From the airport to the city centre Mauritius
The Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, also called Plaisance Airport, is named after a former Prime Minister and father of the nation who died in 1985. It is located in the southeast, 3 km from the entrance to Mahebourg and 48 km from the capital, Port Louis. Its recent terminal is equipped with modern facilities, services and infrastructure, and offers upon arrival: a post office, bank counters with ATMs, a Shibani Finance agency to exchange currencies at preferential rates, a tourist office, the counters of the main local receptives (Connections, Mautourco, Summertimes ...), those of major hotel groups (Attitude, Beachcomber, Constance, Rogers, SunLife ..), some cafes-snacks-restaurants, a large Duty Free store, etc. The car rental counters (Ada, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Sixt...) are located outside, a few meters from the main exit door. The building is signposted on the left.
To reach the coastline (= vacation spot) from the airport, there are several possibilities: the private shuttle of the hotel or the rental house, provided that this service has been booked in advance; the bus, the longest and least comfortable solution, knowing that the buses run very little at night and that there is no direct express bus between the airport and the capital or the main tourist spots (see www.mauritius-buses.com for details of buses serving the airport); helicopters, which are the fastest and most expensive way to get to the airport; renting a car from a local or international service provider; and cabs - many drivers wait for clients right outside the airport. Think of fixing the price before getting in (not more than 700 Rs for Mahébourg or Pointe d'Esny not far away, or 2 500 Rs for the north at the opposite end of the island).
Otherwise, for a total transparency and a wider choice, download YUGO: a new and very practical Mauritian application that allows its users to book in advance cabs, transfers or car rentals; the price is calculated and indicated beforehand, you just have to confirm and pay without cash via the Yugo Wallet - several payment methods are possible, everything is easy!
The railway network, which at the end of the 19thcentury had 250 km of tracks and crossed the country from one side to the other to serve the main sugar estates, was definitively closed in 1964. Its only remnant, a simple wagon, is now on display in the Mahébourg museum. It is therefore road transport that dominates, with its advantages and its share of dangers.
Arrival by boat Mauritius
Except if you are on a cruise or if you arrive from Rodrigues Island by this long and rarely used means of transport, you cannot reach Mauritius by boat. This mode of transportation is mostly used to reach the islets scattered around Mauritius, often at a close distance from the coastline - Ile Plate and Ilot Gabriel, outside the lagoon, being the most distant, at about 1h30 by catamaran and 40 minutes by speedboat. Except in the area of Ile aux Cerfs where the lagoon is criss-crossed by shuttles, Mauritius does not have water cabs as such. When one chooses this means of transportation to go from one coast to another (for example to go from Grand Bay in the north to see the dolphins of Tamarin in the west), it is generally part of an excursion. However, it is possible to rent and privatize motorboats and catamarans, with or without a skipper, to go wherever you want. Many local fishermen also offer their services, but always take care to check that they have the required insurance; set the price in advance without paying a deposit and check the good condition of the boat.
Public transport Mauritius
Bus. It is by far the cheapest way to get around the island as tickets cost on average 20 to 60 Rs, barely more in express bus. As there are bus stations in all cities and stops everywhere (look for the Bus Stop signs), you can cover the whole country this way, at a lower cost. There are two types of buses: standard and express. The latter, besides the advantage of being air-conditioned and not crowded, do not multiply the stops and cover the distances in much less time. These are the ones to be favored as much as possible, knowing that standard buses have many limitations: some drivers drive too fast, which makes the trip less comfortable, stops are frequent and, in rural areas, the wait can be long.
Tickets can be bought directly from the ticket collector (bring change) and timetables can be requested on the spot or collected from the websites www.nta.govmu.org and especially www.mauritius-buses.com which gives details of all the lines in the country, with departure and arrival times, and the names and locations of the stops served. You can even personalize your search by entering the desired itinerary (date, places of departure and arrival), the site then proposes the number of lines to be taken, the travel times and the ticket prices.
Buses run from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. in urban areas, from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. in rural areas and until 11 p.m. between Port Louis and Curepipe. The frequency of service is high, with buses running every 10 minutes in urban areas on the main routes.
