If you plan to take a trip to Mauritius, there are a number of things you should know before landing on the island. Important information about the airport, transportation, visas and even vaccination, among others, if known it could be for your own benefit. Let’s take a look.
Tourists who come to Mauritius usually want to go mainly to the tourist areas of the island. Such areas include Grand Baie, Flic en Flac, Belle Mare, Mahebourg, and Port Louis. But most of the time, tourists may not know how long it will take them to reach these places in Mauritius. So from the airport, if you’re traveling by car, Mahebourg is about 20 minutes, Port Louis is about 1.5 hours, Grand Baie is about 2 hours, and Flic en Flac is almost 1.5 hours. Also, during your stay at the airport it is recommended to exchange some money at the available counters. By doing this, you might be off to a better start, should you decide to take a route where moneychangers are not accessible.
Also, regarding Mauritius airport, upon departure you may need to pay a tax of Rs 500. The sum can only be paid in rupees. You may also need to reconfirm your return ticket 3 days prior to your departure. These are just a few formalities to keep in mind while you are in Mauritius. However, these are not strictly meant to spoil your vacation mood at all costs. Instead, these are simple rules to ensure you make a solid start. Now you must be wondering how you travel around Mauritius. If you want a car, feel stress free. There are numerous car rental agencies in Mauritius. However, most of them may require you to reserve your car a week in advance. So make sure you do a good research on car agencies in Mauritius and if necessary contact them to make your reservation.
Also, due to the high import tax on cars, driving a car in Mauritius can be quite expensive. All cars in Mauritius are right-hand drive, the same as the British driving system. Cars use fuels like diesel and unleaded gasoline in Mauritius. Fuel prices in Mauritius are slightly lower than in Europe. Also, a great advantage of visiting Mauritius is that you are free from any disease. Diseases like yellow fever, cholera and malaria are not prevalent in Mauritius. Therefore, a vaccination prior to departure may not be necessary. The Government of Mauritius has been putting a lot of effort to enable the entire population to remain in a healthy environment by eliminating the occurrence of such diseases.
Also, the healthcare system in Mauritius is quite advanced and most hospitals offer free treatment. So in case you catch a cold, you can visit the nearest hospital for immediate treatment. There are so many fee clinics in Mauritius. These offer a more attractive environment and modern treatment facilities. So it is completely up to you to choose where to go in case you unfortunately fall ill during your stay in Mauritius.