Invest a little time in your body and soul, enjoy a holiday on Mauritius!
If you are looking for a holiday offering world class comfort and service and excellent facilities such a golf and tennis, then Mauritius could be the perfect destination for you. It is no coincidence that many tourists with a taste for the finer things in life find their way here, as the island is one of the top luxury destinations in the world.
A young volcano island with a unique flora and fauna
This beautiful tropical island has an area of just over 2,000 km2 and a diameter of circa 50km. The island lies far out in the Indian Ocean, some 900km east of Madagascar and 1,700km from the mainland of Africa. Central Mauritius is dominated by dramatic volcanic mountains, with beautiful waterfalls and lush tropical forests, which are surrounded by farmlands, where one of the main crops, and one of the country’s main exports, is sugar cane. Many of the attractions you can see on the island were created as a result of volcanic activity, the Seven Coloured Earth and the Chamarel Waterfall. Because of its geographical isolation a long list of unique plants and animals evolved on the island. Of these perhaps the most famous is the Dodo, a large flightless bird long since extinct. This unusual bird thrived in the island’s lush nature, where there were no predators to threaten it, until the arrival of man in the 1600s. Once discovered, large numbers were captured by sailors to supplement their diet on their long voyages where fresh food was at a premium.
Mauritius’ world famous beaches
The island is surrounded by beautiful, white, sandy tropical beaches and coral reefs just offshore that offer fantastic snorkeling. Beaches such as Île aux Cerf are the island’s main attractions for tourism to the island, which is today the primary source of income for this relatively rich country. The climate is tropical, but pleasantly moderated by the Trade Winds, with hot humid summers between November and April, and cooler, drier winters from June to September. That being said, there is only a 4oC difference in temperature between the warmest and coolest months. The ocean waters are always warm - between 22oC and 27oC.
A cultural melting pot
Mauritius has good infrastructure and is densely populated with a population of 1.3 million inhabitants. The people are a mix of Indian, British, African and French descent, and around 150,000 of them live in the capital city of Port Louis on the north west of the island. The international airport, which offers good connections to Europe, South Africa and Kenya, lies in the south east. Read more on our blog: Mauritius- all you need to know.
High season: May to December
MAURITIUS HIGHLIGHTS
- Fantastic, world famous white sandy beaches
- Very high level of comfort and service
- Beautiful nature - waterfalls, lush forests and unique bird life
- An excellent destination for golfers, with prize winning courses
Practical information for tours to Mauritius
Check-in:
Normally you can check in 20 - 23kg (business class 30kg) of baggage per person plus 1 item of hand luggage of max weight 5 -7 kg. Please check with the actual airline you are booked on, as the weight allowed varies from company to company. On Emirates - in economy class - you can check in 30kg of baggage per person.
Hand luggage/ Baggage
Please visit the airline or airport website for the rules of hand luggage and duty free goods.
Passport:
All visitors to Mauritius MUST have a passport with two empty pages next to each other when open. If your passport does not have this, you will either be denied admission on to your flight or refused entry into Mauritius. Your passport must be valid for min. 6 months after your planned departure from Mauritius. For certain nationalities a visa is required.
Vaccinations:
We recommend that you are vaccinated against the following diseases:
- Diphtheria
- Hepatitis A
- Tetanus
There is also a requirement for yellow fever vaccinations for all visitors over 1 year of age, who are travelling from a country with a risk of yellow-fever infection, and for travellers who have been in transit for more than 12 hours in an airport in a country with a risk of yellow fever infection.
The above information is only intended as a guideline, Askari Tours always recommends that you speak to your doctor or a vaccination clinic.
You can read more about vaccination requirements at www.vaccination.org
Currency:
The official local currency is the Mauritian rupee (MUT). 100 rupees is equivalent to around €2.50.
Travel Documents:
Your flight tickets and travel itinerary will be sent approx.10 days before departure.
Medicines:
We recommend you bring any medicines prescribed to you by your doctor with you, together with: painkillers, anti-diarrhea tablets, sun cream and insect repellent.
Clothing:
Generally we recommend lightweight cotton clothing or the like, that can dry quickly and allows the body to “breathe”. Sunglasses, a sun hat and sandals are must have items in your baggage. As the evenings can be cool, we recommend that you bring a warm sweater.
Climate:
Temperatures in Mauritius are relatively hot, usually between 24-31oC. We recommend you use a sun lotion with a high factor of protection, as well as lip protection, especially if you are out at sea.
Photographs:
We greatly appreciate receiving photographs from our customers, which we may come to use in our marketing materials. We would be pleased to receive your photos as soon as possible after you return home. If we use one or more of your photos we will reward you with a EUR 75- credit voucher, which can be used toward your next tour with us.
Misunderstandings/emergency telephone:
If, against all expectations, any misunderstandings arise during your holiday: problems of one form or another, that you feel you can’t solve yourself, you can contact us during office hours (Monday- Friday 8.30-17.00 CET) on tel. (+45) 56 36 25 45 or fax. (+45) 62 20 25 42, or on our mobile no. (+45) 30 26 25 40, which is available 24 hours a day. Our mobile phone number is intended for emergency situations, so we ask you only to use it as such, so anybody who needs help can receive it.
It is too late for us to solve any problems or mistakes after you return home. Therefore, please be aware that it is extremely important that you inform us immediately if any insoluble problems arise. We can only act on any such complaint if we have been properly informed at the correct time.
After your return home:
We are always pleased to get the “latest news from abroad” after your return home. It is actually very important for us, as it allows us to keep an eye on what is happing “in the field”. In this way we can work on developing and improving our tours. Therefor - whether it is praise or criticism - we would like to hear from you.
We hope that above gives you answers to the questions that you naturally have before departure. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us - our job is, first and foremost- to serve our customers.
Askari Tours is naturally a member of the Danish Association of Travel Agencies, The Travel Guarantee Fund, and The Board of Appeal for Package Holidays.
Attractions
The Fauna of Mauritius
Highlights:
- Snorkeling or diving on the coral reefs that surround the island, with masses of different corals and reef fish
- Sailing tours on the Indian Ocean to look for whales and dolphins, or to fish for the ocean’s “Big Game”.
- Unique birdlife, with a number of species endemic to the island, but the most famous one of all is unfortunately now extinct - the dodo.
Even though Mauritius is traditionally a holiday destination for people looking for a relaxing beach holiday, or perhaps to play golf, it is also possible to enjoy the island’s wildlife, which will perhaps be of particular interest for people coming to the island as an extension of a safari on the “mainland”.
Because of its modest size and its location, far out in the Indian Ocean, it is the marine life, and in particular the coral reefs around the island that has most to offer nature lovers. However Mauritius also has a rich avifauna, including a number of species of bird that are found nowhere else than on and around the island. The Black River Gorges national park is of particular interest to birdwatchers. On the other hand the number of terrestrial mammals living on the island is very limited, the only native mammals are bats, and a few other species like Rusa deer and wild boar that have been introduced.
Mauritius is nearly totally surrounded by coral reefs that are home to many species of coral and reef fish typical for the Indian Ocean, and there are plenty of tour operators organising both snorkeling and diving tours out to the reef. The opportunity to go whale watching is also widely available, sperm whales and a number of species of dolphin are the cetaceans most commonly seen. Big game fishing is also popular, and the waters around the island offer the chance of catching some of the giant ocean game fish such as marlin, swordfish, sailfish and tuna.
Strangely, the animal that Mauritius is most famous for has been extinct since the 1600s, namely the Dodo. This large, flightless bird fell victim to the depredations of the many sailors who came to the island to get supplies of fresh meat.