Metro Express. This is the great novelty and the big work in progress. In order to reduce road accidents and to relieve traffic congestion that has become infernal between the main cities in the center of the country (notably the capital Port Louis and the metropolises of the central plateau such as Curepipe, Floréal, Quatre Bornes, etc.), the authorities have decided to set up a system of light transport on rails between the main urban centers. Not an underground metro as it is known in Europe, but a set of external trains served by several tramway-like stations. Launched in 2019, this huge construction project, which has generated a lot of controversy, is planned in several phases. Phase 1 saw the opening of the first line between Port Louis and Rose Hill. Phase 2 doubled the route by extending the line to Curepipe via Réduit, Ebène, Quatre Bornes. Phase 3 involved a new line between Rose Hill and Réduit, and should eventually cover all regions. See https://mauritiusmetroexpress.mu
Bike, scooters & co Mauritius
Bicycles and especially mopeds are common in Mauritius but are not recommended for travelers in the cities and on the main roads as they are too dangerous. On the "quiet" parts of the coastal road and inland, cycling can be a great way to discover the island, especially since the topography of the coastline is quite flat. There are several rental agencies on the island, and bicycles and mountain bikes are also available in the larger hotels. Superb electric bike rides are also organized in several regions of the island, with a preference for the more scenic south and west - www.explorenouzil.com
With a driver Mauritius
Cabs criss-cross the whole island, it is a common means of transport in Mauritius. You can find them in front of hotels, in the heart of the cities, at the level of the main tourist sites, etc. Quite expensive for a trip (on average 90 Rs per kilometer or 2 €), the cab can be interesting for a day trip to visit the island, provided that you negotiate the fare beforehand - on average 2 000 to 2 500 Rs per day. If the driver is nice and does not insist on directing you to his "good addresses", it is a nice way to discover the country. It is important to know that, in order to get a decent pay, most of the drivers have agreements with stores, museums and leisure centers to which they systematically try to direct their passengers. This "exchange of services" has become so systematic that it has turned into a real large-scale traffic with price wars and commissions. Stores and establishments that refuse to give way to such practices are literally wiped off the Mauritian map. In short, as a well-informed man is worth two, it is up to each of us to be led to the place of our choice. The addresses in this guide have all been checked, and none of them will be closed in the coming year.
Helicopters are the fastest and most scenic way to get from the airport to your hotel, but also from your hotel to another hotel - provided they have helipads, exclusive to luxury resorts. Two companies share the market: Corail Helicoptères (www.corailhelico-mu.com) and Mauritius Helicopter (www.airmauritius.com/fr/helicoptere-maurice).
By car Mauritius
The road network is well developed and serves all the towns and strategic points of the island. A highway(M1) connects Mahebourg in the southeast to Grand Bay in the north, passing through the towns of the central plateau (Curepipe, Phoenix, Quatre Bornes, Rose Hill...) and the capital Port Louis. Cars, trucks, cabs, mopeds, bicycles, carts... not to mention the pedestrians who happily (unconsciously?) cross the four lanes! It is doubled by a second fast axis(M2) which allows to go to the north from the center of the island without passing through Port Louis. Reserved for motorized vehicles only, this road, which crosses beautiful mountain landscapes, bypasses the capital from Ebène to the east and ends in Terre Rouge, not far from Pamplemousses. These two highways are free.
Otherwise, several national roads crisscross the country, and secondary roads serve villages and small towns. An almost uninterrupted coastal road allows you to go around the island by the beaches. No problem to go from one point to another. Of course, we cannot say that the roads are perfect: some roads are winding and narrow (impossible to overtake when you are behind a bus) and, as soon as you go inland, the paved roads give way to rough and chaotic tracks... But these inconveniences are minor and do not affect the quality of the main routes. Moreover, even if the signs are insufficient (frequent absence of signs at crossroads), it is impossible to get lost or never for very long - everywhere Mauritians will help you find your way.
Traffic rules and road safety. As the British were the last settlers to occupy the island, we drive on the left. It is therefore important to remember to approach crossroads and traffic circles correctly. As a time of acclimatization is necessary, it is advised to drive as far as possible from the side of the road if you do not want to break the right-hand mirror in less than 10 minutes. The speed limit is 30 to 50 km/h in the city and on secondary roads, and 60 to 110 km/h on highways depending on the area crossed. There are many speed cameras. Seatbelts are mandatory in the front and back seats. The alcohol limit is 0.20 g/litre of blood, which is barely a small beer. During office hours, from 7:30 am to 9 am and from 4 pm to 6 pm, Port Louis and the larger cities are congested.
Fuel. There are gas stations all over the country under the names Total, Shell, Indian Oil or Engen. 1 liter of gasoline costs about 74 Rs and 1 liter of diesel about 55 Rs.
Dangers. As in any foreign country, it is important to remain vigilant. In the towns and villages, the roads are crowded with pedestrians, bicycles and mopeds, and dogs run in without warning. On the secondary roads, potholes are numerous and totally invisible when it rains. But the main danger comes from the buses: kings of the road, they take over the whole road, drive in the middle, cut their turns, overtake in any way. If one of these vehicles runs into the middle of the road, pull over to the side of the road and let it pass! The same goes for other vehicles: if a car or even two cars come in front to overtake, let them pass. However, there is no reason not to take the road: these particularities taken into account, driving in Mauritius is not more difficult than elsewhere.
Car rental. Several international companies (Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Sixt) are represented through a network of agencies located in the main cities and/or hotels. Good local companies (ABS Car Rental, Eco Car Rental, Pingouin Car Rental, Ola Mauritius etc.) also offer their services at often lower prices - good and reliable deals are possible. The owners of guesthouses and bungalows often have a few small vehicles for rent, but be sure to check the condition of the car and the details of the services included in the price.
To rent a car, you must be over 21 years old and have an international driving license that is more than one year old or a national license. Check that the car is less than 4 years old (see the last two digits of the plate), it is mandatory to be covered all risks. If the price seems too attractive, check that the car is well insured. A deposit of 6 000 to 40 000 Rs according to the company and the category of the rented vehicle is mandatory. Driver-guide service is available on request.
