Visit Mauritius, a true dream destination! This small country in the Indian Ocean offers island vibes all around. Mauritius is a pear-shaped jewel sitting in the warm turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean skirted by the most glorious talcum-powder soft sands.
Mauritius is more than just a travel destination; it is an experience that captivates the heart and soul. Its stunning natural beauty, rich cultural tapestry, and warm hospitality make it a paradise worth visiting. Dream away on the beaches, with culinary experiences or during adventurous activities on land or a beautiful underwater world!
Location of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean.
General Information About Mauritius
A small country in the Indian Ocean where you can fully enjoy the island vibes all around.
Mauritius lies about 500 miles (800 km) east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. The island of Mauritius is volcanic in origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs.
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The country has a population of around 1.36 million people who speak generally 3 different languages: Creole, French and English. Although English is the official language, it is spoken by a very small percentage of the population. Creole, a French-based patois, is spoken by about four-fifths of the population and is the lingua franca of the country.
Mauritius Island, a sparkling gem in the Indian Ocean, often elicits awe and admiration from visitors. This tiny island nation, located off the southeast coast of Africa, boasts an array of attractions that make it a top contender for anyone considering their next vacation spot.
Mauritius is situated about 2,000 kilometres (1,242 miles) off the southeast coast of the African continent. It lies east of Madagascar and is part of the Mascarene Islands, along with Réunion and Rodrigues.
The island spans an area of approximately 2,040 square kilometres (787 square miles) and features a diverse landscape that includes lush forests, rolling hills, and pristine beaches. The central plateau is surrounded by mountain ranges, offering stunning vistas and excellent hiking opportunities.
The people of Mauritius, known as Mauritians, are renowned for their hospitality and warmth. The island is a melting pot of cultures, including Indian, African, Chinese, and European influences, resulting in a unique and harmonious blend.
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Economy and Currency
No matter how hard the guys at the airport are yelling to exchange your money just after arrival, let’s save yourself some money for the exchange. Mauritius has in many places well functioning ATM’s that accept many international cards.
Mauritius has a mixed developing economy based on manufactured exports, agriculture, tourism, and financial services. The gross domestic product, among the highest of African countries, grew more rapidly than the population in the 1990s and 2000s.
The official currency in Mauritius is the Mauritian Rupee (MUR). Credit and debit cards are widely accepted at hotels, restaurants and shops in tourist areas, but it’s still a good idea to carry some cash, especially if you’re visiting markets, food stalls or remote villages.
Public Transport and Safety
Public transport is not the most favourable as the network does not offer the easiest connections and it can be time-consuming. A recent development is a new metro line (above ground) but does not pass the main tourist areas.
Travelling by car is an absolute must for us for its efficiency. It will not take long to travel around - with a car you can cross the island in 2/3 hours (do keep in mind the busy roads during rush hours). But hey, make sure you will not take the roundabouts from the wrong side; in Mauritius, you will need to drive on the left side.
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Safety? The usual we would recommend for every country…. do not leave your belongings unattended, watch out for pickpockets and even though many Mauritians absolutely have the best intentions - not every stranger is your new best friend.
For the ladies, we do suggest taking some more precautions. You might also notice that locals will keep an eye out for you.
Culture and Diversity in Mauritius
When you start reading into Mauritius you might come across the saying that it is a “rainbow country”. The country has a great mixture of all kinds of cultures, traditions and religions.
Due to several historical reasons (slaves, settlers, labourers and immigrants), Mauritius is a multi-ethnic society. Inhabitants descended from India, Africa, China and Europe. Mauritius is one of the most ethnically-diverse countries in the world, creating a fascinating, vibrant and peaceful island community that offers a warm welcome to visitors.
Many different cultures bring different religions. The major religion is Hinduism, introduced by the Indian population. Following two other main religions, Islam and Christianity. In this democratic country, all religions and cultures thankfully embrace each other’s practices.
Generally, all over the island you will see that the religions are practised with many temples, shrines, mosque and churches around you.
