Mauritius

Mauritius had no indigenous human population. Arab and Malay sailors knew it, the Portuguese charted it in the early 1500s, and the Dutch settled it in 1638, naming it after Maurice of Nassau, introducing sugarcane and deer, and exterminating the dodo within a few decades before abandoning the island in 1710. The French took it in 1715 as Isle de France, and Mahe de Labourdonnais built Port Louis into a working naval base and plantation economy powered by enslaved people from Madagascar and East Africa. Britain captured the island in 1810 and kept it at the Treaty of Paris in 1814, retaining French civil law, the language and the Catholic church - which is why a British colony still feels French.

The decisive event for modern Mauritius was the abolition of slavery in 1835 and the indentured labour system that replaced it. Between 1834 and 1920 around 450,000 indentured workers arrived from India through the Aapravasi Ghat immigration depot in Port Louis, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and their descendants became the majority of the population. Le Morne Brabant, also UNESCO-listed, is where escaped slaves took refuge and, according to the tradition, threw themselves from the cliff rather than be recaptured when a party arrived in 1835 to tell them they were free. Independence came on 12 March 1968 and the country became a republic in 1992. Sugar gave way to textiles, then to tourism and offshore finance, and Mauritius is now among the most prosperous and stable countries in Africa.

Mauritius is a volcanic island about 65 km north to south and 45 km east to west, surrounded by one of the world's most complete fringing coral reefs, which is why the lagoon is calm and shallow almost everywhere and why the beaches work. The interior rises to a central plateau at 300-600 metres, with the Black River Gorges National Park covering the last significant native forest in the south-west and Piton de la Petite Riviere Noire the highest point at 828 metres. The south coast is the exception to the reef - at Gris Gris and Le Souffleur the reef breaks and the open Indian Ocean hits basalt cliffs directly, which is spectacular and completely unswimmable. The island of Rodrigues lies 560 km east, and Reunion is 220 km south-west.

Distances are short and the motorway network is good, so everything is a day trip. From Grand Baie in the north: Port Louis 30 minutes, Belle Mare on the east coast 60 minutes, Chamarel and the Seven Coloured Earths 75 minutes, Le Morne 70 minutes, Blue Bay and the airport 70-80 minutes. From Belle Mare: Trou d'Eau Douce and the Ile aux Cerfs jetty 15 minutes, Port Louis 50 minutes, Ganga Talao 60 minutes. From Flic en Flac on the west: Casela 15 minutes, Chamarel 45 minutes, Port Louis 35 minutes. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport sits in the south-east at Plaine Magnien: 20 minutes to Blue Bay, 30 to Bel Ombre, 45 to Belle Mare, 60-75 to Grand Baie and Le Morne. Rodrigues is a 90-minute flight.

• Kitesurfing and windsurfing at Le Morne, which has one of the best-known lagoon and wave setups in the world and a season from May to November - schools at Ion Club and Kite Globing.
• Diving on the west coast wrecks and drop-offs off Flic en Flac, including Cathedral and the Stella Maru wreck, and at Blue Bay Marine Park on the south-east, at MUR 2,500-3,500 for a two-tank dive.
• Snorkelling from a glass-bottom boat at Blue Bay, which has the best live coral on the island.
• Undersea walking and the Blue Safari submarine and submersible scooter off the north coast.
• Deep-sea fishing for marlin out of Black River from October to April.
• Zip-lining, quad biking and canyoning at Casela and in the Chamarel and Tamarin gorges.
• Climbing Le Morne Brabant, 3-4 hours return with a guided scramble to the summit plateau at 556 metres - the guided section is compulsory.
• Hiking Black River Gorges, Tamarin Falls and the seven cascades.
• Skydiving over the north coast at Mon Choisy.
• Dolphin swimming at Tamarin, done at 6.30am and only with an operator who keeps the boat at a distance.

