Mauritius travel

Summary
We advise you to be alert to your own security in Mauritius.
Exercise common sense and look out for suspicious behaviour, as you would in Australia.
Be a smart traveller. Before heading overseas:
organise comprehensive travel insurance and check what circumstances and activities are not covered by your policy
register your travel and contact details, so we can contact you in an emergency
subscribe to this travel advice to receive free email updates each time it's reissued.



On this page:
Summary
Safety and Security
Local Laws
Entry and Exit Requirements
Health Issues
Where to Get Help
Safety and Security
Terrorism
Terrorism is a threat throughout the world. You can find more information about this threat in our General Advice to Australian Travellers.

Crime
Crime levels in Mauritius are low, though petty crime is on the rise. Most crime against foreign tourists is petty crime, although incidents of assault and rape occur. The rate of crime is higher in downtown Port Louis, and in the coastal tourist centres of Grand Bay, Pereybere, Flic en Flac and Tamarin. Security risks increase after dark especially on beaches, city streets and in other secluded areas. There have been incidents of tourists being assaulted and robbed while staying at beachside bungalows run by unregistered proprietors. The Tourist Police service (Police du Tourisme) can be telephoned on 213 2818.

Local Travel
Some roads are narrow, uneven and poorly lit. Many are bordered by deep ditches and lack guardrails.

Airline Safety
If you have concerns about the safety standards of a particular airline or aircraft, we recommend you research the airline or aircraft through organisations such as the Civil Aviation Safety Authority and the International Civil Aviation Organisation. The Department of Transport and Regional Services has published fact sheets on security for air travellers. When staff at Australia's overseas missions are provided advice not to use particular airlines due to safety concerns this will be included in travel advice.

The European Union has published a list of airlines that are subject to operating bans or restrictions within the Union . The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through its foreign assessment program focuses on a country's ability, not the individual airline, to adhere to international standards and recommended practices for aircraft operations and maintenance established by ICAO.

Natural Disasters
The cyclone season extends from November to May. Cyclone information for the Indian Ocean region is available from the Mauritius Meteorological Service. Information on natural disasters can also be obtained from the Humanitarian Early Warning Service.

All oceanic regions of the world can experience tsunamis, but in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, there is a more frequent occurrence of large, destructive tsunamis because of the many large earthquakes along major tectonic plate boundaries and ocean trenches. See the Tsunami Awareness brochure.

If a natural disaster occurs, follow the advice of local authorities.

Money and Valuables
Before you go, organise a variety of ways of accessing your money overseas, such as credit cards, travellers' cheques and cash. Check with your bank whether your ATM card will work overseas.

Make two photocopies of valuables such as your passport, tickets, visas and travellers' cheques. Keep one copy with you in a separate place to the original and leave another copy with someone at home.

While travelling, don't carry too much cash and remember that expensive watches, jewellery and cameras may be tempting targets for thieves.

As a sensible precaution against luggage tampering, including theft, lock your luggage. Information on luggage safety is available from The Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

Your passport is a valuable document that is attractive to criminals who may try to use your identity to commit crimes. It should always be kept in a safe place. You are required by Australian law to report a lost or stolen passport. If your passport is lost or stolen overseas, report it online or contact the nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate as soon as possible.

Since 1 July 2005, Australians have been required to pay an additional fee to have their passport replaced. In some cases, the Government may also restrict the length of validity or type of replacement passports.

For Parents
If you are planning on placing your children in schools or childcare facilities overseas we encourage you to research the standards of security, care and staff training within those establishments. You should exercise the same precautions you would take before placing children into schools or childcare facilities in Australia.

Ideas on how to select childcare providers are available from the smartraveller Children's Issues page, Child Wise and the National Childcare Accreditation Council.

Local Laws
When you are in Mauritius, be aware that local laws and penalties, including ones that appear harsh by Australian standards, do apply to you. If you are arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you but we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.

Information on what Australian consular officers can and cannot do to help Australians in trouble overseas is available from the Consular Services Charter.

Penalties for drug offences are severe. Drug trafficking risks a mandatory prison sentence of 45 years.

The act of sodomy is illegal in Mauritius.

Some Australian criminal laws, such as those relating to money laundering, bribery of foreign public officials, terrorism and child sex tourism, apply to Australians overseas. Australians who commit these offences while overseas may be prosecuted in Australia.

