Suggestions (Mauritius)

Planning

Planning a trip to Mauritius would take time. There are a lot of things to consider before you travel to the island. But all this affects only if you want to travel budget. If expense is not a constraint in your travelling plans, you may go any time. But, if you want to keep your expenses minimum, you need to consider the following:

• Which places would you like to cover? How long do you have?
• What are the activities you would prefer? How much would you like to spend for each?
• What is the cost of living in Mauritius? How much would you need to spend per day?
• Which mode of transportation would be suitable for you?
• What would be your budget?

If you do not properly answer the above questions, you would not be able to get hold of your expenses. Mauritius is costly. For more details on trip planning refer this post.

Important information regarding Mauritius

Population

Mauritius is small in size as well as in population. Only 12 million people inhabit the island. For an Indian it is kind of a shock to not find people on the streets. Even some of the main areas and streets do not have crowds. This is a boon when you are visiting any tourist spot. Absolutely not crowded and you are not rushed to take pictures. There would be nobody photo bombing your pictures and you get peaceful places. This has a calming effect on us. But the negative aspect is that you feel less safe. Once we were walking to a place near our stay and returned because the streets were too empty to be the right one. On multiple occasions we got scared by the absence of people on the way. Sometimes, you cannot find a person even to ask directions.

Language

Although Mauritius has been an English colony and the official language is English, French is more common language. The local language Creole is similar to French. If you are familiar with French, your stay will be a breeze. However, English is taught at schools and most people can speak and understand English, so life would not be very difficult for you. We had a difficult time pronouncing the name of the places. Sometimes, it took us time to understand what the conductor was saying and for the conductor to understand us. So showing the word to people for directions or queries would be better.

Safety

We were told that the drug consumption issue in Mauritius is slowly aggravating. Some areas are more prone to notorious activities than others but every place is affected nonetheless. Moreover after sunset, not many people are seen on the streets which makes it easier for unwanted elements to take advantage of you. So be very careful when you are out late. It would be better not to stay out after 6:00 PM anywhere in Mauritius. Port Louis being a commercial centre had few people coming from office late but that too 7:00 PM. One evening we were returning from La Caudan waterfront by around 6:30Pm. There were no ladies in sight and only a few men. We saw a girl who was also late and the speed with which she was walking made us scared even more. As we mentioned earlier, the less population and zero crowds make it scarier in the day, let alone at nights. Since, we were two girls, even the locals advised us against staying out after time not that we would have stayed either way. We never stayed out at night.

Scams

Where there are tourists there will be scams. Pay attention in touristy areas especially in and around Grand Baie. Do not book any trip/activity or car/motorbike from anywhere other than registered agencies outlets. Many lone operators or so called agents may approach you on beaches to book tours from them. Never believe them no matter how friendly or trustworthy they appear. Always book trip from your hotel/homestays or through tour operator agencies with outlets near you with proper receipts and contact information. But overall people in Mauritius are very helpful and friendly.

Best Time to Visit Mauritius

Mauritius has tourist friendly weather all throughout the year. Details are mentioned in this post. We visited during the start of winter i.e. end of May when there was a huge anti cyclone in the region. It disturbed our entire trip leading to cancellations of hiking and island trips on the western coast. However, the temperatures were awesome during this time with cool days and slightly chilly nights. We suggest you visit during winter months of July-August as it would be most suited for almost any kind of activities.

It is very windy in Mauritius always. On our trip we were quite annoyed by the winds as our hair kept flying in all directions making it absolutely difficult to enjoy the views or get a good picture.

Flights

We suggest to take a direct flight always. Well, it might cost you 2-4 thousand rupees more but you save time as well as energy. If you do not think so do consider reading this post.

Our return flight was with Kenya Airways. When we arrived at the airport, we got to know that the flight was over 7 hours delayed. We had a connecting flight from Mumbai to Srinagar. It was with another operator. There was no way we could have made it. I became so panicked that I practically lost colour from my face and was unable to think straight fearing we will not even get any refund. However, we were provided two vouchers per person for refreshments.

Taking our chances, we approached the check-in counter and we stated our concern. The airline staff contacted the airport manager and asked us to wait for sometime as they went to check for any vacant seats in any other airline. After some anxious minutes, the staff returned and asked us to approach another counter for fresh boarding passes. We were allotted seats in Air Mauritius direct flight to Mumbai which was departing the same evening. So, the experience ended in a happy one but, it was just luck. Kenya Airways has such a reputation. To save some 2 thousand rupees, we had taken a very long layover in a not so reliable airline. We strongly recommend to avoid this trade off.