• Everything on this island is a day trip from anywhere.
• The south-west circuit is the strongest single day: Chamarel Seven Coloured Earths and the 100-metre waterfall, the Rhumerie de Chamarel for a tasting, Black River Gorges and the Alexandra Falls viewpoint, then Ganga Talao (Grand Bassin) with the 33-metre Mangal Mahadev Shiva statue, finishing at Gris Gris on the wild south coast.
• The north-east day: Port Louis Central Market and Aapravasi Ghat in the morning, Pamplemousses botanical garden with the giant Victoria amazonica water lilies, and the Chateau de Labourdonnais.
• The east day: Trou d'Eau Douce to Ile aux Cerfs by speedboat, stopping at the Grand River South East waterfall, with lunch on the island - book the speedboat, not the slow ferry.
• The north catamaran day: Coin de Mire, Ile Plate and Gabriel Island, 8 hours with lunch on board at MUR 2,500-3,500.
• The west day: Casela Nature Park, Tamarin salt pans, Flic en Flac beach and a Tamarin sunset.
• Rodrigues, a 90-minute flight, is a two or three night trip rather than a day.

• Modest, and clients should be told so.
• Grand Baie is the centre of whatever nightlife exists - Banana Beach Club, Beach House and the bars along the Royal Road, plus the Grand Baie La Croisette mall, and it runs to about 2am on weekends.
• Flic en Flac has a handful of beach bars and Kenzi Bar.
• Port Louis's Le Caudan waterfront has restaurants and a casino but empties after dark and is not somewhere to wander at night.
• Most of the island's evening life happens inside resorts: a sega dance performance with ravanne drumming at least once a week, a themed buffet, live music and a bar that closes by midnight.
• Sega is the genuine article - a Creole music and dance form from the slave period - and a good performance is worth staying up for.
• Casinos operate in Port Louis, Grand Baie, Flic en Flac and at several resorts.
• Rum is the drink: Chamarel, New Grove and St Aubin are the distilleries worth visiting.

• Port Louis Central Market is the one to put in an itinerary - a covered market of spices, vanilla, chilli pastes, tea, fruit and a crafts section upstairs, best before 11am and closed Sunday afternoon.
• Bargain there.
• Le Caudan Waterfront has fixed-price shops, the Blue Penny Museum and a model ship yard - model ships are a serious Mauritian craft and a good buy at MUR 3,000-15,000, made at Voiliers de l'Ocean and Historic Marine.
• Grand Baie's Sunset Boulevard and La Croisette mall cover brands and resortwear.
• Mauritius has a real textile industry, so branded knitwear and cotton outlets at Floreal and in Curepipe sell genuine surplus at low prices - Floreal Knitwear and the Ralph Lauren and Hugo Boss factory shops are the known ones.
• What is actually worth buying: Chamarel and St Aubin rum, vanilla, Bois Cheri tea, dodo-themed nonsense for children, model ships, and textiles.
• Do not buy coral, shells or turtle products, all of which are illegal to export.

The easiest beach destination in the world for Indian dietary requirements, and a major selling point that should be led with rather than mentioned. With roughly 68% of the population of Indian origin, vegetarian food is everywhere and understood without explanation - dholl puri with bean curry is the national street food and is vegetarian, farata, roti, dal, achard and vegetable curries are on every menu, and every resort serves Indian dishes daily. Say "vegetarian" in English, French or Hindi and it is understood; the Creole term is "vegetarien". Jain requirements without onion and garlic need notice but are genuinely deliverable, particularly at the Indian-facing resorts and at the Hindu-run restaurants around Triolet and Goodlands. Halal is widely available - Mauritius has a substantial Muslim community and halal certification is common in Port Louis, Plaine Verte and around Grand Baie. The things to watch: Creole cooking uses pork fat and shrimp in some dishes, Chinese restaurants use oyster and fish sauce freely, and "vegetarian" at a resort buffet occasionally means a fish-stock-based sauce. Ask about the stock. Pure vegetarian Indian restaurants exist in Port Louis, Triolet and Grand Baie.

