Mauritius

Mauritius is a beach destination. That is not a criticism; it is what the island does well, and it does it with better food and more variety than most places that do the same thing. A reef encircles almost the whole coast, which means calm, shallow, swimmable water rather than surf.

It is not a safari destination. There are no large wild mammals here. What wildlife there is comes in the form of endemic birds, some of them brought back from the edge of extinction, and they live in one national park in the southwest. If you want animals, Mauritius is the beach week you add to a mainland safari in Kenya, Tanzania or South Africa. It does not replace one.

The island is about 65 km by 45 km, so nothing is far in kilometres. Roads are slow and the motorway through Port Louis backs up badly at rush hour, so allow more time than the map suggests. Airport to the northern beaches is around an hour and a quarter.

The coasts differ. The east is windier, with the best lagoon colour and a rougher feel. The north around Grand Baie is the busiest, with the most restaurants and nightlife. The west is the most sheltered and the driest. The south is the wildest coast, with cliffs and far fewer hotels.

When to go

Months	What it is like
May-Nov	The dry season and the better half of the year. Days sit at 22-27°C, humidity is low, and the light is clear. This is the season for hiking, and for kitesurfing at Le Morne, where the wind is strongest from June to September. Nights in the central highlands can feel cool.
Dec-Apr	Hot and humid, 28-33°C, with heavy afternoon rain and the warmest sea. This is also cyclone season for the southwest Indian Ocean, which runs roughly November to April and peaks from January to March. Mauritius sits inside the cyclone belt and gets direct hits in some years; a warning shuts the airport, the hotels and the roads for a day or two.
Sep-Oct	The sweet spot for most visitors: dry, warm, sea temperatures climbing back up, and before the December crowds.
Year-round	Sea temperature ranges roughly 22-28°C, so swimming works every month. The east coast rains more than the west in any season, and the central plateau around Curepipe is wetter and cooler than either.

Before you go

• Most nationalities receive a free entry permit on arrival, typically for 60 or 90 days, with proof of accommodation and a return ticket. Check your own case before flying.
• Traffic drives on the left. Hire cars are cheap and the main roads are fine, but lane discipline is loose and pedestrians and stray dogs appear without warning. Taxis for a day are a common alternative.
• English and French are both official in practice; Mauritian Creole is what people speak to each other. You will be understood in English almost everywhere.
• There is no malaria. Mosquitoes are still worth repelling, particularly in the wet season, because dengue and chikungunya turn up periodically.
• Tap water is treated and generally considered safe in main areas, though many visitors drink bottled. Bring reef shoes: the lagoon floor has sea urchins and stonefish, and sandals solve both.
• The currency is the Mauritian rupee. Cards are accepted almost everywhere; carry some cash for markets and small shops.
• Rodrigues, about 560 km east and a 90-minute flight away, is the quieter, older-feeling island, with far fewer hotels. It is a worthwhile add-on for travellers who find the main island too developed.