Mauritius Travel Guide: Where to Stay, What to Do and When to Go

Why visit Mauritius

Mauritius is the honeymoon + family luxury island of the Indian Ocean — every 4–5★ resort has world-class kids' clubs, calm reef lagoons, and French-Creole cuisine, at prices below Maldives.

Mauritius is a volcanic Indian-Ocean island 2,000 km east of Africa — Creole + Indian + French + Chinese fusion culture, coral-lagoon beaches (Le Morne, Belle Mare, Trou aux Biches, Flic en Flac), Black River Gorges rainforest, Chamarel seven-coloured earth, and world-class kite-surf at Le Morne. The luxury resort island where honeymooners + families outnumber flashpackers.

• Luxury lagoon-resort island — Le Morne + Belle Mare + Grand Baie + Chamarel volcanic interior.

• Most resorts arrange transfers US$40–100 from MRU; rent car US$25–40/day for exploration.

• Visa-free 60 days for 100+ nationalities — passport + return ticket + hotel confirmation only.

• May–Nov dry cool best; Sep–Nov + Apr shoulder; Jan–Mar cyclone risk; Dec–Feb hot + peak.

• Currency MUR (US$/EUR widely accepted at resorts); Type G/C 230V plugs; tap water safe.

Best time to visit Mauritius

May–November is dry cool season — 20–26°C, low humidity, calm lagoons, best kite-surf May–October (Le Morne). December–April is hot wet season — 25–32°C, brief tropical showers, cyclone risk Jan–March. September–November + April are the shoulder sweet spots — dry, warm sea, fewer crowds, better rates.

Where to stay in Mauritius

Choosing the right neighbourhood matters more than the hotel itself in Mauritius. These are the areas travelers book most.

• Grand Baie / Pereybère (north)

  Restaurants, nightlife, water-sports hub — LUX Grand Baie, Royal Palm Beachcomber, 20°Sud.

• Trou aux Biches (northwest)

  Long calm beach + protected marine park — Trou aux Biches Beachcomber, LUX Grand Gaube nearby.

• Flic en Flac (west)

  Sunset coast, dolphin-swim + Casela wildlife nearby — Sugar Beach, Sands Suites, La Pirogue.

• Le Morne / Black River (southwest)

  Iconic peninsula, UNESCO mountain, kite-surf + Big Game fishing — Paradis Beachcomber, Dinarobin, LUX Le Morne, JW Marriott, One&Only Le Saint Géran.

• Belle Mare / Poste Lafayette (east)

  Best beaches — long white sand, coconut palms — Constance Belle Mare Plage, LUX Belle Mare, Long Beach, Shangri-La Le Touessrok.

• Blue Bay / Mahébourg (southeast)

  Marine park + old capital — Shanti Maurice, Preskîl Island, near airport for arrivals.

Top things to do in Mauritius

• Le Morne Brabant hike

  UNESCO basalt mountain, 3h return, sunrise start — kite-surf spot at base.

• Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth + waterfall

  Volcanic mineral rainbow + 100 m waterfall — combine with Rhumerie de Chamarel rum tasting.

• Black River Gorges National Park

  Endemic ebony forest + Alexandra Falls viewpoint — free entry, easy 2h walks.

• Île aux Cerfs + Grand River South East falls

  Speedboat + BBQ day trip east coast — US$80 with parasailing option.

• Blue Bay Marine Park glass-bottom boat

  Coral snorkel + green sea turtles — half-day US$35.

Getting around Mauritius

Rent a car US$25–40/day — driving is left-hand, roads good, 90 min crosses the island. Uber-alternative Yugo works in main areas. Taxis pre-negotiated (airport SSR to Grand Baie MUR2,500, Le Morne MUR3,500). Public bus network cheap MUR30–60 but slow. Most resorts include full-board — day-trips by hotel car US$80–150.

• Rental car

  US$25–40/day — Sixt + Europcar + Avis at airport; left-hand driving.

• Yugo (ride-hail app)

  Works in Grand Baie + Port Louis + tourist zones; MUR300–1,500 per ride.

• Taxi

  Pre-negotiated flat fares — hotel-to-airport MUR2,000–3,500; day-hire MUR3,000–5,000.

• Public bus

  MUR30–60 per ride — extensive network but slow.

What to eat in Mauritius

• Dhal puri + roti

  Indo-Mauritian flatbread street classic — MUR40–80 (US$1–2).

• Rougaille (Creole tomato stew) + boulettes (Chinese dumplings)

  Local canteen Le Fangourin (Grand Baie) MUR300–600.

• Vindaye (mustard fish curry)

  Best at Chamarel + St Aubin plantation restaurants — MUR600–1,200.

• Alouda (rose-milk drink) + gato pima (chili cakes)

  Port Louis Central Market — MUR20–50.

Practical tips for Mauritius

• Rent car if beyond resort — driving left-hand, roads good, scooters accident-heavy.

• US$/EUR converts well but MUR needed for local restaurants + fuel; ATMs everywhere.

• Cyclone risk Jan–March — resorts refund + relocate; check travel insurance covers weather.

How long to stay and what it costs

Most travelers spend 7–10 days in Mauritius. Compare live hotel rates for your exact dates before fixing the length of your trip — shoulder-season nights in Mauritius are often materially cheaper than peak weeks.