Mauritian food is a genuine fusion of Indian, Creole, Chinese and French cooking and it is one of the best things about the island. Street food is cheap and excellent: dholl puri and roti from a roadside stall for MUR 25-60 (INR 50-120), gateaux piments, boulettes and mine frite in Port Louis and Grand Baie. A meal at a local restaurant or a table d'hote - a family home serving a set meal, which is the best-value eating on the island - runs MUR 500-900 a head. Mid-range restaurants MUR 900-1,800: Le Capitaine and Cafe Muller in Grand Baie, Chez Tante Athalie near Pamplemousses, Escale Creole in Moka. The upper end is resort dining at MUR 2,500-4,500 a head, plus a handful of independents: Le Chateau de Bel Ombre, La Clef des Champs in Floreal, and Chateau Mon Desir. Most resorts push half board or all-inclusive, and all-inclusive is usually right because à la carte resort pricing is steep. Lunch 12-2.30pm, dinner 7-9.30pm and Mauritian kitchens close early - by 9.30pm outside resorts.

Tap water in Mauritius is treated and is generally considered safe in the main towns and at resorts, but it is chlorinated heavily and the taste puts people off, so bottled water is the norm and resorts supply it. In rural areas and after heavy rain, stick to bottled. Ice at hotels and restaurants is made from treated water and is fine. Street food is safe and is a highlight - the dholl puri stalls have high turnover and are perfectly fine. The things to be careful about are pre-cut fruit from a roadside cart, shellfish in the hot summer months, and raw seafood generally. Mosquito-borne illness is present: dengue and chikungunya circulate, particularly in the summer and after cyclones, so repellent matters. The genuine hazard is the sun and the sea - the lagoon is shallow and reflective, sunburn happens fast, and stonefish and lionfish are present on the reef, which is the argument for reef shoes.

Not obligatory, and most hotels and better restaurants already add a service charge of around 10% - check the bill before adding more. Where a tip is appropriate: 5-10% at a restaurant where no service charge appears, MUR 100-200 for a taxi driver on a long run, MUR 500-1,000 a day for a private driver on an excursion day, MUR 100-200 a day for housekeeping, MUR 50-100 per bag for a porter, and MUR 500-1,000 for a boat crew after a catamaran day. Tip in Mauritian rupees in cash. Cards are accepted almost everywhere but tips are cash. At a table d'hote, where a family cooks in their own home, a tip is genuinely appreciated and MUR 200-300 is right. Do not over-tip in a way that distorts things - Mauritius is a middle-income country with a formal tipping culture, not a place where staff depend on tips.

Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International (MRU) at Plaine Magnien in the south-east is the only international gateway and is modern, calm and quick to clear. Air Mauritius flies nonstop from Mumbai (about 6h15m) and Bengaluru (about 6h), both currently operating. Delhi and Chennai nonstops are marketed but the schedule has been inconsistent, so confirm on the exact dates before quoting rather than assuming. The one-stop options are Emirates via Dubai, Qatar Airways via Doha, and Air Mauritius or South African Airways via Johannesburg, all with total journey times of 11-15 hours from most Indian cities. Air France, British Airways and Turkish Airlines also serve MRU from Europe if the client is combining. Rodrigues (RRG) is served by Air Mauritius domestic turboprops, 90 minutes from MRU, and is worth a two or three night add-on for a client who wants an undeveloped island.

Almost every resort includes or sells a transfer, and we book it rather than leaving it to arrival. A private car from MRU costs MUR 1,500-2,200 (INR 3,050-4,470) to Blue Bay or Bel Ombre at 20-30 minutes, MUR 2,200-3,000 to Belle Mare at 45 minutes, and MUR 2,800-4,000 (INR 5,680-8,120) to Grand Baie, Flic en Flac or Le Morne at 60-75 minutes. A shared shuttle is cheaper at MUR 700-1,200 per person but stops at several hotels and can add an hour. Taxis from the airport rank are metered in theory and negotiated in practice - agree the fare before getting in, expect MUR 2,000-3,500 to the north. Helicopter transfers from MRU are available at MUR 25,000-40,000 for up to four people and are a real luxury upsell for a Le Morne or Belle Mare arrival. There is no train and the public bus from the airport is impractical with luggage.

There is no Uber in Mauritius. The local apps are Yugo and Taxi Rider, which work reasonably in Port Louis, Grand Baie, Flic en Flac and Curepipe but thin out on the east and south coasts and in the evenings. Fares are cheap - MUR 300-600 (INR 610-1,220) for a 20-minute hop. Hotel taxi desks charge two to three times the street rate and should be avoided for anything other than a late-night run. Street taxis do not use meters in practice; agree the fare before getting in, and expect the first quote to a foreigner to be roughly double. For anything beyond a short local trip, a car and driver for the day is better value and less hassle.