Currency

You may keep either USD or Euro. Both are easily exchangeable in Mauritius. Avoid exchanging Mauritian Rupees in India. You may get majority or all of your currency exchanged as per your estimates. You mostly get the same exchange rates everywhere for the same agency even at the airport. If you plan to stay in some not so touristy area for a budget accommodation, then do get most of your currency exchanged.

We would suggest Shibani finance as they provided the best rates of all currency exchange agencies in Mauritius. They are available at the airport and all major areas as well.

Transportation & Accommodation

Accommodation and Transportation in Mauritius go hand in hand. As we have mentioned multiple times the trade off to affordable lodging is difficult accessibility. We stayed in both affordable areas and expensive areas. Our reason was that we did not know how to drive a car and we knew that taxis are super costly in Mauritius. So we had to depend on public transportation. Check out our itinerary here.

In areas like Surinam and La Gaulette, the homestays were super affordable and the public bus was easily accessible. But the bus stops were too far from the tourist spots. Which meant a lot of walking and time consumption. Plus the matter with empty roads. So the transportation cost increased by way of availing of taxis. In Port Louis and Grand Baie we stayed in prime areas. Thus the transportation cost was almost nullified but, the accommodation cost increased.

Best Transportation Options

You may hire scooters or bikes for local sightseeing as well. However, long distance sightseeing is not advised. Klokan Rentals is a scooter rental with best rates. We are not advertising here but we availed their services and they were good. The scooter was in excellent condition. They were very professional and the delivery was done in 15 minutes after signing a one page contract paper without any hassle. If you would like to check their rate, this is their website address www.klokanrental.mu. They are situated in Flic en Flac but deliver scooters to all parts of Mauritius at a delivery fees of 20 MUR/ km.

The best mode of transport is to take a car rental. It will provide you with flexibility to choose the budget accommodation. You also will not be required to book multiple stays in different areas as you can visit different parts of the island from one place using the car. Cars allow you to cover 40-50 km a day with ease which is not possible on a motorbike. This will also bring down your expenses considerably. Klokan Rentals also provide budget cars for rent. More on transportation in this post.

Our Accommodations

We stayed at various locations because we used public transportation mostly. Know more about accommodations in Mauritius here. All the accommodations we chose were very good and worth the cost. Following is the list of accommodations we chose:

Surinam: Residence An & Sy

A bit interior, near to Rochester Falls but a very beautiful property and an excellent caretaker. If you have a car rental then the stay we chose would be a viable option. It was cheap but a beautiful house. Otherwise, instead of staying in Surinam, choose Souillac which is near to where most of the tourist spots in the South are located. Accommodation will be a little costlier but you will be able to cover all places with ease. In addition to it, there will be more activities to enjoy around.

La Gaulette: Tropical Apartments

This studio apartment was very small in size but had all amenities. Additionally, the caretaker is a very helpful young lady. There are many restaurants and a supermarket nearby. You can skip staying here and discover South west in a day trip. If you want to hike the Le Morne peak, then staying in La Gauette or Belle Ombre and Le Morne village is reasonable. There are better stay options like resorts and hotels in Le Morne and Bel Ombre but are way costlier.

Flic en Flac: L’Ocieau de l’Ocean Residence

Hotel around 1 km from the Flic en Flac beach. Although located quite away from the main street, the property is quite large with a pool. Rooms were large and comfortable. Breakfast was good. But no in-house or nearby restaurant. Overall Flic en Flac is a good place for accommodation if you stay near the beach. If you are taking a rented car, it is better to stay here than Le Morne to cut costs. You can cover all attractions in the South West, West and the Central part of island from here on a car. Most tourists choose Flic en flac as a preferred stop.

Port Louis: Kirin Guesthouse and restaurant

Located in Chinatown in a prime area just beside the Immigration Square bus stand. It is near to all tourist spots, hence, the most expensive of all our stays but worth it. The rooms were huge, clean and with all facilities except for a full size mirror. There was no dearth of eateries around the hotel. You can stay at Port Louis and make a day trip to Grand Baie and other places in the north on a rented car.

