Mauritius

A small island nation in the Indian Ocean. Despite its compact size, the island is striking in its diversity: it combines snow-white beaches, volcanic mountains, tropical forests and waterfalls. Mauritius is often called a ‘miniature paradise’, and this is not just a tourist slogan – almost all the natural landscapes associated with the tropics are concentrated within this small area.




It’s worth noting that the island isn’t quite as ideal for a beach holiday as the photos might suggest. Of course, there are beaches on Mauritius, but tourists would be better off focusing on the natural surroundings and exploring the island.


Mauritius is also one of the best places in the world to see whales and even swim with them, which is impossible in most other places. Due to the presence of small children and the need to get up very early, we did not go on this excursion, but we leave useful links (link 1, link 2, link 3).

The history of the island is no less interesting. At different times it was owned by the Netherlands, France and the British Empire, which formed a unique mix of cultures. Today Mauritius is a multinational country where Hindu temples, Christian churches and Muslim mosques peacefully coexist, and European, African and Asian traditions are intertwined in everyday life.


Visa

As of 2026, Mauritius does not have an electronic visa (eVisa). Check the requirements before the visit.

How to get there

There is one main airport, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU). We flew a direct flight from Frankfurt, but this is rare, usually all flights have a transfer in Istanbul (Turkish Airlines), Dubai (Emirates), Doha (Qatar Airways) and Paris (Air France).

Travel time from Europe:
with one transfer - about 13–16 hours
direct flight - about 10–11 hours

Where to live

The winds in Mauritius are quite strong and they significantly affect your vacation. The following map schematically shows where there is wind (yellow line) and where there is no wind (green line).


You can swim where the yellow line is in just a few places, but everywhere else it’s uncomfortable. Whereas where the green line is, you can swim practically anywhere.

We stayed for 9 nights at the Riu Turquoise hotel (booking.com) and during that whole time we were only able to swim near the hotel on one day; on all the other days it was windy. 


Actually, we never saw more than 10 people on the beach, even when there was no wind; for some people, that’s a big plus.


You might ask, why on earth did we stay at this hotel then? The thing is, we wanted to stay on the Le Morne peninsula specifically, as it’s the most beautiful spot on the island. There are hotels within the Green Line, but they’re far too expensive for us – around 800 euros a day for an all-inclusive 2+1 package. This lovely beach, just 600 metres from our hotel, is where we went several times.


The only All inclusive hotel on the peninsula that we could afford was Riu Turquoise, so the choice was easy. Moreover, we did not plan to swim on the hotel beach, but traveled by car to various beaches on the island.

Vaccinations

There are no mandatory or recommended vaccinations for 2026.

Money

We withdrew some money from an ATM at the airport, used it for tickets, gasoline and small purchases. See the current exchange rate here https://www.xe.com/currencyconverter/convert/?Amount=100&From=EUR&To=MUR.

Mobile Internet and communication

If your phone supports eSIM, then there are no problems at all. Install the application and purchase a package there. Activate the eSIM before flying to Mauritius, and turn off mobile Internet on the main SIM card. We used YESIM, it was the most profitable option for Mauritius.

Corruption

Tourists do not encounter corruption

Safety

Mauritius is like poor Europe and not at all like Africa. We traveled all over the island and never once felt any danger. Even on the beaches, no one approached, which was quite unusual after Zanzibar.

How to get around the country

As of 2026, taxis do not have meters, you have to negotiate before the trip. Approximate prices: short trips: €10–20, half-day: €40–60, full-day: €70–100.

Buses are cheap and cover the entire country. But finding stops and routes is another quest. Some route planner sites:
- https://transit.navitime.com/en/mu/
- https://www.buscnt.mu/route-finder/

Car rental

We didn't notice any special nuances, everything is like in Europe, there are international rental services, we booked with Europcar. There is full insurance. No problems on the roads with the police, which is quite unusual for Africa.

Clothing

Mauritius is multicultural and very tolerant, so you can limit yourself to respecting the religious traditions of the locals in religious places.

Tips

We practically had no opportunity to give them. In restaurants it is usually 10%, to the receptionist or porter 1–2 €.

Can you travel with children

No problem, the country is safe.

Drones

From 2025, all drones must be registered (article), but I doubt that tourists do it en masse. There were no searches at the airport and no problems with the drone.

What to bring

There are no special requirements, like in many other African countries. The sockets in the hotels are European, we took insect repellent, but it was not needed. Take slippers for swimming, because on some beaches there are sharp stones in the water. Mauritius is an ordinary resort, familiar to European tourists.