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• Emirates Daily Mauritius Flights: From 16 December 2013 Emirates is increasing its Dubai to Mauritius flight frequency to daily in an Airbus A380. On Mondays, Wednesdays & Saturdays it's flight EK3701; and on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays & Sundays it's flight number EK702. This creates more opportunities for 1-stop flights from Cape Town, Johannesburg & Durban to Mauritius (via Dubai). Flights are scheduled to leave Dubai at 03h10 and land in Mauritius at 09h40. Mr Thierry Antinori, an Emirates VP, said that: "Having brought our flagship A380 aircraft to this beautiful island for the first time in March, we could see how much appeal the aircraft had for our customers on the route. A first amongst the Indian Ocean Islands, it is a matter of great pride to be able to offer this service on a daily basis from December this year."

• 5 July 2013. Air Mauritius resumes Durban to Mauritius flights.

• 12 March 2013. An Emirates A380 lands in Mauritius for the first time:

• 29 August 2012. Air Mauritius announces that it'll be flying between Durban and Mauritius from 21 December 2012 until 13 January 2013

Time differences

Mauritius
South Africa

Map of Mauritius

 

Mauritius - travel info for tourists

The Republic of Mauritius is an island located nine hundred kilometres east of Madagascar in the southwest Indian Ocean. Mauritius forms part of the Mascarene islands, including Réunion, which is located two hundred kilometers southwest of Mauritius and Rodrigues island which can be found five hundred and seventy kilometers to the northeast.

Some history

During the 17th century the formerly uninhabited island was claimed and placed under Dutch rulership. The island was later abandoned by the Dutch and came to be ruled by the French until the onset of the Napoleonic Wars, when Mauritius was ruled by the British until its independence in 1968. The official language spoken on the island is English, but also commonly spoken is French and Mauritian Creole. The current population number 1,300,000 people, most of whom are of Indian descent, but with other ethnicities found on the island, including Chinese, African and European minority groups.

Geography

The island covers a total of 2040 square kilometers. The island exists in an archipelago which lends itself to the azure waters that depict the perfect idyllic beach holiday getaway seen on postcards the world over. The island was formed millions of years ago due to underwater volcanic eruptions which have long since gone dormant. Mauritius’ highest peak is Piton de la Petite Rivière Noire which reaches 828 meters above sea level. The interior mountainous regions are covered in lush forest and the coastline presents golden sandy beaches and azure waters

Towns

Port Louis is the island’s capital city but visitors to the island can also visit the smaller towns of Curepipe, Quatre Bornes, Beau-Bassin, Rose-hill, Vacoas and Phoenix.

Climate

The tropical climate lends the island a milder climate with warmer winters and humid summers with high heat and summer rainfall. Winter is experienced from May through to November and summer lasts from November through to May.

Fishing banks

There are four recognized submerged fishing banks, namely the East Soudan Bank, the Soudan Banks, the Nazareth Bank, the Hawkins Bank and the Saya de Malha Bank.

Food & drinks

Mauritius is blessed with fertile soil, resulting in an assortment of local produce. Try the dholl pori, a thin bread filled with ground peas, bean curry, chutney & atchar - you can buy them in street stalls or at Dewa in Rose-Hill. For a drink have the vanilla tea, which uses the black tea grown on the island & is mixed with vanilla from South Africa & Ceylon tea from Sri Lanka (if you flew Air Mauritius, you can even drink it on the plane). For deep fried snacks (Gajak) try eggplant fritters (gateau aubergine), potato fritters (gateau pata) or cassava chips (manioc goujons). Wash down your Gajak with some fresh coconut juice. Head to Chinatown to buy some fried noodles (mine frites). For desert grab some deep fried sweet potato cakes (gateau patat douce) filled with coconut, sugar and cardamom.

Flights to Mauritius

Access to the island is made easy thanks to the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport and its national airline, Air Mauritius and SAA (South African Airways). The airport is generally referred to as Plaisance Airport and is located just 48 kilometers from Port Louis.

Cruises to Mauritius

There are also cruise ships (e.g. the MSC Sinfonia) that stop in at the island port and this is a luxurious and relaxing way to travel to this exotic destination. This is a leisurely way to enjoy a few days traversing the seas, perhaps from the beautiful coastline of the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, or leaving from the more tropical destination of Durban. You can enjoy onboard entertainments and delicious cuisine while staying in a charmingly furnished cabin before arriving at Mauritius, refreshed and relaxed.

Transportation on Mauritius

Public transportation is provided by taxi and bus services and is offered free to pensioners and students or disabled individuals. A 45 minute taxi ride will take you to the city and the airport offers a bureau de change, a post office, snack bars, duty free shops and car hire facilities. Alternatively passengers can elect to arrive via Madagascar, Rodrigues Island or Réunion Island.

Attractions

The island iself offers a wide variety of attractions and activities that cater to every need. Visitors can visit the interesting Crocodile and Giant Tortoise Park and Nature Reserve, which is located in a lush tropical valley with many fresh water springs that are teeming with fish and prawns. You can embark on a guided tour through the park and can experience the majesty of the giant tortoise in person. You can also view the over 23,000 species of invertebrates that occur in the park while the kids enjoy the Jungle Adventure Playground.

