Tax-free purchase
Before we talk about souvenirs, you should know that you can save up to 15% on purchases in over 1,000 shops displaying the Tax Refund logo. From a minimum amount of Rs 2,300, any purchase in a Tax Refund shop allows you to recover the VAT. All you need to do is ask for a receipt from Vat Paid Supplies to Visitors at the checkout, provide your passport number and details of your return flight. Once at the airport and before checking in your luggage, you must declare your purchases at the customs office located in the departure hall - MRA Customs. Once through immigration control, present your receipt at the MCCI Tax Refund counter and collect your refund in dollars, pounds or euros. On the website: www.taxfreeshopping.mu, you will find all the practical information on this refund, as well as a list of all the shops offering tax-free shopping, including a list entitled "Mauritius Creative".
The jewels
There is a real tradition of jewellery and goldsmithing in Mauritius: from luxury jewellery in 22-carat gold (very pure gold often found in India and Asia) made by big houses, to unique creations by great local designers like Ravior, through costume jewellery made with less noble but more original materials such as shells, wood or recycled plastics. Diamond cutting is another speciality mastered by local jewellers with particularly interesting prices for Europeans, notably at Adamas. It's the perfect opportunity to seal or celebrate a love with a sparkling gift!
Model ships
This specific craft has been one of the jewels of the island since the 1960s. At that time, the French Embassy, seduced by the skill of the Mauritian wood craftsmen, decided to entrust a cabinetmaker by the name of José Ramar with the realization of a model according to plan. Today, Mauritius is the world leader in the manufacture and export of model ships. The major companies are located in Floréal-Curepipe and Goodlands, the stronghold of Historic Marine, the largest factory on the island. You can find models of all styles in all price ranges, up to 4,000 euros for certain creations in teak or camphor. But you can buy a nice small model from 200 euros. Beware, in addition to the initial price, for large formats, there is the cost of transporting this fragile and cumbersome souvenir. If you don't want to risk breakage, local companies are experienced in shipping.
Gourmet products
It is impossible to leave Mauritius without shopping for gourmet products. Among the must-haves: sugar, spices, vanilla, tea and rum (which will be the subject of a special paragraph). These products are sold all over the island: from supermarkets to local markets which are always more authentic and pleasant to visit, but sometimes more expensive and less reliable about the origin of the products.
At the Village Boutik of the Museum of the Adventure of Sugar in Beau Plan, you will discover that there is not only one sugar cane, but that it is declined in twelve exceptional unrefined sugars with surprising natural flavors: the special sugars.
As for spices, they are everywhere in the kitchen. Bright colors, bewitching flavors, they are spread out in bulk on the markets. Cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, chilli pepper (especially Rodrigues chilli pepper which is easily found in Mauritius)... an assortment will allow you to put some sunshine in your dishes.
For vanilla, be careful about the origin and quality of the beans sold. The ones from Madagascar are good, but you might as well buy local vanilla like the one from Saint Aubin.
The Tea Route links the centre to the south of Mauritius, passing through Les Aubineaux, Bois Chéri and Saint Aubin, three estates which allow you to discover the secrets of Mauritian tea and to taste the different flavours on offer. Other very popular teas are Corson tea and Kuanfu Tea's fermented black tea.Rum
When a Frenchman thinks of rum, he first thinks of the West Indies, then of Reunion Island, but not necessarily of Mauritius. And yet, the reputation of Mauritian rum, until now reserved for connoisseurs, is growing along with the exports of this product which has become of prime importance for the local economy. The history of rum in Mauritius began in the 19th century with the French and English colonists who wanted to diversify the use of sugar cane. It was in the early 2000s, thanks to a change in the law allowing distillation at lower alcohol levels and thus making more aromatic rums, that production took off. Nowadays, 6 large distilleries produce traditional rum, agricultural rum and the famous arranged or spiced rums: Chamarel, Labourdonnais, Saint Aubin, Grays (New Grove brand), Oxenham and Medine (Penny Blue and Pink Pigeon brands), the oldest distillery in operation on the island. It is possible to visit and taste, in moderation of course. And for the adventurous, some bars serve local rums with a high alcohol content and less aromatic..
Textile
Textile production has been one of the pillars of the Mauritian economy and remains a dynamic sector with a diversified offer. Colourful fabrics for the folk skirts of the sega dancers, saris for the traditional outfits, multicoloured pareos, beach and surf wear, not forgetting the inevitable tee-shirt with the dodo image, you are all dressed up for summer!
Basketry
Basketry is a traditional ancestral activity in Mauritius and especially in Rodrigues where it is particularly renowned. Whoever has not bought a basket or a hat made of woven vacoas in a bazaar has never set foot in these islands. The vacoas, an endemic plant with flexible and resistant leaves, has allowed women to weave the most beautiful objects at a lower cost. In Rodrigues, the woven basket is almost obligatory since plastic is forbidden in the island.
