Your Mauritius! An info snapshot
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Your Mauritius ! An info snapshot Climate: The temperature on the coastal areas varies between 22° C in winter and 34° C in summer. The sea temperature varies between 22° C and 27° C. Culture: Mauritius is a blend of diverse cultures and religions. The population consists of Hindus, Creole, Chinese, Muslims and Europeans. Language: Most people in Mauritius are bilingual and are equally fluent in English and French. Creole and French are the main languages spoken everyday including several oriental languages. Visa & entry requirements: 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. 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. Currency: The monetary unit is the Mauritian Rupee (Rs.) which is divided into 100 cents (cs). Credit Cards: Credit cards are normally accepted by banks and most hotels, restaurants and tourist shops.
Banking hours: Monday to Thursday: 9.15 am - 3.15 p.m., Friday: 9.15 am - 3.30 p.m., Saturday: 9.15 a.m. - 11.15 am. Banks are also open to coincide with the arrival and departure of international flights at the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport. Driving: People in Mauritius drive on the left-hand side of the road and give way to the right. Electricity: 220 volts. Emergency: Police(ambulance) :999, Police : 208 7018 / 20 Fire: 995, Samu (Service d’Aide Medicale d’Urgence): 114 Medical services: Free public medical facilities are widely available. Private clinics provide medical services for a fee. Health: No vaccinations are required. However a yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for travelers over 1 year of age who arrive from areas where yellow fever cases are reported. Nudism: Nudism and topless sunbathing are frowned upon on public beaches. No hotel permits nude sunbathing on beaches. Topless sunbathing is sometimes tolerated. Shopping: Shopping hours in main cities range from 9.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m. (Monday - Saturday). Some shops are open till noon on Sundays and public holidays. Many duty free shops and modern shopping centres (Caudan, Curepipe, Floréal Square, Happy World House, and Orchard Centre) offer a wide choice of products. Please note that there are no shops open in Rose-Hill, Curepipe and Quatre-Bornes on Thursday afternoon.