Australian authorities are committed to combating sexual exploitation of children by Australians overseas. Australians may be prosecuted at home under Australian child sex tourism laws. These laws provide severe penalties of up to 17 years imprisonment for Australians who engage in sexual activity with children under 16 while outside of Australia.

Local customs
There are conservative standards of dress and behaviour in Mauritius and you should take care not to offend, especially when visiting rural areas or attending a religious place (shrine, temple, mosque) or event.

Entry and Exit Requirements
Visa conditions change regularly. Contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate of Mauritius for the most up to date information.

Immigration officials at port of entry require all visitors to Mauritius to provide accommodation details. Failure to do so may result in denial of entry to Mauritius.

If you are arriving in Mauritius from a country known to have Malaria, you will receive a follow-up visit from the Mauritian Health Department and will be required to give a blood test to check for the malaria-causing parasite.

Health Issues
Some medical services are limited in Mauritius. In the event of serious illness or major surgery, air evacuation to a country with state-of-the art facilities is advisable.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has confirmed cases of avian influenza in birds in a number of countries throughout the world. For a list of these countries, visit the OIE website. For information on our advice to Australians on how to reduce the risk of infection and on Australian Government precautions see our travel bulletin on avian influenza.

Your doctor or travel clinic is the best source of information about preventive measures, immunisations and disease outbreaks overseas. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides information for travellers and our 'Travelling Well' brochure also provides useful tips for staying healthy while travelling overseas.

We strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive travel insurance that will cover any overseas medical costs, before you depart. Confirm that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away and check what circumstances and activities are not included in your policy. Remember, if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel.

Where to Get Help
In Mauritius, you can obtain consular assistance from the:

Australian High Commission
2nd Floor, Rogers House
5 President John Kennedy Street
Port Louis, Mauritius
Telephone (230) 202 0160
Facsimile (230) 208 8878

Mauritius is a tropical island in the Indian Ocean. It is situated in the south of the equator and just north of the Tropic of Capricorn. It is about 800 km to the east of Madagascar. Rodrigues and Reunion are the islands which, with Mauritius are known as the Mascarenes Archipelago. Mauritius is 1,864 sq. Km (720 square miles) in area and at the end of July 2004, had a population of approximately 1,233,669.

Mauritius is surrounded by beautiful white sandy beaches, blue lagoons, palm trees and coral reefs. The beauty of the island is overwhelming. Those who love nature will be absolutely astonished by the magnificence of the mountains, nature reserves and wildlife parks.

Mauritius achieved independence on the 12 March 1968 with Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (later Sir) as the Prime Minister and in 1992, it became an independent republic within the commonwealth. The flag of Mauritius consists of four equal width horizontal stripes. In descending order, these are red, blue, yellow and green.



The colours have been interpreted as: Red for freedom and independence, Blue for the Indian Ocean, Yellow for the light of independence shining over the nation, Green for the agriculture of Mauritius.

Anyone and everyone would feel at home in Mauritius. The people (Mauritians) are of different nationalities: Indians, Africans, Europeans and Chinese. The Indo-Mauritians are divided into three groups: Hindus, Tamils and Moslems. They are all united and live in peace with each other. The people are full of charm, very courteous and helpful.

The official language of Mauritius is English but the real language of the people is Creole which is understood and spoken by all Mauritians, whatever their mother tongue. Though, strange but true, it is neither taught in schools not officially recognised as a language, and has no popular written form. The Creole language evolved from the pidgin used by the French masters of the 18th century to communicate with their slaves, also borrowing words from African and Malagasy dialects. French is also widely spoken. The main mother tongue of the country's largest ethnic group is Hindu. Tamil was actually the first Indian language spoken in Mauritius.

Mauritians have their own brand of music and dancing which is known as the Sega. It is believed to have come from Africa. It is a wild, sensual dance inherited from the slaves who expressed their feelings of sadness, fears, hopes and expectations in the form of song and movement. It is traditionally perfumed by pairs of the opposite sex.

The mixture of the island's various races is reflected in the Mauritian cuisine: spicy curries, tropical fruits and vegetables, chinese and European food.

Many religious festivals are public holidays and each culture has been very well preserved without allowing one to swamp the other.Festival of Pere Laval is celebrated by Roman Catholics, Cavadee by the Tamils, Maha Shivaratree and Ganga Asnan by the Hindu, Chinese Spring Festival by the Chinese, Divali (Festival of light) by the Hindus and Tamils, Eid-Ul-Fitr by the Moslem.

