All that you need to plan a trip to Mauritius from India in 2022!

So you are planning a trip to Mauritius and are wondering where to even start? Well, you’ve come to the right place. I recently spent a week in Mauritius and in this video I will share all my secrets about planning a trip to this paradise!

Planning a trip to Mauritius!

In this article we’ll cover flights, visa, self-driving cars, food, drones and my detailed recommendations on the hotels in the end. So let’s get started!

Let’s start with the most obvious question - how many days should you plan your trip for?

Well, my recommendation is at least a week. Mauritius is an island country and it’s not that huge, but trust me there’s so much to see and do there that even after a week, you won’t be done with the island nation. I won’t cover all that can be done in the country, but stay tuned for more videos on that on the channel in the next few days and weeks.

Visa?

This is the easiest part - the visa is on arrival and all that you need to do is fill up a simple form. Actually two forms - one online and another one in the flight. The link to the online one-in-all form is in the description below. The best part about visa? It’s free! 

Flight to Mauritius?

The flights to Mauritius aren’t back to the pre-pandemic levels, so right now there may not be flights everyday from India. The airline of choice is Air Mauritius and the best port of exit, in my opinion, would be Mumbai. I flew with them in economy and I was pleasantly surprised with the services. 

SIM card

I would absolutely recommend taking a local SIM card. There are shops for buying these in the mall, but don’t forget to carry your passport when you do that. I learnt it the hard way so please don’t make that mistake. Here are some of the most recommended ones - My.t, Emtel & Chili. I took one from My.t with unlimited data and never had any problem during my week-long stay there. You get 4G almost everywhere, but it does drop to 3G in remote areas.

Languages in Mauritius

About 70% of the population in Mauritius is of Indian origin, so you might think you can get away with Indian languages, at least Hindi? Well, as it turns out, the language most Mauritians speak is French, and you can also easily get by with English. Some also speak Tamil but frankly I didn’t meet anyone who spoke Hindi, besides a few dialogues from Bollywood movies.

Food in Mauritius

The culture in Mauritius is hugely influenced by two countries - France and India, and you can see their influence in everything, including food. Of course, everything has changed a little bit with time and now dishes from these countries have become their own. Also if you love your alcohol, do try their Rum - that’s the speciality in Mauritius. 

A quick pro tip too - many of the restaurants require men to wear pants and shirt for dinners. Make sure you car at least a couple of them, just in case you are in mood for a fancy dinner :)

How to travel around in Mauritius?

Well, there are many ways to move around the country but public transport isn’t the best options - there are buses but their isn’t as extensive. If you drive, I would recommend self-driving there - Indian passports work and the cars drive on the left had side of the road like India so it’s much easier. Links to where you can rent a car are down below in the description. The other option, and this is what we did, is to rent a taxi and use that to explore the country. Local drivers know their country well, and you can focus on having fun while they take you places.

Ebrahim Tours

Ola Mauritius

Car Rental Mauritius 

Flying a drone in Mauritius

I know we all love flying our drones when visiting a new country. Like everywhere else, flying drones here also require permissions and those are hard to get. Since, I was doing a project with the Tourism Board, it wasn’t hard, but please make sure that you fly only after you’ve done all the paperwork. Also if you are flying a drone in your hotel, please do take permission from them first before your flight.

Is it a safe country?

YES! That’s a BIG and resounding yes! It is a very safe country - it’s safe if you are travelling solo, with your partner or as a family. Don’t worry about it!

Where to stay in Mauritius?

I love this section! I have three recommendations based on the kind of trip that you want to do.

• If you are doing a luxury trip, and especially your honeymoon, I recommend staying at the Le Meridien - it’s right on the beach and the sunsets there are just stunning! It’s a lovers paradise. This was the property I enjoyed the most in Mauritius - a detailed video coming soon!
• If you are in Mauritius for long term, a few weeks to a month or more, I would suggest staying at this place called Domaine de Grand Baie. The rooms here are like an apartment with a washing machine, dish washer, and everything you need to cook your meals daily.
• And finally, if you are on a leisure trip without a high budget, and still want to be close to the ocean stay at Hotel Veranda Tamarin. It’s a beautiful property just across the street from a beach popular with surfers. It has it’s own pool, very earthy rooms and a very relaxed vibe.

----------

Disclaimer: I did this trip with the Mauritius Tourism Board. However, all views and opinions are my own and based on my personal experiences and detailed online research.