Summary
- We advise you to exercise normal safety precautions in Mauritius.
- Exercise common sense and look out for suspicious behaviour, as you would in Australia.
- Cyclone season is November to May. See the Additional information: Natural disasters, severe weather and climate section for more detailed advice.
- Be a smart traveller. Before heading overseas:
- organise comprehensive travel insurance and check what circumstances and activities are not covered by your policy
- register your travel and contact details, so we can contact you in an emergency
- subscribe to this travel advice to receive free email updates each time it's reissued.
Entry and exit
Visa and other entry and exit conditions (such as currency, customs and quarantine regulations) change regularly. Contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate of Mauritius for the most up to date information.
Immigration officials at port of entry require all visitors to Mauritius to provide accommodation details. Failure to do so may result in denial of entry to Mauritius.
If you are arriving in Mauritius from a country known to have malaria, you will receive a follow-up visit from the Mauritian Health Department and will be required to give a blood test to check for the malaria-causing parasite.
If you are arriving from a country where yellow fever is endemic, evidence of a yellow fever vaccination is required.
Make sure your passport has at least six months' validity from your planned date of return to Australia. You should carry copies of a recent passport photo with you in case you need a replacement passport while overseas.
Safety and security
Terrorism
Terrorism is a threat throughout the world. You can find more information about this threat in our General Advice to Australian Travellers.
Crime
Crime levels in Mauritius are low, though petty crime, such as pickpocketing, bag snatching and robbery, can occur. Most crime against foreign tourists is petty crime, although incidents of assault, rape and murder have occurred, including in resorts.
The rate of crime is higher in downtown Port Louis, and in the coastal tourist centres of Grand Bay, Pereybere, and Flic en Flac. Security risks increase after dark especially on beaches, poorly-lit city streets and in other secluded areas. You should avoid walking alone at night. There have been incidents of tourists being assaulted and robbed while staying at beachside bungalows run by unregistered proprietors. Money and valuables should be secured at all times.
Mauritian authorities have taken steps to enforce law and order by introducing camera surveillance around the country, particularly in high tourist areas. The Tourist Police service (Police du Tourisme) can be telephoned on + 230 210 3894 or 6865500. The police emergency hotline is 999.
Money and valuables
Before you go, organise a variety of ways to access your money in Mauritius, such as credit cards, travellers' cheques, cash, debit cards or cash cards. Australian currency and travellers' cheques are not accepted in many countries. Consult with your bank to find out which is the most appropriate currency to carry and whether your ATM card will work in Mauritius.
Make two photocopies of valuable documents such as your passport, tickets, visas and travellers' cheques. Keep one copy with you in a separate place to the original and leave another copy with someone at home.
While travelling, don't carry too much cash and remember that expensive watches, jewellery and cameras may be tempting targets for thieves.
As a sensible precaution against luggage tampering, including theft, lock your luggage. Information on luggage safety is available from Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
Your passport is a valuable document that is attractive to criminals who may try to use your identity to commit crimes. It should always be kept in a safe place. You are required by Australian law to report a lost or stolen passport. If your passport is lost or stolen overseas, report it online or contact the nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate as soon as possible.
You are required to pay an additional fee to have a lost or stolen passport replaced. In some cases, the Government may also restrict the length of validity or type of replacement passports.
Local travel
With the exception of the motorway, most roads are narrow, uneven and poorly lit. Many are bordered by deep ditches and lack guardrails. Pedestrians, motor cyclists and stray dogs are additional road hazards. For further advice, see our road travel page.
Australians may be able to drive in Mauritius with a valid Australian driver’s licence. For more information contact the Mauritius Police Force Traffic Branch on +230 2081212.
Transport by bus (public and private services) is available between all main town centres from 5am to 11pm and in remote areas until 6pm. Taxis are also available.
Accessibility and accommodation for individuals with disabilities are limited in Mauritius. The government has partially implemented a law requiring wheelchair access to new buildings. However, many older buildings remain inaccessible to wheelchairs.
While there have been no pirate attacks in Mauritius' territorial waters, Australians are nonetheless advised to exercise caution when travelling in the vicinity owing to pirate attacks that have ocurred elsewhere in the Indian Ocean. For more information the International Maritime Bureau issues piracy reports. See also our bulletin on piracy for more information.
Airline safety
Please refer to our air travel page for information about Aviation Safety and Security.
Laws
When you are in Mauritius, be aware that local laws and penalties, including ones that appear harsh by Australian standards, do apply to you. If you are arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you but we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail. Lengthy delays in judicial proceedings are common and may result in individuals having to remain in Mauritius until their case is resolved.
Information on what Australian consular officers can and cannot do to help Australians in trouble overseas is available from the Consular Services Charter.
Penalties for drug offences are severe. Drug trafficking risks incurring a prison sentence of up to 60 years plus a fine. Bail is not usually granted for any drug-related crimes.
Some pharmaceutical drugs are illegal. You should carry prescription medicines in their original containers and have a copy of the prescription available for inspection by customs officials. Contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate of Mauritius for more information.
It is illegal to possess or import cigarette papers.
It is illegal to purchase counterfeited or pirated goods in Mauritius.
The act of sodomy is illegal in Mauritius.
Some Australian criminal laws, such as those relating to money laundering, bribery of foreign public officials, terrorism, child pornography, and child sex tourism, apply to Australians overseas. Australians who commit these offences while overseas may be prosecuted in Australia.
Australian authorities are committed to combating sexual exploitation of children by Australians overseas. Australians may be prosecuted at home under Australian child sex tourism and child pornography laws. These laws provide severe penalties for up to 25 years imprisonment for Australians who engage in child sexual exploitation while outside of Australia.