Mauritius enjoys a tropical climate which can be divided into two seasons: summer and winter. The hot summer months are from November to April with temperatures of up to 35 degrees centigrade on the coasts. The winter months are from May to October with temperatures of up to 25 degrees centigrade with cooler nights.

The crest of Mauritius reflects its past more than its present, flanked by a dodo and a stag, both clutching shoots of sugar cane. The shield portrays a medieval ship, presumably representing the island's discoverers, and three stylistic trees. There are also a key and a shining star, depicting the country's motto which appears below it: STELLA CLAVISQUE MARIS INDICI .



Mauritius was first discovered by the Arabs in 975 AD, then by the Portuguese between 1507and 1513. In 1598, the Dutch landed in a bay in the south-east. The Dutch admiral, VanWarwyck was in command of the fleet and he named the bay after himself (Warwyck haven).The bay is now known as Grand Port. He named the island "Mauritius" after Prince Mauritius Van Nassau, the stadtholder of Holland.
Although the Dutch called occasionally for shelter, food and fresh water, they made no attempt to develop the island. The beautiful bird, The DODO, which was described as a feathered tortoise was an easy target for the laziest hunter. Unfortunately, it was fat and couldn't fly.



"PICTURE OF THE DODO"



In 1622, Danish adventurers arrived, hoping to exploit the ebony with which the island abounded. The French and British, too, began to see possibilities both for trade and strategy in the mascarenes and sent out expeditions in 1638. Their ships arrived too late. In May 1638, Cornelius Simonsz Gooyer had set up the first permanent Dutch settlement in Mauritius. He was sent by the Netherlands East India Company and became the first governor, over a population of 25 colonists who planned to exploit the island's resources of fine ebony and ambergris, rearing cattle and growing tobacco.

Over the next few years, a hundred slaves were imported from Madagascar and convicts sent over from Batavia (Java). The convicts were employed in cutting ebony. The free colonists came from Baltic and North Sea Ports. They were hardened man who were settlers out of desperation and coercion rather than through brave ideals. Attempts at colonisation failed because there were not enough settlers. By 1652, many left for the Cape of Good Hope which offered better prospects. Other attempts at colonisation failed miserably through cyclones, flood, drought and plague. Food shortages, an overall inefficient administration and attacks by pirate ships compounded their desire to leave and in 1710 the last settlers abandoned Mauritius leaving a batch of runaway slaves bent on vengeance for their ill treatment.

In September 1715, Guillaume Dufresne d'Arsel took possession of Mauritius in the name of King Louis XV of France. He named it the Ile de France, placed the French flag near what is now Port Louis, drew a document witnessed by his officers declaring the island French and sailed away after three days.

The first colonists landed at warwyck Bay (Mahebourg) in 1722. The area was exposed to winds and dangerous reefs, so they moved to the safety of the North West harbour. Warwyck bay was renamed Port Bourbon and the North West Harbour became known as Port Louis.For the first 14 years, the French colony followed the dismal experience of the Dutch. Only the most desperate and toughest of the settlers survived. Their appallingly treated slaves also escaped and lived in the forests and sabotaged the plantations.

The transformation of Port Louis from a primitive harbour to a thriving sea port was largely due to the efforts of Bertrand Mahe de Labourdonnais, an aristocratic sea captain, 38 years of age, from St Malo. The wretched conditions of the settlers dismayed Labourdonnais. There were 190 whites in the island and 648 blacks, most of them from Africa and Malagascar and a few Indians from the Coromandel and Malabar coasts. Labourdonnais transformed the island from a colony of malcontents into "the star and key of the Indian Ocean". The thatched hovels were demolished and in their place rose forts, barracks, warehouses, hospitals and houses. Government house was built of coral blocks, roads were opened throughout the island and a ship building industry commenced.

Although he had to import slaves, Labourdonnais made their lot easier by also importing ox-carts so that slaves could be utilised for more skilled tasks. He turned many of them into artisans. He also started an agriculture programme that concentrated on feeding the islanders and on marketable products. On his own estates, he grew sugarcane and encouraged new settlers to start plantations of cotton, indigo, coffee and manioc. The first sugar factory was opened at villebague in 1744.