Grand Baie: La Salette homestay

One of the best homestays we stayed in. It is a two bedroom apartment very well kept and on the main street. Very near to Supermarket, Grand Baie beach, McDonalds etc. It is right in the middle of all activities. Staying at Grand Baie is a must if you are interested in the night life here. Or else, you can choose between Port Louis and Grand Baie if you have less time. Stay at both if you have more time at hand because both have completely different vibes. The kind of travellers that we are, we would choose Port Louis over Grand Baie because of the markets, food and sightseeing options.

Trou d’eau Douce: Le Rosier

We ranked this lowest of all our stays. The location is not where it was mentioned on map. Difficult to find. Rooms are basic with no gas stove, only microwave. Nothing provided in the room and not much to do around as well. We advice against staying in Trou d’eau Douce. If you want to enjoy a calm and peaceful stay you may choose from several resorts in Belle Mare. You can book a trip to Ile Aux Cerf from any other part of the island. Also, you may stay in Mahebourg and explore the eastern part of the island.

Mahebourg: Admiral Mahe guesthouse

The homestay was excellent. Very beautifully decorated with large spacious rooms and a well-stocked kitchen. There is a shared kitchen, lounge and TV area where you get to meet other travellers. KFC is right below it on the ground floor and there is no dearth of restaurants nearby. Waterfront and bus station are just outside the homestay. The owner is very sweet and co-operating. Staying in this place is best to cover the South East and East of Mauritius. Blue Bay is another stay option but it is expensive compared to Mahebourg. You can also cover South of Island by staying here if you have a rental car. Airport is just 15 minutes’ drive from here.

Places of Interest

There are too many places that can be visited in Mauritius from the point of view of a tourist. Uncountable beaches, viewpoints and treks, natural beauty, markets, landmarks, monuments, serene islands, marine life and adventurous activities all vie for your attention. However, what attracts you more than others, depends on your preferences. But, there are some experiences that must not be missed. We are listing the main places of interest in Mauritius as under:

• South: Rochester falls, Gris Gris beach, Le Roche de Pleure, Felix Beach, Grand basin, Alexandra Falls
• South West: Le Morne hike, Le Morne beach, Maconde viewpoint, Prairie beach, Chamarel Geo Park, Black River Gorges View Point, Underwater waterfall seaplane/helicopter ride
• West: Flic en Flac beach, Casela Nature Park, Cascavelle Shopping Mall, Tamarin Salt Pans
• Central: Trou Aux Cerfs, Tamarind Falls, Quatre Bornes Market Fair, Vacoas Phoenix shopping mall
• Port Louis: Apravasi Ghat, La Caudan Waterfront, Champ de Mars, Fort, Natural history Museum
• North: Cap de Malheureaux, Pamplemousses garden, Grand Baie, Preyebere beach, Maheshwarnath Temple (Triolet), 3 islands trip.
• East: Belle Mare beach, Sagar Shiv Mandir, Point De Canon, Grand Port area, Ile Aux Cerf, GRSE waterfall
• South East: Mahebourg Watrefront, Blue Bay beach and marine park, Le Souffleur, Natural Bridge

If you are staying in Grand Baie, you may choose the following tour operator for various activities and sightseeing from Grand Baie.

Itinerary

Now that we have listed all the main places to visit in Mauritius, you can assess that not all can be covered in 7 days. So you can follow the following 10 days itinerary to cover all of it. Trip means all sightseeing places mentioned above falling under that zone. For lesser days remove activities that take an entire day.

1. Day 1: South trip
2. Day 2: Le Morne hike (you can get partial view of underwater waterfall)/helicopter ride
3. Day 3: South West trip
4. Day 4: West trip
5. Day 5: Central trip
6. Day 6: Port Louis
7. Day 7: 3 islands tour & North trip
8. Day 8: Ile Aux Cerf island & East trip
9. Day 9: South East trip
10. Day 10: Return

You can reduce the itinerary length to 7 days to save the cost without compromising on places visited. For details of the places that can be covered refer places of interest post.

Food

• Stick to street food or food courts to cut down food expenses. Avoid fancy restaurants completely. Eat out of Chez stalls.
• Mauritian cuisine tastes similar to Indian cuisine. Plenty of vegetarian food available. Abundance of seasonal fruits also.
• Water is costly. Tap water is safe to drink at homestays. Purchase 12 bottle packs from supermarket if not ready to drink tap water. Hotels provide only 1 litre bottle on first day.

Hope our suggestions above help you plan your trip to Mauritius smoothly and you have a great time!