Mauritius Island is an ideal destination to disconnect, enjoy its beaches, its nature and its culture. Predominated by three religions, you find culture and traditions of different origins. And it is that Mauritius is currently an independent sovereign country. But previously it was conquered by the Arabs, Malays, later by the Portuguese who arrived on the Island in 1505, although the Dutch colonized it in 1638. The Dutch flagged the Island years later, due to climate changes and cyclones. Later for years the French also controlled the island until 1810 in a battle with the English, the French were defeated. Giving way to the colonization of the English on the Island. Finally in 1968 they achieved the independence of the country.
All these colonizations have left their mark on culture, architecture and traditions. In this post I tell you about what you need to know before traveling to Mauritius.
TIPS FOR TRAVELING TO MAURITIUS ISLAND
CLIMATE IN MAURITIUS
Mauritius is a destination with a relatively mild climate throughout the year. The temperatures are moderate and the occasional precipitations.
Generally speaking, in the central plateau the temperature varies between 20ºC in August and 26ºC in February. On the coast the temperature is usually higher. The north and west of Mauritius are hotter and drier than the southern and eastern parts of the island.
It must be remembered that Mauritius is located in the southern hemisphere, so summer and winter are the opposite of Europe. Luckily, the differences between seasons are minimal.
Travel to Mauritius in summer
In Mauritius the summer takes place between November and April. During these months the weather is hot and humid. The highest temperatures occur between December and February. Throughout these months, rainfall is abundant, especially in the central plateau during February and March.
The best months to practice diving are from December to March. For deep-sea fishing, the ideal time is from October to April.
Between January and April, the probability of suffering cyclones cannot be ruled out.
Travel to Mauritius in winter
Between May and October the temperature is cooler and there are winds from the east side, which is why it is the preferred time for surfers. During the "colder" months, July and August, the west coast becomes the favorite of travelers, since it is more sheltered.
The lowest temperatures occur in July reaching 20ºC
VACCINES AND HEALTH PREVENTIONS IN MAURITIUS ISLAND
There is currently no compulsory vaccination to travel to Mauritius if you come from Spain. However, there are a series of vaccines (the vast majority of us already have them since we were little) that it is necessary to know if they are up to date.
I always turn to the page www.vacunas.org to make sure what type of vaccines they ask me for in each country. However, your family doctor can inform you better on the subject and send you to the international holiday hospital if he deems it appropriate.
The only prevention before the trip that I recommend is to get vaccinated or take a medication for typhoid fever. I am up to date with this vaccine, sometimes the doctor has preferred to prescribe me some pills, but it is essential since it is quite common to be able to eat something that is not in good condition.
These pills are sold without a prescription and are Vivotif. These are 3 gastro-resistant hard capsules. Please, before taking anything, consult your doctor about the alternatives or the best option.
Once in the country, avoid drinking water from the tap or fountains. Discard the drinks with ice that they sell on the street (either slushie style or with ice cubes) since generally that ice is made with tap water and could be contaminated.
However, in Mauritius the care for food sanitation is very high, and it is more likely that you will get cold from the strong air conditioners than from eating something in poor condition.
Mauritius is not a country that has a mandatory vaccine, but there is a series of "generic" vaccines that we must keep up to date and precautions that we must take into account. Whenever you have doubts about which vaccines you need or if you are up to date with generic vaccines, go to your GP.
In Mauritius there are 4 public hospitals, 8 private clinics and pharmacies in almost every town.
Pharmacies open from Monday to Saturday. And on Sundays there are some pharmacies on duty. However, remember to bring a small first-aid kit with the most basic things.
It is essential that you always travel with additional specific travel insurance. Your private health insurance from your country of origin will not cover you 100%. And the best option is always to have double protection that covers everything from any disease, to theft of documentation, lost luggage... The best option right now on the market is IATI insurance. I've been using it for years and it has gotten me out of real trouble. You can access their official insurance website from here and get a 5% discount.
The telephone number for emergencies, be it firefighters, police, or ambulances, is 999.
The international telephone code is 115.
VISA TO TRAVEL TO MAURITIUS ISLAND
Citizens with Spanish nationality can enter Mauritius without the need for a visa, simply by taking their valid passport with them. The passport must be valid for 6 months.
Whenever you have any questions about visas, the best alternative is to call the Embassy of the country, they will explain all the procedures in case you need a visa.
Once you have to apply for a visa, there is an agency that manages them very quickly and from its website, before applying for anything, you can see if you need said visa or not. This agency is called www.ivisa.com and I have booked many visas through this website, always with success.
TRANSPORTATION IN MAURITIUS ISLAND
The best way to tour the Island is with a rental car. Although there are many excursions and tours that are also recommended, the rest of the time the ideal is to go on your own.
Public transport is only established in the largest cities and towns, always using highways or highways. In my opinion you miss small alternative roads and incredible landscapes.
Taxis for tourists are not cheap, more or less a journey of 15 minutes can cost about 25 euros.
HOTELS IN MAURITIUS ISLAND
Mauritius is not a cheap destination. And it is very noticeable in the accommodation, shops, restaurants... In general, the whole island is a good place to stay, although I recommend you do it in the north, Grand Bay and surroundings, it is the best option.
You have some blog posts where I talk about some recommended accommodations for all budgets:
PLAN YOUR TRIP STEP BY STEP
I hope you enjoy your trip to Mauritius and that this article has been useful to you. You can continue reading many more related articles on the blog.
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A hug and see you soon!