This is what we book. A private car with an English-speaking driver costs MUR 3,500-5,000 (INR 7,100-10,150) for a full day of eight to ten hours including fuel, and a minivan for a family MUR 5,000-7,000. Most Mauritian drivers are of Indian origin, many speak Hindi or Bhojpuri, and they will talk about the island's Indian history in a way a client finds genuinely engaging - so the driver often does the work a guide would elsewhere. That said, a driver is not a licensed guide, and for Aapravasi Ghat, Le Morne's history or the Black River Gorges a proper guide at MUR 2,500-4,000 a day adds real value. Book the driver for excursion days only; there is no point paying for one on a beach day.

Do not, and the reason here is not the usual one. Mauritius drives on the left, which suits Indian drivers, and the roads are good, so scooters look tempting. But Mauritius has a high road fatality rate concentrated among two-wheelers, the coastal roads are narrow with sugarcane blind corners, rain is frequent and sudden, and an Indian licence alone is not sufficient - an International Driving Permit is required and travel insurance is routinely voided without the correct motorcycle category. If a client wants independence, a rental car is the answer: MUR 1,800-3,000 a day with full insurance, left-hand driving, English and French signage, and a motorway spine that makes the island easy. That is a recommendation we are comfortable making, unlike the scooter.

Mauritius is not a walking destination and clients should not expect to stroll between places. Resort beaches are walkable along the sand, and Grand Baie's main strip, Pereybere and Flic en Flac village are compact enough to walk for dinner and shopping. Port Louis's Central Market, Le Caudan waterfront, the Blue Penny Museum and Aapravasi Ghat are within about 1.5 km of each other and a half-day walk covers them, though the city is hot, busy and best done before 11am. The real walking is on trails: the Le Morne Brabant climb is 3-4 hours return and genuinely steep with a scramble near the top, Black River Gorges has marked trails from 1 to 5 hours, and the Chamarel waterfall viewpoint is a five-minute walk from the car park. A normal beach-and-excursion day involves 2-4 km.

Google Maps is accurate across the island, including the motorway network and most minor coastal roads, and it handles the bus routes poorly so do not rely on it for those. Waze is what locals use for driving and is better on traffic around Port Louis, which jams badly at 8am and 4.30pm. Road signage is in French and English and is good on the motorway, weaker in villages. Download offline maps for the Black River Gorges and the south, where signal drops in the gorges. The bus system has no usable app; ask the driver. For boat trips and catamarans, everything is booked through the hotel or the operator directly - there is no aggregator worth using.

Mauritius is an island with no land borders. The practical neighbours are Rodrigues, 90 minutes by Air Mauritius and part of the Republic of Mauritius so no separate entry formality applies, and Reunion, a French overseas department 45 minutes away by Air Mauritius or Air Austral, which requires a Schengen-equivalent French visa for Indian passport holders and therefore does not work as a casual add-on - flag that early if a client asks. Madagascar is 90 minutes by air and Seychelles about 3 hours, both of which pair well for a longer Indian Ocean trip. There is no passenger ferry service of any usefulness to visitors. The Johannesburg routing makes a Mauritius plus South Africa itinerary straightforward, which is the pairing we sell most often after Dubai.

The currency is the Mauritian Rupee (MUR), roughly MUR 1 to INR 2.03 and USD 1 to MUR 47.2. Indian rupees are not accepted as payment and cannot be exchanged usefully, so do not carry INR cash. Bring USD or EUR and change at a bank or an authorised exchange bureau - the rates at Port Louis banks, at Le Caudan and at the Grand Baie exchange counters are competitive, and the airport counters are only slightly worse, so changing a small amount on arrival for the transfer and tips is sensible. Hotels give the worst rates by a wide margin. ATMs are everywhere, reliable and dispense MUR, with a local fee of around MUR 100-200 on top of the Indian bank's charge. Mauritius is a well-banked country with a serious offshore finance sector, so the infrastructure is good. Notify the Indian bank before travel and carry two cards on different networks.