In 1746, with England and France at war, Labourdonnais led an expedition of nine ships from the Ile de France to India. There they defeated a British squadron and captured Madras, the most important British outpost. Labourdonnais' actions resulted in a conflict with Dupleix, his superior in India. Dupleix wanted Madras razed to the ground but Labourdonnais refused because he knew the British would pay a ransom to get Madras back. He was accused of accepting a bribe to preserve Madras and was replaced as Governor of Ile de France. On his return to France, he was thrown in the Bastille and even though in 1751, he was found innocent, he died a broken man two years later, aged 54. His statue stands in Port Louis facing out across the harbour. The town of Mahebourg (started in 1805) is also named after him.

During the seven years war (1756-1763) France and England continued to battle over control of the Indian Ocean and the French East India company enlisted privateers. When the French lost the wars in India, they blamed the company and accused its officials of corruption. This resulted in the official handling over of Mauritius to the French King.In 1767, the Royal Government was established on the island. At that time, there was a population of 18,773 which included 3,163 Europeans and 587 free blacks, mostly Hindus. The rest were slaves.

Pierre Poivre (Peter Pepper) was picked as administrator. He introduced varieties of plants from South America, including pepper, and even offered tax incentives to planters to grow them. Under his influence, the colony developed as an agricultural and trading centre. He improved the harbour facilities and the accommodation for both colonists and slaves.

When the French East India Company was wound up, and their monopoly broken, private enterprise became the fashion. Everyone was trying to make profits. In 1785 the Ile de France was declared the seat of government of all French possessions east of the Cape. A French nobleman, Vicomte de Souillac was made governor (1779-1787) bringing an era of extravagance to the colony. Port Louis became renowned for its bright social life with dancing parties for the young and the old, duelling, gambling, drinking and hunting. At the same time, public affairs were neglected; fraud, corruption and dishonesty were common-place and land speculation and scandals were rife.

On the last Sunday in January 1790, a packet-boat arrived in the Port Louis harbour from France, flying a new flag, the Tricolour. It brought news of the revolution in France. The colonists' enthusiasm for the revolutionary principles of liberty, equality and fraternity faltered when in 1796, two agents of the Directoire, wearing splendid orange cloaks, arrived from France and informed the colonists that slavery was abolished. The news was received with anger and the agents had to flee for their lives.

The last French governor of Ile de France was appointed by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1803 to bring the colony back to order after 13 years of autonomy. With such a task, it was inevitable that the governor, General Charles Decaen, would be unpopular.

Charles Decaen curried favour with the elite by allowing slavery and privateering, which were both hugely profitable, to continue.

Decaen founded primary schools and the Lycee Colonial which became Royal College. He extended Government House, created Mahebourg near Grand Port and encouraged intellectual societies and agriculture development. He also codified the Napoleonic laws which are still in force.

Under his governorship, Port Louis became Port Napoleon and Mahebourg became Port Imperial..



Decaen found himself increasingly isolated from France. The British were expanding their influence in the Indian Ocean.On the 3 December 1810, the British, under General Abercrombie, marched into Port Napoleon where the French surrendered. Ile de France, Port Napoleon and Port Imperial was reverted to their former names, Mauritius, Port Louis and Mahebourg. Soldiers were to be treated as civilians, not as prisoners of war and were allowed to leave the island. Settlers who did not want to stay under a British administrator were permitted to return to France with all their possessions.

In 1810, Robert Farquhar, aged 34 became the first English governor. He announced that civil and judicial administration would be unchanged. Those who refused to take an oath of allegiance to the British Crown ere asked to leave Mauritius within a reasonable time. Under his governorship sugar production increased, Port Louis was transformed into a free port, roads were built and trade flourished. He mixed with everyone and encouraged younger generation to open dialogue with coloured leaders.The British also preserved the island's laws, customs, language, religion and property. The treaty of Paris did restore Bourbon/Reunion island in 1814 but the Ile de France, by now with its former name of Mauritius, was confirmed as a British possession.

Sugar production developed into a major foreign income earner and the planters relied increasingly on slave labour in spite of the 1807 Act abolishing it in the British Empire. Judge Jeremie was appointed Attorney-General in Mauritius and arrived from England in 1832 to announce abolition without indemnity to a hostile reception of sugar planters and slave owners.

Slavery was finally abolished in 1835 but not before the owners received £2,000,000 compensation from the British.

Shortly afterwards thousands of Indians from Madras, Calcutta and Bombay were encouraged to emigrate to Mauritius with promises of a labour contract that included a salary and accommodation and a passage home. They arrived in dreadful conditions at Port Louis where they were housed in temporary depots and distributed to the sugar estates. They were paid very little, subjected to harsh treatment and forced to work long hours. These indentured labourers or 'coolies', were slaves by another name and were to form the majority of the population.