The warmth of hospitality can be experienced from the moment you set foot in Mauritius. Mauritians speak creole but there are different accents spoken across the island, some might mix it with French or even with Indian languages.
Landscape and Scenery
We cannot forget about the great diversity of the landscape and scenery on the island which is very green and flowers are colourful. Mauritius is actually built on a “volcano rock” and that is still visible on the island with several mountain ranges which are lovely to hike for viewpoints.
From there you can admire the white beaches and coral reefs in beautiful turquoise waters. Of course, Mauritius deserved a place in our top 5 prettiest beaches worldwide, your bucketlist would love to tick off!
The island of Mauritius is volcanic in origin and is almost entirely surrounded by coral reefs. The northern part is a plain that rises to a central plateau, varying in elevation from about 900 to 2,400 feet (270 to 730 meters) above sea level.
The plateau is bordered by small mountains that may have formed the rim of an ancient volcano; the highest point (2,717 feet [828 meters]) is Piton de la Petite Rivière Noire in the southwest.
Mauritius’ biggest and best national park, The Black River Gorges National Park is a wild expanse of rolling hills and thick forest covering roughly 2% of the island’s surface.
Mauritian Food
Maybe the best of all for us foodies? A FOOD HEAVEN YOU WISH TO HAVE EVERY DAY! Chinese dishes, Indian curries, samosas, seafood, roti… I could make an endless list but that would make you way too hungry.
The food in Mauritius is a vibrant melting pot, shaped by centuries of cultural blending. You’ll find dishes with Indian, Creole, Chinese and French roots - all with a tropical twist.
Mauritian cuisines are rare and delicious. Spices play an essential role in enhancing the Mauritian flavour. Seafood including fish, crabs, lobsters, squid, prawns, shrimps and octopus are extremely popular throughout the island.
There are plenty of options you can try when in Mauritius starting from dhollpourri, gato Pima and samosa to pizza, pasta and curries. Make sure you try local dishes such as daube, fish vindaye and chicken kalia.
Street food is a big part of the culinary culture, and you won’t want to miss trying dholl puri, a flatbread filled with spiced split peas and served with chutneys and curry.
First Time in Mauritius!! 🇲🇺 STREET FOOD TOUR in Mahébourg! | East Africa
5 Things to Do When You Visit Mauritius
It sounds obvious but you need to go out and explore! Below are a few must do’s to make sure you bring home a packed and sweet memory box.
Explore the Underwater World
Surely, the coral reefs and turquoise waters are THE unique selling points of the island. You will meet some of the most impressive animals like dolphins, manta rays or many tropical fishes.
Firstly Scuba diving and snorkelling are what we recommend to you the most. Secondly, another fun activity is the underwater walk where you wear a “helmet” that provides oxygen or the scooter cruiser where you can sit and explore on a motorised scuba bike.
There are plenty of ways that do not always require you to swim or get wet. If this is what you prefer, there are options for a glass-bottom boat or submarine tour.
Try Local Food
Don’t be afraid to take street food. We never had any sicknesses and are a big fan of fried rice or a lovely roti from particularly a food stand.
Overall, the only thing you might want to remind them of is to not make it too spicy - I used to say “European spicy please”, haha! Some dishes we undoubtedly recommend: bol renverse (Jorinde’s favourite!), Samosas, Dholl Puri, Mine Frites and Mauritian Hakien.
Get Out of Your Resort & Go Local
It might be very tempting to stay in your luxurious resort but this will only give you a nice tan, but you won’t have the complete experience. Not just because you will not enjoy different beaches, areas or restaurants… Seeing the local way of life will be a real eye-opener.
When you visit Mauritius you can visit many unique locations, for example, the sacred Hindu place ‘Grand Bassin’ with statues and shrines, a mosque in Port Louis, be overwhelmed by the hectic central market in Port Louis or just local shops or clubs.
Something a bit disturbing is that next to a luxurious resort there are some small communities living in poverty - comparable to the cardboard/plastic/metal houses you would see in slums. This is a part many tourists have no clue of as they will only see the fancy side of the island.
Getting to know the island in a different way will not harm your holiday experience in any way, it will rather enrich your experience.
