From the airport to the city centre Mauritius
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, also known as 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. The new terminal is equipped with modern facilities, services and infrastructure, and offers on arrival: a post office, bank counters with ATMs, a Shibani Finance agency for currency exchange at preferential rates, a tourist office, the counters of the main local receptives (Connections, Mautourco, Summertimes...), those of the major hotel groups (Attitude, Beachcomber, Constance, Rogers, SunLife.), a number of cafés-snacks-restaurants, a large Duty Free store, etc. Car rental outlets (Ada, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Sixt...) are located outside, a few meters from the main exit. The building is signposted on the left.
There are several ways of getting from the airport to the coast (= vacation destination): the hotel or rental company's private shuttle bus , provided you have booked this service in advance; the bus, which is the longest and least comfortable solution, given that buses run very little at night and that there are no direct express buses between the airport and the capital or the main tourist attractions (see www.mauritius-buses.com for details of buses serving the airport); helicopters, the fastest and most upmarket means of transport; hiring a car from a local or international service provider ; cabs - many drivers wait for customers right at the exit. Remember to set the price before you get in (no more than 700 Rs for Mahébourg or nearby Pointe d'Esny, or 2,500 Rs for the north at the opposite end of the island).
Alternatively, for total transparency and greater choice, download YUGO: a handy Mauritian application that enables users to book cabs and transfers in advance; the price is calculated and indicated beforehand, so all you have to do is confirm and pay cashless via the Yugo Wallet - several payment methods are possible, so everything's made easy!
The railway network, which at the end of the 19th century comprised 250 km of track and crossed the country from one end to the other to serve the main sugar estates, was definitively closed in 1964. Its only vestige, a single wagon, is now on display in the Mahébourg museum. Road transport therefore dominates, with its advantages and its share of dangers.
Arrival by boat Mauritius
Unless you're on a cruise or arriving from Rodrigues by this long and rarely used means of transport, you can't reach Mauritius by boat. This mode of travel is mainly used to get to the islets scattered around Mauritius, often close to the coast - Ile Plate and Ilot Gabriel, outside the lagoon, being the furthest, around 1h30 away by catamaran and 40 minutes by speedboat. With the exception of the Ile aux Cerfs area, where the lagoon is criss-crossed by shuttles, Mauritius has no water cabs to speak of. When you choose this means of transport to go from one coast to the other (for example, to go from Grand Baie in the north to see the dolphins of Tamarin in the west), it's generally part of an excursion. However, motorboats and catamarans, with or without skipper, can be rented and privatized to take you wherever you want to go. Many local fishermen also offer their services, but always take care to check that they have the requisite insurance; set the price in advance without paying a deposit and check that the boat is in good condition.
Public transport Mauritius
Bus. This is by far the most economical way of getting around the island, with tickets costing an average of Rs. 20 to 60, and express buses little more. As there are bus stations in every town and bus stops just about everywhere (look out for the Bus Stop signs), you can cover the whole country this way, at lower cost. There are two types of bus: standard and express. The latter, in addition to being air-conditioned and not overcrowded, do not multiply stops and cover distances in much less time. These are the buses to choose whenever possible, bearing in mind that standard buses have many limitations: some drivers drive too fast, which makes the journey less comfortable, stops are frequent and, in rural areas, waiting times can be long.
Tickets can be bought directly from the conductor (bring change), and timetables can be requested on the spot or collected from the www.mauritius-buses.com website, which gives details of all routes in the country, with departure and arrival times, and the names and locations of stops served. You can even customize your search by entering the desired itinerary (date, departure and arrival points), and the site will then suggest the line numbers to use, journey times and 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 big news and the big project underway. In order to reduce road accidents and relieve traffic congestion between the country's main central cities (notably the capital Port Louis and central plateau towns such as Curepipe, Floréal, Quatre Bornes, etc.), the authorities have decided to set up a light rail transit system between the main urban centers. Not a subway metro as you'd expect in Europe, but a set of outdoor trains served by several tramway-style stations. Launched in 2019, this enormous project, which has generated much 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, extending the line to Curepipe via Réduit, Ebène and 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, serving all the island's towns and strategic points. A freeway(M1) links Mahébourg in the southeast to Grand Baie in the north, passing through the towns of the central plateau (Curepipe, Phœnix, Quatre Bornes, Rose Hill...) and the capital Port Louis. Cars, trucks, cabs, mopeds, bicycles, horse-drawn carriages... not to mention the pedestrians who blithely (unconsciously?) cross the four lanes! It is doubled by a second expressway(M2), which allows you to travel north from the center of the island without passing through Port Louis. Reserved for motorized vehicles only, this route, which passes through superb mountain scenery, bypasses the capital to the east from Ebène and ends at Terre Rouge, not far from Pamplemousses. Both freeways are free of charge.
Otherwise, several national roads criss-cross the country on all sides, and secondary roads serve villages and small towns. An almost uninterrupted coastal road also takes you around the island via the beaches. So getting from one point to another is no problem at all. Of course, we can't say that the roads are perfect: some lanes are winding and narrow (impossible to overtake when you're behind a bus) and, as you get further inland, the asphalt roads sometimes give way to rough, chaotic tracks... But these inconveniences are minor and in no way detract from the quality of the main routes. What's more, even if signs are inadequate (often missing at crossroads), it's impossible to get lost, or never for very long - Mauritians will help you find your way everywhere.
Traffic rules and road safety. As the British were the last settlers to occupy the island, we drive on the left. So remember to approach crossroads and traffic circles correctly. As a period of acclimatization is necessary, it is advisable to drive as far away from the side of the road as possible if you don't want to break your right-hand mirror in less than 10 minutes. The speed limit is 30 to 50 km/h in town and on secondary roads, and 60 to 110 km/h on freeways, depending on the area crossed. Speed cameras are plentiful. Seatbelts are compulsory in both front and rear seats. The permitted alcohol level at the wheel is 0.5 g/litre of blood, equivalent to barely a small beer. During office hours, from 7.30am to 9am in the morning and from 4pm to 6pm in the evening, Port Louis and the larger towns are congested.
Fuel. There are service stations all over the country under the Total, Shell, Indian Oil or Engen brand names. 1 liter of petrol costs around Rs 67 and 1 liter of diesel around Rs 55.
Dangers. As in any foreign country, it's important to remain vigilant. In towns and villages, the roads are clogged with pedestrians, bicycles and mopeds, and dogs stray in without warning. On secondary roads, potholes are numerous and totally invisible when it's raining. But the main danger is posed by buses: kings of the road, they take over the whole area, driving in the middle, cutting corners and overtaking in any way they can. 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 one or even two cars come up in front to overtake, let them pass. However, there's no reason not to take to the road: taking these particularities into account, driving in Mauritius is no more difficult than anywhere else.
Car hire. Several international companies (Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Sixt) are represented through a network of agencies in the main towns and/or hotels. Good local companies (Eco Car Rental, Pingouin Car Rental, Ola Mauritius etc.) also offer their services, often at lower prices - so you can be sure of a good deal. The owners of guesthouses and bungalows often have a few small vehicles available for hire, 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 of age and hold 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 on the license plate), as this is mandatory for all-risk coverage. If the price seems too tempting, check that the car is properly insured. A deposit of between Rs. 6,000 and Rs. 40,000 is required, depending on the company and category of vehicle rented. Driver-guide service available on request.
