Mauritius Travel Overview

GENERAL

Official name of the state

Republic of Mauritius

Capital

Port Louis.

Geography

According to a2zgov, Mauritius is located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar and approx. 3000 km southeast of the African coast. Wide, fertile plains rise from the coast where sugar cane, bananas and tea are grown. The island of Rodrigues is 500 km to the east. In the northeast are the Cargados-Carajos banks and 900 km north is the island of Agalega.

Government

Republic (in the Commonwealth) since 1968. Constitution from 1968, last amendment in 1992. Unicameral parliament with 70 members. Independent since 1968 (former British colony).

Head of state

Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, since June 2015.

Head of government

Pravind Jugnauth, since January 2017.

Electricity

230 V, 50 Hz. Adapter required.

Time zone

Mauritius Time: CET +5

TRAVEL WARNING

Country-specific safety instructions

Crime As an attractive travel destination, Mauritius is experiencing increasing tourism. Nevertheless, travelers in Mauritius are recommended to avoid critical areas, especially poorer residential areas and lonely beach areas, because criminal attacks on tourists can also occur in Mauritius. The markets in Port Louis, Grand Baie and Flic en Flac are especially warned about pickpockets. When exchanging larger amounts of money after leaving the bank, you should be careful about robberies. In hotels, too, it is advisable to always lock valuables in such a way that they cannot be accessed by third parties.

Mauritius Travel Overview

MONEY

Currency

1 Mauritius rupee = 100 cents. Currency abbreviation: Re, MUR (ISO code). Banknotes are available in values of 2000, 1000, 500, 200, 100, 50 and 25 MUR. Coins to the value of 10, 5 and 1 MUR as well as 50, 20, 5 and 1 cents.

Credit cards

MasterCard, Visa, Diners Club and American Express are accepted in most hotels, banks, restaurants and tourist shops. Details from the issuer of the credit card in question.

ATMs

ec / Maestro card / Sparcard
cards with the Cirrus or Maestro symbol are accepted throughout Europe and worldwide. Further information from banks and credit institutes. ATMs are not only in banks but also in exchange offices. EC cards usually also work with cashless payments.

Attention: Travelers who pay with their bank customer card abroad and want to withdraw money should find out about the options for using their card from their bank prior to departure.

Bank opening times

Mon-Fri 9 am-3pm; some banks are open on Sat 9.15-11.15am. At Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, the opening times are linked to the departure and arrival times of international flights.

Foreign exchange regulations

Unrestricted import and export of local currency. Unrestricted import of foreign currencies; Obligation to declare higher amounts that want to be exported again. Export of foreign currencies only up to the amount declared, minus the exchanged amounts. Cash payments over 500,000 rupees (approx. € 10,000) and cash deposits at banks are prohibited.

Currency Exchange

Money (euros and US dollars) can be changed in exchange offices (which often have long opening hours), banks, hotels and at the airport.

LANGUAGE

Overview

The official languages are English (business language) and French (language of education). Furthermore, Mauritian (French Creole), Indian languages and Chinese are spoken.

 

DUTY-FREE SHOPPING

Overview

The following articles can be imported into Mauritius duty-free (people aged 18 and over):

250 g tobacco products;
2 liters of wine or beer;
1 l of spirits;

Gifts worth up to 7,500 MUR.

Prohibited imports

Weapons, plants, food, drugs (death penalty), cigarette paper, offensive or pornographic publications and films, harpoon fishing equipment and medicines (medical prescription required).

ECONOMY

Business etiquette

Safari suits are often worn in business circles. Appointments should be made in advance. Many business people speak English.

Business hours:
Mon-Fri 9.30 a.m.-4 p.m., Sat 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Authorities: Mon-Fri 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Economy

Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Chamber of Commerce)
3 Royal Street, Port Louis
Tel: 208 33 01
Internet: www.mcci.org

Business contacts

Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Chamber of Commerce)
3 Royal Street, Port Louis
Tel: 208 33 01
Internet: www.mcci.org

COMMUNICATION

Phone

Dial-up remote service.

Phone

Dial-up remote service.

Cellphone

GSM 900. Cellular companies include Cellplus Mobile Comms (Internet: www.gocellplus.com) and Emtel (Internet: www.emtel-ltd.com).

Internet

The main providers are Telecom Plus (Internet: www.servihoo.com), Mauritius Network (MNS), MauriNet and Mauritius Telecom (Internet: http://mt.intnet.mu). Internet cafes can be found in Phoenix, Vaoas, and other major cities. Many hotels also offer access to the Internet. Wireless internet access is becoming more widespread across the island.

Post Office

Airmail to Europe takes around 5 days, and 4-6 weeks by sea. Post office opening times: Mon-Fri 9 a.m.-11 a.m. and 12 p.m.-4 p.m. and Sat 9 a.m.-11 a.m.

Radio

Since the use of shortwave frequencies changes several times over the course of a year, it is advisable to contact Deutsche Welle customer service directly (Tel: (+49) (0228) 429 32 08. Internet: www.dw-world.de) to request.

SHOP

Overview

Decorative articles, jewelery made of shells, gold and Chinese and Indian jade, teak woodwork, textiles and ceramics.

Shop opening times:
Port Louis: Mon-Fri 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Curepipe, Quatre Bornes and Rose Hill: Mon-Wed, Fri and Sat 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Thurs and Sun 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

NIGHTLIFE

Introduction

There are discos and nightclubs mainly in Port Louis and Grand Baie. Rivière Noire is a Creole fishing district where you can often see Sega dancing on Saturday evenings. Sega dance groups also perform in the hotels. The hotel casinos are becoming increasingly popular.

CULINARY

CULTURE

Religion

48% Hindus, 23.6% Christians, 16.6% Muslims; Buddhist minority.

Social rules of conduct

Manners: Shake hands to greet you. When inviting you should bring a small gift and try to respect the traditions of the hosts, which can vary greatly depending on your religion.

Clothing: Casual clothing is common, evening wear is only expected on certain social occasions.

Tip:
10% service charge is common in hotels and restaurants. Taxi drivers also expect a small tip.

CLIMATE

Best travel time

Warm climate on the coast (especially from January to April), coolest and driest from June to September. Cyclones can occur from December to February.

COUNTRY DATA

Area code +230 Area (square km) 2040 Population 1339 827 Population density (per square km) 657 Population in 2015 Member of the EU No main emergency number 114

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