incredibly tasty boulangeries (bakeries) with fresh baguettes. There are also many fantastic French cheeses and of course boursin in the supermarket.
At the same time, you see many Indian restaurants and there are food trucks everywhere with Indian specialties and the Mauritian specials fried rice and fried noodles. As far as we are concerned, the best of both cuisines combined. So we enjoyed 4 weeks of fantastic food in Mauritius.
4. Mauritius is bigger than you think
When you look at Mauritius on Google Maps you think it is a cute little island, but nothing could be further from the truth. If you wanted to drive around the whole island it would take 6 hours. There are not highways everywhere so you will be on the road for a long time. Therefore, it is very important to pick the right place where you want to stay and learn about transportation in Mauritius.
In this blog about the best places to stay in Mauritius, we discuss each part of the island where you can stay, with the pros and cons and what we would recommend. After 4 weeks in Mauritius, we have seen almost every place and share our experiences here.
5. Everywhere in Mauritius you will find beautiful beaches
In any case, what should be reassuring is that you have beautiful beaches all over Mauritius. Muscle white sand and clear blue sea can be found all over the reef surrounding the island. Of course, some beaches are more beautiful than others. Mainly the beaches near the resorts are beautiful because they are well maintained and palm trees are planted. This immediately gives a wonderful tropical look.
6. Resorts in Mauritius are incredibly expensive
The resorts then are very nice, but also at a price. On average, for a night in a nice resort (for example, Lux in Le Morne or Constance in Belle Mare) you pay €500 per night. For a simple hotel or an apartment you will spend an average of €50 – €100. A huge difference. On the other hand, the resorts in Mauritius are really beautiful and luxurious.
7. Groceries in Mauritius are also pricey because everything is imported
Mauritius is not a cheap destination anyway. Because it is such a small island, almost all food and drink has to be imported and this makes for a high price for groceries. Especially certain fruits and vegetables are incredibly expensive. For example, we saw 3 peppers for €8 and 6 kiwis for €7.50.
Fortunately, not everything is so expensive. So you can still cook something yourself for a good price if you want, as long as you are not too picky with ingredients. Besides, for a main course in a restaurant you will spend an average of €10 – €15. Alcohol and mixed drinks are also very expensive.
8. Boat tours sometimes need to be booked 2 or 3 days in advance
As far as we are concerned, you cannot have visited Mauritius without taking a boat tour on the water. Only then will you see how beautiful the sea actually is and witness the phenomenal underwater world. Everywhere in Mauritius you can book boat tours to islands, snorkeling spots or just enjoy sailing with the catamaran.
In the high season you may have to book the boat tours 2 or 3 days in advance. This is due to the high demand for tours and the sometimes turbulent weather which means that everything has to be moved a day. So check well in advance which boat tour you want to do and make a reservation.
You can also book many boat tours in Mauritius at GetYourGuide. What we like about this is that you can also read other people’s reviews. So you don’t have to rely only on the nice talk of the guide to book. The prices on GetYourGuide are also not higher than when you book locally, a win-win! Look here for all the boat tours in Mauritius with the best reviews.
9. Almost everywhere in Mauritius you can pay with your debit or credit card
We noticed that we hardly needed cash anywhere in Mauritius. At every supermarket, restaurant and most gas stations we could pay with debit cards. Nevertheless, cash is still handy when you want to buy something at local markets, or when you are at a gas station that suddenly has no ATM machine. Our advice is therefore to withdraw +/- 5,000 Mauritian rupees (€100) so that you at least have something with you when needed.
Did you know that the Wise debit card allows you to withdraw up to €250 per month in local currency with no extra fees? We have been using Wise for 3 years while traveling around the world and we have saved so much money with this. You automatically pay in the local currency and the exchange rate is always a lot more favorable than with the Dutch bank. Apply for a free card via this link and in the first month you can withdraw up to €500 in local currency without extra fees.
10. Jacket on on scooter after 6 p.m.
A scooter is the perfect way to discover Mauritius. The sun on your skin, wind in your hair and your eyes will be amazed. Because of the many and busy traffic, we would recommend this only if you already have experience with scooter riding. It is very different from driving in Asia, where it is chaotic but where you do not drive very fast. In Mauritius you just drive on roads where you are allowed to drive 80 – 100 kilometers per hour and where you will be overtaken very fast by cars driving 120 kilometers per hour.
It is good to know that there is a rule in Mauritius that you must wear a bright neon yellow vest at night after 6 o’clock (and in the morning when it is dark). This is to ensure that you are more visible to cars. Every scooter rider in Mauritius abides by this and you can get a hefty fine if you don’t have your vest on. It is for your own safety so make sure you wear it. You always get the vest when you rent a scooter in Mauritius.
11. For digital nomads / remote workers in Mauritius: the WiFien internet connection is stable and good
We ourselves have worked from Mauritius using heavy programs and having many meetings and this has gone well every time. From each place we had very good WiFi connections and also good coverage with our local SIM card from Emtel. We also worked several times from coworking spots and coffee shops in Mauritius and this also went well. For more information, we have written an extensive blog about workplaces in Mauritius for digital nomads.
In addition, of course, you have a local SIM card in Mauritius. The best provider is Emtel. You can buy a sim card from Emtel directly at the airport for 1,500 (€30). This gets you unlimited data for 30 days. Unfortunately, there is no other or cheaper plan available. This makes Mauritius one of the most expensive countries in terms of local sim cards. Will you stay in Mauritius longer than 30 days? Then you can easily upgrade the sim card yourself online through Emtel’s website for 300 MUR (€6) where you get another 30 days of unlimited data.
12. You need different plugs for Mauritius
In Mauritius, type C and G sockets are mainly used. Type C is the familiar European two-pin plug, while Type G is the three-pin plug also used in the United Kingdom. It is wise to bring a world plug / travel adapter so you can charge everything.
No adapter is usually offered by accommodations so if you don’t have this plug with you, you have to look for it in local stores. It is advisable to purchase these plugs on Amazon in advance so you can be sure you can charge everything.
13. Download in advance the cab apps for Mauritius
In Mauritius, there is no Uber. They have developed their own cab app: DodoGo and Yugo. We ourselves used Yugo 2 times and it worked fine. It works exactly the same as Uber. You will save yourself a lot of hassle negotiating with the cab drivers if you install these cab apps in Mauritius.
In short: enjoy the paradise of Mauritius
We had a blast on this beautiful island and we can totally imagine you’re excited too. Do you need help to plan your trip or more information? Then read all our blogs about Mauritius here. Also be sure to check out our tips for what to do in Mauritius with 16 cool activities. Is your question not here? Please respond using the form below and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
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