Cards are accepted almost everywhere - hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, petrol stations, excursion operators, malls - and contactless is standard. Visa and Mastercard are universal, Amex is patchier. Cash is still needed at the Central Market, street food stalls, table d'hote meals, small village shops, buses, street taxis and for all tipping. Budget MUR 5,000-10,000 (INR 10,150-20,300) per person per week in cash for a mid-range trip. Mobile payment through Juice and MauCAS QR is domestic and not usable by visitors. Keep small notes - MUR 25, 50, 100 and 200 - for dholl puri stalls, tips and bus fares. Most resorts run a room-charge system and settle once at checkout by card, which is the easiest way to handle the stay.

Mauritius is multi-ethnic, socially conservative in the villages and relaxed at the coast, and Indian clients will find the register immediately familiar. Greet with a handshake; "bonjour" works with everyone and Creole "ki manier" is a friendly informal option. Hindu and Tamil temples require shoes off and modest dress, and Ganga Talao in particular is a working pilgrimage site, not a photo stop - behave as you would at a temple in India. Mosques require the same, and Muslim areas around Plaine Verte in Port Louis are conservative. Do not photograph people, especially at temples and in villages, without asking. Elders are treated with real deference. Two sensitivities to brief on: ethnic politics between the Hindu majority, the Creole population descended from enslaved people, the Muslim community and the Franco-Mauritian elite is a live and delicate domestic subject, and the history of slavery at Le Morne and of indenture at Aapravasi Ghat should be treated seriously rather than as a photo opportunity.

Beachwear on the beach and at the resort pool, normal clothes everywhere else - walking into a village shop or a Port Louis restaurant in swimwear causes offence and is noticed. Topless sunbathing is technically not permitted and, while it happens at some resorts, it is not the norm. For temples, and particularly Ganga Talao, cover shoulders and knees, remove shoes and leather belts, and dress as for a temple in India; women should carry a dupatta or scarf. Mosques require full cover and a headscarf. Port Louis is a working city and dress there is smart-casual rather than resort. Evenings at the five-star resorts are smart casual - collared shirt and long trousers for men at the speciality restaurants, and a few enforce it. Pack: light cottons, a scarf, covered-shoulder tops for temple days, reef shoes for the lagoon, a light fleece or jacket for June to September evenings on the plateau, and a rain shell.

Expected at Port Louis Central Market, at craft stalls, in Grand Baie's street shops and with street taxis, and not done anywhere else - not in malls, supermarkets, restaurants, the factory outlets at Floreal or the fixed-price model ship workshops. At the Central Market the first price to a foreigner is routinely double or triple; open at about 40% and settle around 50-60%. Indian clients tend to be good at this and Mauritian traders enjoy it, so it stays good-humoured. Where Indian clients get it wrong is attempting to haggle in a supermarket, a resort boutique or a restaurant, which reads as poor manners in a country with a formal retail culture. With taxis, agree the fare before getting in, always - meters exist and are not used - and expect to negotiate about 25-30% off the opening price. Booking a car and driver through us removes the argument entirely.

Passport valid for at least six months beyond the date of departure from Mauritius, with at least one blank page. Immigration at MRU checks three things and refuses entry without them: a confirmed hotel reservation for the full stay, a confirmed return or onward ticket, and evidence of sufficient funds of roughly USD 100 per person per day. That last one is the reason most Indian refusals happen - a honeymoon couple arriving with a prepaid hotel but no visible cash or card evidence gets questioned, so brief every client to carry a printed hotel voucher, a recent bank or credit card statement and a forex card or some cash. A local contact address is asked for on the form. Cumulative stay in any 12-month period is capped in practice, so a repeat visitor within the same year should have their prior entries checked before quoting.