Things improved only slightly when an Immigration Department was established in the mid-nineteenth century. In 1872, a Royal Commission was appointed to look into the problems of Indian immigration. Their living standards became more tolerable and when immigration ceased in 1907 and another Royal Commission made recommendations for social political reform, many Indians had settled permanently in Mauritius and indeed formed the majority of the population.

Also in 1907, Mohandas Gandhi (later Mahatma Gandhi) visited Maritius and as a result sent Manillal Doctor, an Indian lawyer, to Port Louis in 1907 to organise the indentured labourers who had no say in politics and no civil rights. Only 2 percent of the population were entitled to vote and the Indians were totally underrepresented.

In 1936, the Labour Party was formed and persuaded the Indians to take politician action and campaign for better working conditions.

The Second World War brought infrastructural development. The British based their fleet at Port Louis and Grand Port, as well as building an airport at Plaisance and a sea plane base at Baie du Tombeau. A large telecommunication station was built at Vacoas, although the first underwater telephone cable, linking South Africa to Australia, had been laid to Mauritius in 1901.

In the election held after the war, the Mauritius Labour Party won the majority of seats in the Legislative Council set up under the 1948 constitution. this success was repeated in 1953. After the 1959 election (the first held following the introduction of universal adult franchise), Hindu doctor (later Sir) Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, leader of the Mauritius labour Party became Chief Minister, then Premier in 1965, holding the post until 1982.

Mauritius became an independent country within the Commonwealth of Nations in 1968, Queen Elizabeth II as Head of State represented by a Governor General.

In 1971, social and industrial unrest led by the Mouvement Militant Mauricien (MMM) resulted in a state of emergency. The party's leaders, including Paul Berenger, a Franco-Mauritian born in 1945, were jailed for a year.

In the election of 1982, the MMM with Paul Berenger as General Secretary and a 53 year old Hindu British-trained lawyer, Anerood Jugnauth as President, captured all 62 directly elected seats . Anerood Jugnauth became Prime Minister with Berenger as his Finance Minister.

In 1992, Mauritius became an independent republic with the Commonwealth.

Since independence, Mauritius has changed drastically from a sugar producing island to a newly industrialised nation. For many, Mauritius was synonymous with the dodo. Much of its success is attributable to a policy of diversification from its traditional one crop industry, sugar to tourism, textile and agriculture. Mauritius has now the distinction of being one of the most stable countries in the developing world. Petites annonces

Mauritius is also promoted in holiday brochures as one of those faraway places associated with the dodo and desert island dreams. It is a country of diverse cultures justifying the tourist office's claim to being " the most cosmopolitan island in the sun" with a smiling, natural and charming people. Mauritius has an almost perfect year round climate and hotels with excellent service, comfortable accommodation and a full range of water and land sports, dazzling white beaches, deep blue lagoons and an enchanting mountain scenery. Sejour ile maurice. 

"TREASURE VIEWING"

Museum Collections:

EUREKA HOUSE at Moka is an independent museum featuring antiques furniture, old lithographs and other objects from private collections. There are also public museums with collections of natural history, naval, historical and literary items, which come under the aegis of the Mauritius Institute. Bonsai. 

This was set up in 1880 to establish and incorporate a Public Institute, a Public Museum and a Public Library, for the purpose of promoting the general study and cultivation of the various branches and departments of Arts, Sciences, Literature and Philosophy and for the instruction and recreation of the people.

The HISTORICAL AND NAVAL MUSEUM is at Mahebourg, housed in an old French country house, built around 1722 and itself having an interesting history. It was in this building that the two wounded commanders of the English and French squadrons, the Admirals Willoughby and Duperre were treated during the naval battle of Grand Port in August 1810. The museum was opened in 1950. Mauritius sightseeing tours.  

Its collection of naval relics was created in 1939 and located in Port Louis until 1942. Also on display are pieces of furniture and objects of local historical interest, old maps, stamps, engravings and water colours depicting the scenery and customs of Mauritius in the past.

The only Memorial museum which exist in Mauritius is the ROBERT EDWARD HART MUSEUM at Souillac. This charming seaside bungalow built out of coral was the home of Mauritian poet, Robert Edward Hart (1891-1954). It was opened in 1967 and contains a collection of the poet’s memorabilia.