Do a Road Trip
Whenever you visit Mauritius, do not forget to do a road trip. The island is perfect to go around with a rental car. You can cover a lot of ground in a short time frame.
This will give you a great opportunity to see the diversity of the island and you might even discover more things to your liking. Forget your completely scheduled route… drive and see where you end up! “Blessed are the curious, for they shall have adventures”
Visit Mauritius by Land, Sea and Air
If you would like to you can take ‘air’ literally and book a helicopter flight or skydive. Another way is to go out on a hiking trail in Mauritius of the mountains.
There are a few different hiking trails varying in levels of intensity and heights. Some will offer more than incredible viewing points like a visit to a waterfall.
You can go out on a hike on your own or go with a local who knows the trail, especially when doing it the first time. For us nothing can beat the hike on “Le Morne” as the view on the top is ridiculously pretty.
Oh no! Mauritius is a country that has been on my mind a lot lately. As the world slips into the most politically and racially charged climate of my lifetime, I felt it important to highlight this tiny island nation because visiting here opened my eyes to a vital concept; acceptance. This mindset is so ingrained in Mauritian way of life that the country is often referred to as a model for religious tolerance.
More Facts About Mauritius
- The entire island of Mauritius is just 2040 square-kilometres. This makes it the world’s 181st largest nation in the world. The country is 45km wide and 65km long.
- Three countries had control of the island prior to independence. The Netherlands ruled the land from 1638-1710 followed by France from 1715-1810. Surprise, surprise, in came the British in 1810 to take over and they remained in control of Mauritius until 1968.
- More than 1.2 million people call this tiny nation home. This leads to a high population density. So high in fact that Mauritius has the highest of such in all of Africa.
- English and French are the most popular languages. You won’t find an official language for the country, but plenty of local Mauritians speak a form of Creole.
- Mauritius’ flag is made up of four “bands”. Red represents the bloodshed for abolishing slavery and obtaining independence, blue for the vast Indian Ocean, yellow for the bright and shining future that lay ahead, while green symbolizes the lush green vegetation found throughout the island.
- Mauritius was one of four countries around the world that were NOT engaged in domestic or international conflicts in 2017. Peace, tolerance and acceptance. It’s a concoction that works.
- The Dodo Bird reigns supreme. Well… not really. The exotic flightless bird is now extinct, but Mauritius was the only known habitat. Due to the island’s lack of predators, the bird eventually lost it’s ability to fly.
- Mauritius is a proud possessor of the UN Development Programs highest Human Development Index in all of Africa. Between 1990 and 2018, the country’s Human Development Index (HDI) increased from 0.620 to 0.796. The country is currently ranked 66th in the entire world and highest amongst the African continent.
- More than 1.36 million visitors step foot onto the island each year. This figure significantly outnumbers the local Mauritian population.
- Mauritius is a volcanic island that first rose 8 million years ago.
- The country does not maintain a standing army. Starting the see the peaceful mindset theme?
- It’s widely believed that a stuffed Dodo Bird at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History inspired Lewis Carroll to write Alice in Wonderland. Thank you, Dodo bird.
- Sugarcane is grown on around 90% of cultivated land in Mauritius. Other major land use includes tea, corn, potatoes, bananas, cattle and goats.
- Black River Gorges National Park is home to one of the world’s rarest birds. Bird watchers worldwide flock here for a chance to spot the Mauritian Pink Pigeon.
- Local cuisine is a tasty blend of Creole, Indian, Chinese, and French. Let your imagination (and taste buds) run wild.
- Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden is the oldest in the Southern Hemisphere.
Best Time to Visit Mauritius
Last but not least, when can you catch the prettiest sun rays for your golden tan? Warm weather is all year round but it can get very stormy with cyclones around January to March.
From April on the weather will get better but for a nicer temperature, we mostly recommended travelling between April and June and September to December. Not just for the sun, but also for the fresh seafood, yummmmy!
The temperatures can still differ much in those months from 20 degrees upwards. Generally, you will see it will get more hot, but also more humid, the closer you get to December.
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