Capital: Port Louis
Time zone: GMT + 4
Telephone services: Country Code: 230
Outgoing Code: 00
Emergency telephone numbers: Not present.
Tourist information: Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority. At High Commission, Tel: (020) 7584 3666 Fax: (020) 7225 1135.
Passport information: Required by all. The passport must be valid for 6 months. Passports issued by the government of Taiwan will not be recognised. Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure.
Visa information: Required by all except: Nationals of EU countries for stays up to 3 months. Nationals of Commonwealth countries for stays up to 3 months (Except nationals of Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Swaziland do require a visa). Nationals of Bahrain Iceland Liechtenstein Monaco Norway Oman Qatar San Marino Saudi Arabia Switzerland Tunisia Turkey United Arab Emirates USA and Vatican City for stays up to 3 months. Nationals of Albania Bulgaria CIS the Comoros Czech Republic Estonia Fiji Hungary Latvia Lithuania Madagascar Poland Romania and the Slovak Republic can obtain a visa on arrival for a stay up to 15 days.
Health information: Malaria: Exists in the vivax variety in the Northern rural areas, except on Rodrigues Island.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate will be required from travellers over 1 year of age coming from infected areas. Other Health Risks: Bilharzia.
Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink. Avoid dairy products as they are not pasteurised. Fruit and vegetables should be peeled before consumption.
Currency: Mauritian Rupee (Mre) = 100 cents All major credit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques, preferably in US dollars or pounds sterling, can be exchanged at banks and hotels.
ATM availability: Over 125 locations.
Cost of living: It is possible to live relatively inexpensively by shopping away from the main tourist centres.
Languages: English is the official language. The most widely spoken languages are Creole, Hindi, and Bhojpuri. French, Urdu and Chinese are also spoken.
Weather: Warm coastal climate, especially from January to Apr. Tropical storms are likely to occur in the cyclone season (Dec – Mar). Sea breezes occur throughout the year.
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz. UK 3 pin type plugs are often used in hotels.
Post: Airmail to Western Europe takes approx. 5 days. Surface mail takes 4 to 6 weeks.
Transport: ROAD: There is a good network of paved roads covering the island. BUS: There are excellent and numerous bus services to all parts of the island. CAR HIRE: There are numerous car hire firms. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is recommended, although a foreign licence is accepted.
Special information: Visitors should always respect local customs and traditions. The hospitality received by visitors will be dependent on the religion and social customs of the host. Some prescription drugs available in most countries are banned in Mauritius, so ensure you retain the case for the drugs with chemist’s prescription label on it.