Currency above MUR 500,000 or the foreign equivalent, roughly USD 10,500, must be declared. Duty-free allowance is 200 cigarettes, 1 litre of spirits and 2 litres of wine or beer, and MUR 15,000 of other goods for adults. Mauritius has extremely strict biosecurity because the island's ecology is fragile and the sugar and agriculture sectors are protected: no fresh fruit, vegetables, seeds, plants, meat or dairy may be brought in, and this is enforced with detector dogs at MRU. That catches Indian travellers carrying home-made food, pickles, dry snacks and prasad, so brief it explicitly. Prescription medicines need original packaging and a doctor's letter; codeine-based medicines need prior clearance. Drones require permission from the Civil Aviation Department. Drug penalties are severe, and Mauritius is unusual in searching a high proportion of arriving passengers. On departure, do not pack coral, shells or anything made from turtle.

Not mandatory for entry but we insist on it, and in Mauritius the reason is as much about weather as medicine. Private healthcare at Wellkin, Fortis Darne and Apollo Bramwell in Moka is good - Apollo Bramwell has an Indian parent group and Indian clients find it reassuring - but it is priced privately and payment is expected upfront, and anything requiring evacuation goes to Reunion or South Africa. The bigger reason is the cyclone season from November to April: a cyclone warning closes the airport, cancels flights and confines guests to hotels for two or three days, and only a policy with proper travel-disruption cover pays for the extra nights and the rebooking. Check that water sports, catamaran excursions and, if relevant, scuba diving and the Le Morne climb are covered.

Indian passport holders do not need a visa for Mauritius. A free entry permit is issued on arrival at MRU for a stay of up to 90 days, granted instantly at the counter with no fee and no pre-application. Three conditions decide whether it is granted, and all three are actively checked. First, a confirmed hotel reservation covering the full stay - carry it printed. Second, a confirmed return or onward ticket. Third, evidence of sufficient funds, which immigration applies at roughly USD 100 per person per day; this is the condition that generates most Indian refusals, and it catches honeymoon couples who have prepaid everything and arrive with almost no visible money, so brief clients to carry a bank or credit card statement, a forex card or some cash. Separately, every arriving passenger must complete the Mauritius All-in-One Travel Form, which combines the immigration, health and customs declarations, before or on arrival - it is free and is filed online. The 90-day grant is per entry, but cumulative stay in any 12-month period is capped in practice, so a repeat visitor within the same year may be questioned or given a shorter period. For anything unusual - a long stay, a repeat visit, a client with a prior refusal anywhere - reconfirm directly with the Passport and Immigration Office before quoting.

230V, 50Hz. Sockets are predominantly Type G, the UK three-pin, with Type C two-pin sockets common in older buildings and some hotels - so a European round two-pin plug often fits where an Indian one does not. An Indian Type D plug will not fit a Type G socket. Carry a universal adapter; almost every hotel keeps spares at reception. Indian chargers and laptop bricks handle 230V without a converter. Power supply is reliable across the island. During cyclone warnings, outages of several hours are normal and hotels run on generators, so a power bank is genuinely useful in the summer months.

Good and cheap. 4G covers the whole island and 5G is live in the main towns. A tourist SIM from my.t (Mauritius Telecom), Emtel or Chili costs MUR 500-800 (INR 1,015-1,625) for 20-30GB over 30 days, bought at MRU arrivals or at any my.t shop with a passport. eSIM is available from the same operators and from Airalo. Resort wifi is generally good and usually free. Coverage drops in the Black River Gorges, in the interior valleys and on parts of the south coast. Rodrigues has weaker coverage. Data is inexpensive enough that a local SIM is worth buying even for a week, particularly if the client is self-driving and relying on maps.

Shops 9am-5.30pm Monday to Friday, 9am-noon on Saturday, and most are closed Sunday - this is one of the biggest practical differences from India and it catches clients out. Shopping malls at Grand Baie, Bagatelle and Le Caudan open 9.30am-8pm daily including Sunday. Port Louis Central Market runs 5.30am-5.30pm Monday to Saturday and mornings only on Sunday, and is at its best before 11am. Banks 9am-3.15pm Monday to Friday, some open Saturday morning. Government offices 9am-4pm weekdays. Museums 9am-4.30pm, many closed Monday. Restaurants serve lunch 12-2.30pm and dinner 7-9.30pm, and kitchens outside resorts genuinely close by 9.30pm, so late dining is not a Mauritian habit. Port Louis empties after 5pm and is largely shut at weekends. Public holidays are numerous because Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Tamil and Chinese festivals are all observed.