The treasure of the Institute lies in its library, a collection of books begun with the bequest of Sir Virgil Naz, an imminent Mauritian lawyer, and formally opened in 1903. It is housed above the Natural History Museum, reached by a stairway at the back of the building, and is free and open to the public. Mauritius Photos. 

In 1905, a reference library of works of local interest on the Mascarenes, Madagascar and the Indian Ocean was created. This collection has been added to regularly and can be studied in the room at the back of the lending-library section. The library of the Royal Society of Arts and Sciences, stored in the building since 1885, is also open for study. In 1947 and Oriental Language section was also added.

The NATIONAL ARCHIVES once stored in Port Louis, are now housed in conditions not conducive to their preservation on an industrial estate at Coromandel.



"TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS"

A valid passport, or an internationally recognised travel document, and a valid return or onward passage tickets are required. Visitors should have adequate funds to cover the duration of their stay. Extension s of stay may be applied for at the Police Immigration Department, Line Barracks, Port Louis, with two passport size photographs and evidence that visitors do not intend to be a burden on the state. The office is open Monday to Friday, 10 am-12 am and 2 to 2.30 PM and Saturdays 10 am to 11.30 am. Aishwarya Rai. 

Holiday rentals.  Vaccination certificates are required if coming from an infected area. Cholera vaccination is no longer required for travellers to Mauritius and according to the recent epidemiological situation, there is no malaria risk. Check with a doctor of travel agent prior to departure for the latest requirements. Regulations are strict, particularly for those arriving from Africa.

Passengers of 16 years of age and over may import duty free:250 grams of tobacco (including cigars and cigarettes), 2 litres of spirits, 2 litres of wine, ale or beer, one quarter litre of toilet water and a quantity of perfume not exceeding 10cl. Mauritius holidays. 

A plant import permit may be obtained from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Resources. All plant material must be declared to Customs immediately on arrival and is subject to examination. Travel Guide.  

 Mauritius hotel.  All animals including animal material need an import permit from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural resources, and a sanitary certificate of country of origin. All animals must be declared to the Customs immediately on arrival and landing is only allowed if certificates issued by the Veterinary Authorities of the exporting country is in conformity with the Import Permit. Dogs and cats undergo a 6 months' quarantine. Birds and other animal species up to 2 months.

Holiday rental. Additional information may be obtained from the Division of Veterinary services of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Resources at Reduit. Tel : 454-1016. For animal and plant inspection and delivery permits, contact the Agricultural Services, Head Office, Reduit. Tel: 454-1016.

Mauritius Stamps.    Firearms and ammunitions must be declared on arrival. A compulsory airport tax of 100 rupees is levied on all departing passengers, except for those travelling to Rodrigues.

Flic en Flac guide.  There are no limit on the amount of foreign currency brought into the country in the form of travellers cheques, bankers drafts or letters of credit. Travellers may import Mauritian notes to the maximum of 700 RS and take out 350 RS. Major credit cards are accepted at banks and most shops and restaurants.

Mauritius car rental.  The monetary unit is the Mauritian Rupee (RS) which is divided into 100 cents (cs). There are 1-rupee pieces, 5, 10, 100, 200, 500, and Rs 1000. Foreign currency notes, drafts, travellers cheque and other banking instruments may be imported into Mauritius without restriction.

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For the latest advice and information, please contact the Mauritian Embassy in your country. Address and Telephone numbers are in the Embassies Section. Further information can also be obtained from the British High Commission, Consular and Immigration Section, Les Cascades Building, Edith Cavell Street, Port Louis (tel: +230 211 1361; fax: +230 211 1369/212 8470).  Holidays in Mauritius. 

 Travel guide.  The crime level in Mauritius remains low, although incidents of theft and assault are on the increase. Visitors staying in self-catering accommodation should be aware of the increase in reported housebreaking. Tourists staying in large hotel complexes are at less risk.

Care should be taken with bags and valuables when visiting the popular tourist areas of Grand Baie and Flic en Flac or crowded local markets.

Mauritius Airport transfer. Some pharmaceutical drugs which are freely available on prescription in the UK, are prohibited in Mauritius (such as the high dosage pain killer, Coproxamal). Importation of these drugs without a valid prescription results in prosecution and a fine. Visitors arriving with prescription drugs should keep them in the manufacturer's box with the pharmacy prescription label ready for inspection by Mauritian customs.

Royal college Curepipe.  There have recently been two incidents in which speedboats caused serious injury to swimmers off hotel beaches. Visitors should exercise care and be alert to this danger particularly outside marked bathing areas.

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