Mauritius Safari and Bird Park

The Mauritius Safari and Bird Park is located in the shadow of the Rempart Mountain along the island’s west coast. Visitors can enjoy a safari bus tour, they can hike through the bird park of they can visit the petting farm, always a rare treat for the younger visitors to the park. The park boasts over 150 species of birds from locations across the globe in a variety of habitats. The park also offers facilities like a restaurant, souvenir shops, a snack bar and a play area for the children.

You can experience a rather unique Segway safari trip or as an exciting alternative you could choose to enjoy a horse riding excursion across the lush landscape that Mauritius is renowned for. You’ll be treated to arrival cocktails and a leisurely lunch after taking in views of the Moka mountains, the plateau the breathtaking coastline. This is a marvellous opportunity to view some of the local wildlife and it is not uncommon to catch a glimpse of Mauritian cardinals, boars, Java stag deers, bats, monkeys and the rare Crescerelle bird.

Quad biking

For the children there is a fun quad biking safari adventure undertaken with stringent safety measures in place to ensure that the kids enjoy a safe tour through the Yemen natural reserve. They will also be able to view the lions and other local inhabitants of the park, including hares, Java deers, boars, mongoose, Macaque monkeys and others.

For the slightly more adventurous traveller there is an all day nature walk that involves traversing Nepalese bridges, rope ladders and zip lining over canyons, rivers and idyllic ponds. The party will stop by a stunning waterfall for a relaxed barbecue lunch and there will be plenty of time for a leisurely swim. You will travel through some stunning natural settings and will have the opportunity to see some of the Yemen parks diverse wildlife in their natural habitats.

The lion walk is a unique experience that allows you to spend an afternoon in a safari park where you can walk amongst freely roaming lions along the banks of the Riviere du Rempart. The experienced handlers will guide you along a pleasant walking route where you can not only view the lions at play or relaxing along the riverbank, but will even be able to interact with the lions themselves.

Just as there is a quad biking adventure for the youngsters, so there is also an opportunity for the adults to enjoy time out in nature on a quad bike adventure through the Yemen nature reserve, which offers 4,500 hectares covered in indigenous and exotic growth like tamarinds, cassia trees, bamboo, pink peppers and more. You may also glimpse some of the many species that reside in the park, from Macaque monkeys to fruit bats and boars.

A safari Jeep trip awaits the motoring enthusiast who wants to view the Yemen park and all its natural bounty from the comfort of a motorized vehicle. The trip includes snacks and refreshments and is a very enjoyable way to spend an afternoon in the Yemen nature reserve. Alternatively you can head out into the azure waters off the coastline for a variety of catamaran sailing tours. There is no more romantic way to watch a sunset than with your loved one from onboard a 45-foot catamaran as you depart Blue Bay to enjoy drinks and snacks out at sea.

For a wonderful day trip you could enjoy venturing out to Gabriel Island for lunch and drinks or you can cruise out from Grand Bay for a breakfast of coffee, juice and chocolate bread or croissants before arriving at Flat Island where you will enjoy a scrumptious barbecue buffet lunch along with swimming and snorkeling in the stunning lagoon on the island.

The waters around Mauritius itself are teeming with life and it is possible to book a variety of diving excursions so that you can marvel at nature’s bounty beneath the crystal waters of this magical island. Scuba dive along the west coast to view a variety of interesting wrecks, stunning reefs, pinnacles, cliffs and underwater caverns. There are dives that range from a mere 9 meters underwater, like the Temple and Stephen Cliff, to the Coral Garden which can take you to 21 meters.

There is also Poison Reef, Whale Rock, Lost Anchor, Stenopus Reef, Stella Maru, Emily and Water Lilly, Silver Star, Flat Island, Confetti Bay, the Iabeddah Wreck, the Tube and lastly, the Black Forest, which offers the deepest dive at 50 meters. Many species of fish live out in the waters, including lion fish, scorpion fish, lobsters, stone fish, dolphins, barracuda’s and even beautiful water turtles.

To cater to those with a taste for the decadent individual who wishes to cater to his hedonistic qualities, the island offers a range of spa’s to cater to your every whim. Indulge in the ultimate tropical body treatment, a two and a half hour pampering session that includes a crystal, guava and papaya peeling treatment along with a relaxing massage treatment designed to hydrate the skin and to refresh the senses.

Detoxifying treatments, chocolate treatments, a full body beauty ritual and even a five hour romantic retreat for couples is available to enjoy a relaxed spa day tailored for two. After a relaxing day you might want to go out and experience more of what Mauritius has to offer. You could dabble in the fine art of archery, spend an afternoon parasailing, skim the azure waters on a water ski or embark on a half day sea kayaking trip to D’Ambre Island. Mauritius has so much to offer the curious traveller.

Visa requirements for South Africans

South Africans don't need a visa to visit Mauritius.

South African High Commission in Mauritius

• Physical address: 4th Floor, British American Insurance Building, 25 Pope Hennessy Street, Port Louis

• Email :sahc@intnet.mu

• Phone number : +230-212-6925

Public Holidays in Mauritius

You may want to avoid travelling around a public holiday in Mauritius or to join in the fun!

• 1 January

• 2 January

• 1 February (abolition of slavery)

• 12 March (independence day)

• 1 May

• 15 August in even years (assumption of Virgin Mary)

• 1 November in odd years (All Saints Day)

• 2 November (commemorating the arrival of slaves)

• 25 December

Floating dates:

• Chinese New Year

• Thaipoosam Cavadee

• Maha Shivratree

• Ugadi

• Ganesh Chaturthi

• Diwali

• Eid ul-Fitr

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