• Mauritius All-in-One Travel Form (mandatory arrival declaration)
• Google Maps (navigation, offline download for the gorges)
• Waze (driving, traffic around Port Louis)
• Yugo or Taxi Rider (local ride-hailing)
• my.t or Emtel (local SIM top-ups)
• XE Currency (rates)
• Mauritius Meteorological Services (cyclone warnings, essential November to…
• WhatsApp (how every operator and driver communicates)

• UK-style Type G plug adapter - Indian plugs do not fit, though Type C sometimes works
• Reef shoes for the lagoon - stonefish and sea urchins are present and coral rubble is sharp
• High-factor reef-safe sunscreen; the lagoon reflects and burns fast
• Light cottons and linens, plus covered-shoulder tops and a scarf for Ganga Talao and temple visits
• A light fleece or jacket for June to September, when plateau evenings drop to 15-17C
• Rain shell - showers are sudden year-round and heavy in summer
• Insect repellent, for dengue and chikungunya risk in the summer months
• Proper walking shoes if Le Morne or the Black River Gorges trails are in the plan
• Snorkel mask if the client has one - Blue Bay is worth doing properly
• One smart-casual outfit each for resort speciality restaurants

• Passport valid six months beyond departure, with a blank page
• Mauritius All-in-One Travel Form completed before or on arrival
• Printed hotel voucher covering the full stay - immigration checks it
• Confirmed return or onward ticket, printed
• Proof of funds: a recent bank or credit card statement, a forex card or cash, at roughly USD 100 per person per day
• Travel insurance covering medical costs and, critically, weather disruption if travelling November to April
• Photocopies of passport and tickets kept separately
• Prescription medicines in original packaging with a doctor's letter
• International Driving Permit if a self-drive rental has been booked
• Note to client: no fresh food, fruit, plants, seeds, meat or dairy in baggage - biosecurity is strictly enforced

Mauritius lost its entire endemic fauna once already - the dodo went within seventy years of Dutch settlement - and the island's conservation effort is unusually visible as a result. Use reef-safe mineral sunscreen; the lagoon is enclosed and chemical filters accumulate. Do not stand on, touch or collect coral, which is already stressed by bleaching events, and do not buy coral or shell products. Refuse single-use plastic; Mauritius banned plastic bags in 2016 and straws and cutlery in 2021, and it is one of the better-regulated countries in the region. Refill water bottles at the hotel. Choose the glass-bottom boat at Blue Bay over a jet ski, which damages seagrass. Support the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation's work at Ile aux Aigrettes, which has genuinely brought the pink pigeon and the echo parakeet back from near-extinction, and take the guided tour there rather than a generic island-hopping trip.

Eat at a table d'hote - a Mauritian family cooking a set meal in their own home, bookable through the hotel or directly, at MUR 700-1,200 a head. It is the best food on the island and the money goes straight to the household. Buy from the Central Market and from craft co-operatives rather than only from resort boutiques, and buy model ships from the workshops at Curepipe where they are actually built. What not to do: do not treat Ganga Talao as a photo stop - it is a working pilgrimage site and people are praying; do not photograph people in villages or at temples without asking; and do not treat Le Morne and Aapravasi Ghat as scenery, because they are memorials to slavery and indenture and Mauritians take them seriously. Avoid discussing ethnic politics with hotel staff. Tip properly - Mauritius has a real minimum wage but tourism wages are modest and a day's tip matters.

Do not swim with, touch or chase wild dolphins at Tamarin. The practice has become a problem, operators crowd the pods and drop swimmers into their path, and the responsible choice is an operator who keeps the boat at a distance and does not put people in the water - say this to the client before they book the excursion elsewhere. Refuse Casela's walk-with-lions and big-cat interaction products; the safari drive and the zipline are fine. Do not ride or handle giant tortoises, which are offered at several parks. Whale watching off the west coast from July to October should be done with a licensed operator observing the 100-metre approach limit. Do not feed fish while snorkelling, and do not touch or step on coral. Do not buy anything made from coral, shell or turtle, and be aware that exporting them is illegal. Ile aux Aigrettes, run by the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, is the one genuinely excellent wildlife experience on the island.