During a period of French colonial rule, which lasted from 1767 to 1810, the capital & still main port called Port Louis, became an important centre for trade & naval operations against the British.

In addition, French planters burnt off much of the indigenous forest covering the lowlands & established sugarcane estates & built up their fortunes at the expense of the labor of slaves brought from Africa. The French ´patois´ - colloquial language - which evolved among these slaves & subsequently filtered down from their freed descendants is referred to as Creole & has become the everyday language shared by most of the island's inhabitants.

The British captured Mauritius in 1810, but gave up sovereignty when Mauritius became independent in 1968.
During this period of British governance, the French plantation aristocracy managed to maintained its economic & to a certain degree, its political prominence.

The British abolished slavery but provided for cheap labor on the sugar estates by bringing nearly 500,000 indentured workers from the Indian subcontinent.

So the political history of Mauritius in the twentieth & twenty first centuries has revolved around the gradual economic & political empowerment of the island's Indian majority.

Today French language is used in the media & literature & Franco-Mauritian descendants of the French settlers continue to dominate the sugar industry & economic life of modern Mauritius. English too is widely spoken, so too Hindi which stems from the nearly 50% Indian population on the island, so in actuality Mauritius is perhaps one of the most advanced multi-lingual nations on earth.

International visitors must have a passport valid for at least 6 months from date of entry.
All international visitors must also be able to show they hold valid air tickets & the required documents for their onward or return journey & in addition, that they have adequate funds for their intended stay in Mauritius.

Upon arrival, it is advisable International visitors change the currency they are carrying to Mauritius Rupees (MRU). The Rupee is made up of 100 cents.

Whilst foreign currency can often be used in recommended duty free stores throughout the island, we would suggest that you consider Travelers Cheques for peace of mind.

If and when considering paying tips or gratuities in Mauritius, 10% is widely regarded as the norm.

Only foreign currency may be used at the outward bound Duty Free Shop at SSR International Airport, so do not save your Mauritius Rupees for purchasing Duty Free goods on the way home.

Mauritius does not suffer from a monsoon climate.
Situated on a latitude near the Tropic of Capricorn, Mauritius has the advantage of a subtropical climate. The climate is fairly acceptable to most everyone & the heat is never unbearable.

Principally there are only 2 seasons: summer (November to April), with an average temperature of 30°C; and winter (May to September) with a variation of temperatures from 17°C at night to 24°C in mid-afternoon.
In between, a temperate period from September to November with temperatures between 25°C and 28°C is prevalent.

The cyclone season generally occurs between January to March. Tropical cyclones are a common occurrence in Mauritius & tend to disrupt the weather for only about four days per year bringing a lot of rain in the region. Visitors should be prepared to spend a few days indoors during extra-heavy rains.

Sunrise is at 05.00hrs & sunset at 19.00hrs in summer.

During Winter, the sun rises at 06.00hrs & sets at 18.00hrs.

December through March is the best time for diving, when the waters are at their clearest; June through August is best for surfing.

October through April is excellent for big game fishing, when the large predators such as billfish & sharks feed close to the outer reef.

The islands of Mauritius are located approximately 2000 kilometres to the south east of the coast of South Africa, east of Madagascar, on a latitude of 20.5°S & longitude of 57.5ºE. The country covers an area of 1865km with 330km of coastline. Mauritius is 45km in width & 65km in length.

Monday to Thursday : 9.15 am -3.15 pm, Friday: 9.15 am -3.30 pm , Saturday
:9.15 am -11.15 am (Some banks only). Banks are also open to coincide with the arrival and departure of international flights at the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport.

Credit cards are normally accepted by banks & most all hotels, restaurants & artisan boutiques & shops.

Passengers over 18 years of age may import the following dutyfree items:

• 250 grams of tobacco (including cigars and cigarettes)
• 1 litre of spirits
• 2 litres of wine, ale or beer
• 1 quarter litre of Eau de Toilette & perfume not exceeding 100 ml.
• A plant import permit must be obtained from the Ministry of Agriculture, prior to the introduction of plants and plant material including cuttings, flowers, bulbs, fresh fruits, vegetables and seeds.
• It is prohibited to introduce sugarcane & parts thereof, soil micro-organisms & invertebrate animals.
• All imported animals including animal products need an import permit from the Ministry of Agriculture and a health certificate from the country of origin.
• Drug trafficking is illegal carries extremely heavy penalties which are strictly & rigidly enforced.
• Firearms & ammunition need import permits & must be declared on arrival.

