The island of Mauritius is surrounded by pristine white beaches; A paradise island with world class hotels, fantastic water sports and Spa facilities, superb cuisine, stunning scenery and friendly people. 
Mauritius enjoys a great tropical climate with mild temperature all year round. Winter lasts from May to October with a temperature range of 17 ºC to 23 ºC and Summer from November to April with temperatures ranging from 23 ºC to 33 ºC. 
This romantic paradise island makes it the perfect location for honeymooners and for families looking for a more private and relaxing holiday.

GEOGRAPHY
Mauritius is located east of Madagascar, approximately 2000 kilometres to the south eastern coast of Africa. 
The country covers an area of 1865km with 330 kilometres of coastline. Mauritius is 45km in width by 65km in length.

CLIMATE
The temperature on the coastal areas varies between 22°C in winter and 34°C in summer. The sea temperature varies between 22°C and 27°C. In the central part of the island, the maximum daytime temperature varies from about 19°C in August to about 26°C in February. The western and northern regions are warmer and relatively drier than the East and the South.

LOCAL TIME 
Mauritius is 4 hours ahead of GMT.

LANGUAGE/POPULATION
English is the official language but most people in Mauritius are bilingual being equally fluent in English and French. Creole and French predominate everyday life and several oriental languages are also spoken such as Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Telegu, Marathi, Mandarin and Bojpoori. Population 1.3 million.

VISA AND ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
A visitor must be in possession of a passport valid for more than 6 months from the date of arrival and a return or onward ticket. British Passport holders do not need a visa to enter Mauritius. All other nationalities are advised to contact the Mauritian Embassy or Consulate. A visitor’s visa is normally granted for a period of two weeks to one month upon arrival. 

CREDIT CARDS
Credit cards are normally accepted by banks and most hotels, restaurants and tourist shops. 

CURRENCY
The monetary unit is the Mauritian Rupee which is divided into 100. One GBP is worth about MR50.

ELECTRICITY
220 volts 

CUSTOMS
Passengers over 18 years of age may import the following duty-free items: 250 grams of tobacco (including cigars and cigarettes), 1 litre of spirits, 2 litres of wine, ale or beer, one quarter litre of Eau de Toilette and perfume not exceeding 100 ml.
Drug trafficking is illegal and carries very heavy penalties.

DUTY FREE 
Duty-free goods can be bought at accredited shops and will be delivered to the customs desk at the airport or the Chamber of Industry and Commerce’s desk.
Visitors returning home can claim a VAT refund at the airport by showing a receipt and goods bought. 

DRIVING
People in Mauritius drive on the left-hand side of the road and give way to the right. 

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
There are 15 public holidays every year. Seven of them are fixed holidays: January 1st & 2nd, 1st February, 12th March, 1st May, 2nd November and 25th December. The remaining public holidays are religious festivals which dates vary from one year to another.

ELECTRICITY
220 volts 

HEALTH
No mandatory vaccinations are required. However a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for travellers over 1 year of age who arrive from areas where yellow fever cases are reported.

NUDISM
Nudism and topless sunbathing are frowned upon on public beaches. No hotel permits nude sunbathing on beaches. 
WHAT TO WEAR
Take your best beach and casual wear. In the winter months (June -September), carry some light woollen clothing for the cool evenings.
Please show due respect when visiting religious places. Wear appropriate clothing (and remove leather shoes and belts) when entering the premises. 

WORKING HOURS
Private Sector: Monday to Friday: 8.30 am-4.15 pm Saturday: 9am-noon (Some offices)
Public Sector: Monday to Friday: 9 am - 4 pm
Saturday: 9 am - noon (Skeleton service). 

SECURITY 
A tourist police service has been set up to ensure security in tourist zones. 
The following essential pieces of advice are meant for you: 
Keep an eye on your personal belongings at all times.
Be careful when withdrawing money from a cash point.
Avoid wearing expensive jewellery.
Do not leave anything inside your car.
(For trips or purchases) use only recognised operators or suppliers.
Keep your passports, plane tickets, jewellery of value and large sums of money in safe custody. 
For sea excursions, do not rent boats with inadequate security standards.
Do not swim in forbidden areas.
PRECAUTIONS
There are no poisonous reptiles or dangerous animals on the island. However, some little creatures can inflict very serious stings:
Sea Urchins:
Avoid walking on them, they are very hard to remove once embedded in your foot and can be infectious.
Stone Fish:
Lies motionless on the sandy bottom of the sea. If you walk on one, you should be treated urgently as the venom can be fatal.
Lionfish:
This red and white slow moving fish has poisonous fins and should not be touched.