Ile Maurice, Mauritius Hotels and City Guide

Ile Maurice - Travel Tips

When to Go - Seasons

Enjoying a tropical climate, Mauritius does not have distinct seasons but rather a hot rainy season from December to April when temperatures at the coast average 33ºC, and a cooler dry season averaging 24ºC from May to November. The higher interior is cooler. Winter is regarded as the three months from July-September. Cyclone season is from November-April but they do not occur every year.

When to Go - Local Holidays

1 January - New Year’s Day
20 January (7 February 2012) - Cavadee
1 February - Abolition of Slavery Day
3 February (23 January 2012) - Chinese New Year/Spring Festival
2 March (20 February 2012) - Maha Shivaratree (Hindu)
12 March - Independence Day
4 April (23 March 2012) - Ugadi
22 April (6 April 2012) - Good Friday
25 April (9 April 2012) - Easter Monday
1 May - Labour Day
15 August - Assumption of the Virgin Mary
31 August (19 August 2012) - Eid ul Fitr (end of Ramadan)
2 September (9 September 2012) - Ganesh Chaturthi (Hindu-Marathi)
26 October (13 November 2012) - Diwali (Hindu Festival of Lights)
1 November - All Saints Day
2 November - Arrival of Indentured Labourers
25 December - Christmas Day
26 December - Boxing Day

Religious holidays vary each year according to the phases of the moon.

Local Customs & Language - Customs

Mauritius is truly a melting pot of mixed races. The predominant ethnic Indo-Mauritian group is Indian, mainly Hindus from northern India, Tamils from southern India, and Muslims from western India. Franco-Mauritians are descendants of French settlers, run the sugar industry and are the biggest landowners. Sino-Mauritians can trace their ancestry back to China, and are active in the economic sector, and Creoles are descendants of slaves from Madagascar, East Africa and settlers.

The multi-ethnic groups all have their own religions, customs, traditions and festivals.

Customs of Tamil Hindus include fire walking and body piercing. Hindus practise total immersion in the sea or at Grand Bassin for purification. Christians wash graves on All Souls Day.

Witchcraft is still practised in Mauritius, despite having been declared illegal by the settlers a long time ago. Witchdoctors ply their black magic, gris-gris, so-called by the early African slaves, consulting the spirits and solving the problems of superstitious Creoles.

Local Customs & Language - Language

English is the official language but most people are bilingual with French being widely spoken as is the lingua franca of the Mauritians, Creole.

Hindi, Urdu, Hakka and Bhojpuri are other languages spoken.

General Etiquette

Smoking is banned in public places, on public transport and in offices (except for designated areas). It is also forbidden to smoke in sports arenas, bus stands and bus stations. Hotels provide designated areas for smoking.

Nudism is not tolerated on beaches. Be appropriately dressed when visiting religious sites, and remove shoes when entering mosques and temples.

Health and Security Advice - Health

VIP: Always take out travel and medical insurance before travelling.

Vaccinations are not required to enter Mauritius unless arriving from a country where yellow fever exists. Free public medical services are available, while private clinics will charge a fee.

The tropical sun is very strong, so always were a high factor sunblock which should be applied regularly. Tropical diseases are not common and although the risk of malaria is low, it is advisable to use an insect repellent. Drink bottled water and avoid ice cubes.

The crystal clear waters of the coral reefs hide their dangers. Beware of the poisonous spines of sea urchins, and if you cannot pull them out easily and quickly, consult a doctor as the wounds can become infected. After years of practice, local fishermen could help extract the spines correctly.

In the shallow waters of the coral reefs, highly toxic and well-camouflaged stonefish hide under the surface of the sand. If you stand on one and are stung, get medical help immediately. If this is not possible, pour very hot water over the affected area to deactivate the toxin while waiting for medical help. Wearing rubber water shoes is recommended. Do not break off pieces of coral and if scratched treat the scratches, and any other cuts, with an antiseptic to prevent them becoming infected. Other exotic but dangerous creatures are the deadly shells of the cone family and the lionfish which has poisonous fins.

AIDS exists in Mauritius. Drug trafficking is illegal and carries serious penalties. There are several government and private hospitals and clinics throughout the island.

Health and Security Advice - Security

There is, on the whole, little violent crime in Mauritius, but petty theft in the form of pickpocketing and bag snatching does occur on beaches and in tourist areas like Port Louis, Grand Baie and Flic en Flac. It is common sense to keep valuables out of sight. Hotels have safes for valuables and documents. Have copies made of passports, driving licences and the like and keep them separate from the originals.

Do not walk alone at night on deserted beaches or in badly lit areas, particularly in the backstreets of Port Louis’s CBD. Keep the doors of your accommodation locked at night.

Pirates have plied their trade across the Indian Ocean for centuries. Now modern-day Somali pirates are a danger to all forms of shipping, no matter how large or small, in the southern Indian Ocean. Mariners should bear this in mind when sailing around the islands of Mauritius.

Emergency Numbers: Tourist Police 213 2818, Port Louis Police Station, 208-7019/20; Police and Ambulance 999, Fire 995, Service Aide Medicale d’Urgence (SAMU) Emergency Assistance 114.

Hotels in Ile Maurice, Mauritius