Mauritians drive on the left-hand side of the road & the rules of the roads require all traffic  gives way to the right. The maximum speed limit on highways is 90 km. per hr & along the coastal perimeter & within the interior, designated driving speeds are clearly signposted.

Visitors over 18 years of age with a driving license issued by the official Government, Provincial or State Authority in their home countries are permitted to drive during their stay in Mauritius.

Mauritius main power system generates 220 volts.

No vaccinations are required to enter Mauritius. However a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for travellers over 1 year of age who arrive from areas where yellow fever cases are reported.

Free public medical facilities are widely available. Private clinics provide medical services for a fee.

Besides a wide choice of local papers, the pick of the major UK, European & US press is available.

Nudism & topless sunbathing are frowned upon on our public beaches. No hotel permits nude sunbathing on beaches. Topless sunbathing is sometimes tolerated.

There are fifteen /(15) designated & mandated public holidays every year.

Seven of these are fixed holidays:

• January 1st & 2nd
• February 1st
• March 12th
• May 1st
• November 2nd
• December 25th

The remaining public holidays are religious festivals whose dates vary from year to year.

A tourist police service has been set up to ensure security. In addition, anti-terrorist law has also been proclaimed. A specific law relating to all visitor activities & corrupt practices has also been passed through Parliament & as such, is strictly adhered to & enforced..

The following essential pieces of advice are meant for all visitors:

• Keep an eye on all personal belongings at all times.
• Be careful when withdrawing money from a cash point.
• Avoid wearing expensive jewellery.
• Do not leave anything inside your car.
• When shopping, it is highly recommended use only recognized operators or suppliers.
• Keep your passports, plane tickets, jewelry of value and large sums of money in safe custody.
• For sea excursions, do not rent boats with inadequate security standards.
• During individual trips on the ocean, always notify the person responsible for the boat house as to where you are going 6 what time you expect to return.
• Do not go swimming in areas where it is forbidden.

Shopping hours in main centers range from 0930hrs to 1930hrs (Monday-Saturday).

Some shops are open till noon on Sundays & public holidays.

Many Duty Free shops & modern shopping centers (such as Caudan, Curepipe, Floréal Square, Happy World House, Orchard Centre) offer a wide choice of products.

Please note that there are no shops open in Rose-Hill, Curepipe & Quatre-Bornes on Thursday afternoon.

Tipping is purely a personal choice, based on the standard of service received. It most certainly is not compulsory.

Mauritius does not observe daylight saving & is on a time zone year round that is four hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.

This translates for Argentine visitors to Mauritius as being 7 hours ahead of the time zone in Buenos Aires, on the same calendar day.

i.e – when it is 0700hrs in the morning in Buenos Aires, it is already 1400hrs in the afternoon in Mauritius.  At midday in Buenos Aires, it is 1900hrs in the early evening on the same day, in Mauritius.

Mauritius has international direct dial telephone facilities to most parts of the world as well as high speed fax & internet services. Note that all hotels will levy a significant fee for dialing of International calls through their switchboard.

Satellite & Cable TV & local TV & Radio are available in most of the hotels.

A value added tax of 15% is payable on goods and services including hotel and restaurant bills.

A visitor must be in possession of a valid passport and a return or onward ticket. A visitor’s visa is normally granted for a period of two weeks to one month upon arrival, to almost all holders of a valid passport, with one or two exceptions. Visitors are strongly recommended to contact the Passport and Immigration Office in Mauritius or the nearest Mauritian Embassy or Consulate. The visa can be extended upon request at the Passport and Immigration Office, Sterling House, 11-19 Lislet Geoffroy Street, Port-Louis, Tel : (230) 210-9312 to 210-9317 Fax (230)210-9322.

Take your best beach and casual wear. In the winter months (June -September), carry some light woollen clothing for the cool evenings.
Please show due respect when visiting religious places. Wear appropriate clothing (and remove leather shoes and belts) when entering the premises.

Private Sector : Monday to Friday: 8.30 am - 4.15 pm Saturday : 9am -noon (Some offices)
Public Sector : Monday to Friday: 9 am - 4 pm