Mauritius Marlin Cup, international deep sea fishing competition (December); Mauritius Golf Open (December); Jockey Club Day, international horse riding show (December); Ganesh Festival (August/September); Diwali, Festival of Lights (October); Chinese Spring Festival (February).
Visas:
Visas are not required by nationals of the following countries for a stay of up to three months: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominica, Finland, France, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kiribati, Kuwait, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Monaco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Portugal, Qatar, San Marino, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, St Kitts-Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Sultanate of Oman, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, The Netherlands, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom (includes holders of British passports endorsed as ‘British Citizen’ or ‘British Dependent Territories Citizen’), United States of America, Vanuatu, Vatican City, Western Samoa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Visas are issued on arrival at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport for a maximum stay of three months for nationals of Argentina and China, provided they hold a Hong Kong SAR Passport, and for a maximum stay of 15 days for nationals of Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Comores, Czech Republic, Estonia, Fiji, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Madagascar, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovak Republic, South Korea, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
Health requirements:
All travellers except infants below one year of age require a yellow fever certificate, if arriving from an infected area. Recommended vaccinations are polio, typhoid, tetanus and hepatitis A. There is a risk of malaria in some rural areas and rabies is also present.
Travel insurance:
Adequate holiday and travel insurance is vital. Emirates Holidays offers a comprehensive insurance package to enable you and your family to travel with peace of mind. Please contact your nearest Emirates Holidays office or your travel agent for details of our HolidayGuard Travel Insurance cover.
We also recommend that water sports enthusiasts cover themselves in case of an accident while scuba diving, water-skiing or participating in any other water sport. An extra premium is required for these covers.
Currency:
Mauritius Rupee (MUR) divided into 100 cents.
Notes in denominations of MUR2,000, 1,000, 500, 200, 100, 50 and 25.
Coins in denominations of MUR10, 5 and 1, and 50, 20 and 5 cents.
Approximate exchange rate:
AED1 = MUR7.89
EUR1 = MUR42.35
USD1 = MUR29.00
Please check the rate of exchange prior to travel.
Banking hours -
0915 to 1515 hours, Monday - Thursday,
0915 to 1515 hours, Friday,
0915 to 1115 hours, Saturday (some banks only).
There are no restrictions on the import and export of local and foreign currency. We recommend that you exchange your remaining Mauritius Rupees before departure. Payment in foreign currency is accepted in very few shops in Mauritius.
Currency exchange is offered by all banks and approved exchange houses.
All major credit cards are accepted in most large shops, hotels and restaurants. Automated teller machines (ATMs) are accessible in major towns. Travellers cheques are widely accepted.
Clothing:
Pack plenty of beachwear and accessories, casual lightweight clothing for the summer, light woollens for cool evenings as well as stylish evening wear for the luxury resorts. Rainwear is advisable during the rainy season (December - April).
Airport information:
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU) is approximately 48 kilometres south-east of Port Louis city centre. The airport telephone number is 603 6000.
Customs:
Duty free allowance for visitors aged 18 years and above:
Tobacco (including cigars and cigarettes) not exceeding 250 grams; one litre of spirits and two litres of wine or champagne; and 250 centilitres of eau de toilette for personal use.
Value Added Tax (VAT):
VAT of 15 per cent is added to goods and services but not on foodstuff and books. Duty free goods are available in some specific shops but you can’t take them with you immediately after the purchase - instead they are sent to the airport for you to collect on departure.
Value Added Tax is non refundable.
Driving licence:
Driving is on the left-hand side of the road. An International Driving Permit is recommended.
A temporary licence is available from the local authorities. Wearing of seat belts is compulsory.
Emergency telephone numbers:
Police (Ambulance) - 999
Police - 208 7018/20
Fire - 995
Hours of work:
Business: 0900 to 1600 hours, Monday - Friday,
0900 to 1200 hours, Saturday.
Shopping: 0930 to 1930 hours, Monday - Saturday.
Some shops are open until noon on Sundays and public holidays.
Public holidays (fixed):
1st - 2nd January - New Year
1st February - Abolition of Slavery
12th March - National Day
1st May - Labour Day
15th August - Assumption Day
1st November - All Saints Day
2nd November - Arrival of Indentured Labourers
25th December - Christmas Day
Public holidays (moveable):
Thaipoosam Cavadee
Chinese Spring Festival
Maha Shivaratree
Ougadi
Ganesh Chathurti
Diwali
Eid Al Fitr
Time zone:
GMT + 4 hours.
Language:
English is the official language, however French and the local dialect, Créole, are also widely spoken. Most Mauritians also speak other native languages such as Hindi, Chinese and Urdu.
Tipping:
There are no rules regarding tipping in Mauritius and it is not generally expected. It is at the discretion of the customer whether to tip or not.
Electricity:
220 volts AC.
Safety tips:
Carry minimum cash on you and use smaller denomination bills. It is advisable to keep passports and valuables in the safety deposit boxes provided in your hotel. Please keep a photocopy of your identification papers handy.