Full Name Republic of Mauritius
Location Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagas
Capital City Port Louis (Population 150,000)
Area 1,860 sq km (718 sq miles)
Population 1,200,000
Time Zone 4 Hours ahead (GMT/UTC + 4)
Languages Official languages – English and French, Other Languages – Creole, Hindi, Bhojpuri, Urdu and Chinese.
Country Dialing Code 230
Religion Hindu (51%), Christian (30%), Muslim (17%), other (2%)
Currency Mauritius Rupee (Rs).
Electricity 220 volts AC, 50Hz. UK-type three-pin plugs are commonly used in hotels.
Visa Requirements Not required when traveling from UK
Approx Flight Time Around 11 hours from London
Health and Vaccination No vaccination certificates are required for entry into Mauritius, unless traveling from a country infected by yellow fever or where yellow fever is classified as endemic. Typhoid and hepatitis vaccinations are recommended. Please consult your GP for the latest advice.
Tipping Tipping: Tipping in Mauritius is entirely discretionary. However, some extra money paid for services, such as a taxi ride, is appreciated. In the hotels travelers can add around 5% of their incidental expenses when paying the bill on departure, if service has been good. Government tax is added to all hotel and restaurant bills and this is included in the basic price. However, all incidental hotel expenses will incur a 12% tax, which is generally included in the price quoted.
Customs Homosexuality is illegal in Mauritius. Penalties for drug trafficking and use are severe, and any personal medicinal drugs should be covered by a prescription. Scheduled drugs, such as psychotropic preparations (e.g. tranquillisers, hypnotics), narcotics (e.g. morphine) and other strong painkillers require by law authorisation before import.