Local customs
There are conservative standards of dress and behaviour in Mauritius and you should take care not to offend, especially when visiting rural areas or attending a religious place (shrine, temple, mosque) or event.
Information for dual nationals
Our Dual Nationals brochure provides further information.
Health
We strongly recommend that you take out comprehensive travel insurance that will cover any overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation, before you depart. Confirm that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away and check what circumstances and activities are not included in your policy. Remember, regardless of how healthy and fit you are, if you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. The Australian Government will not pay for a traveller's medical expenses overseas or medical evacuation costs.
Your doctor or travel clinic is the best source of information about preventive measures, immunisations (including booster doses of childhood vaccinations) and disease outbreaks overseas. The World Health Organization (WHO) provides information for travellers and our 'Travelling Well' brochure also provides useful tips for travelling with medicines and staying healthy while overseas.
The standard of public medical facilities in Mauritius is variable. Most visitors choose to seek treatment with private doctors or at private clinics. Generally, up-front payment is required. While most hospitals and clinics are able to treat patients in the event of a serious illness or accident, medical evacuation by commercial airline (usually to South Africa and at considerable expense) may be necessary for complex cases.
Emergency assistance is limited. Service Aide Medicale d’Urgence (SAMU) is a government organisation that provides free ambulance and emergency assistance. The emergency assistance phone number for SAMU is 114. Private emergency ambulance services are also available through private clinic Darne by calling 118 and private clinic Apollo Bramwell on 132. The police emergency hotline is 999.
There is only one decompression chamber in Mauritius which is located at the Victoria Hospital in Quatre Bornes.
The mosquito-borne illnesses malaria, dengue fever and chikungunya fever occur in Mauritius, particularly in the warmer months (October to May). In January 2012, local media reported cases for dengue and chikungunya fever. The risk of malaria is considered low in Mauritius, but a small number of cases continue to be reported. There is no risk of malaria on Rodrigues Island. We recommend that you take precautions to avoid mosquito bites, including using insect repellent at all times, wearing long, loose-fitting, light coloured clothing, and ensuring your accommodation is mosquito proof.
Water-borne, food-borne, parasitic and other infectious diseases (including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and hepatitis) are a risk with more serious outbreaks occurring from time to time. We encourage you to discuss your vaccination requirements with your doctor before travelling. We advise you to boil all drinking water or drink bottled water, and avoid ice cubes and raw and undercooked food. Seek medical advice if you have a fever or are suffering from diarrhoea.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has confirmed cases of avian influenza in birds in a number of countries throughout the world. For a list of these countries, visit the OIE website. For more information see our travel bulletin on avian influenza.
Where to get help
In Mauritius, you can obtain consular assistance from the:
Australian High Commission, Port Louis
2nd Floor, Rogers House
5 President John Kennedy Street
Port Louis, Mauritius
Telephone (230) 202 0160
Facsimile (230) 208 8878
If you are travelling to Mauritius, whatever the reason and however long you'll be there, we encourage you to register with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. You can register online or in person at any Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate. The information you provide will help us to contact you in an emergency - whether it is a natural disaster, civil disturbance or a family issue.
In a consular emergency if you are unable to contact the above mission, you can contact the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 or 1300 555 135 within Australia.
In Australia, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra may be contacted on (02) 6261 3305.
Additional information
Natural disasters, severe weather and climate
The cyclone season extends from November to May when flooding, widespread damage and disruptions to essential services may occur. Cyclone information for the Indian Ocean region is available from the Mauritius Meteorological Service. Information on natural disasters can also be obtained from the Humanitarian Early Warning Service. Information is also available on 8996 from landlines and 171 from mobile phones. These lines are only made operational when a cyclone warning is in place.
If you are travelling during cyclone season, you should contact your tour operator to check whether tourist services at your planned destination have been affected.
In the event of an approaching cyclone, you should identify your local shelter. We encourage Australians in affected areas to follow the instructions of local authorities and monitor the media for the latest developments. During a cyclone you should stay indoors. You should be aware that car-insurance policies may become invalid during a cyclone. Flights in and out of affected areas could be delayed or suspended. Available flights may fill quickly. The cyclone could also affect access to sea ports in the region. In some areas, adequate shelter from a severe cyclone may not be available to all who may choose to stay. You should familiarise yourself with your hotel or cruise ship evacuation plans. You should carry your travel documents at all times (i.e. passport, photo identification) or secure them in a safe, waterproof location. We also suggest that you contact friends and family in Australia with updates about your welfare and whereabouts. For further information, see our severe weather page.
Mauritius can also experience very high levels of rainfall that can lead to severe flooding. On 30 March 2013, for example, Port Louis received more than 150 mm of rain in less than 2 hours. Eleven people died in the ensuing floods that mainly affected the Port Louis area. Australians should monitor the weather through local and international media. Weather information is also available on the following websites:
World Meteorological Organization and follow the link to Severe Weather Information Centre.
Meteo France–Reunion and follow the link to Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre for the South-West Indian Ocean.
NOAA National Weather Centre and follow the link to Climate Prediction Centre.
All oceanic regions of the world can experience tsunamis, but in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, there is a more frequent occurrence of large, destructive tsunamis because of the many large earthquakes along major tectonic plate boundaries and ocean trenches. See the Tsunami Awareness brochure.
If a natural disaster occurs, follow the advice of local authorities.
Wildlife
Australians are advised to respect wildlife laws and to maintain a safe and legal distance when observing wildlife, including marine animals and birds. You should only use reputable and professional guides or tour operators and closely follow park regulations and wardens' advice.
For parents
For general information and tips on travelling with children see our Travelling with Children brochure.
If you are planning on placing your children in schools or childcare facilities in Mauritius we encourage you to research the standards of security, care and staff training within those establishments.
Ideas on how to select childcare providers are available from the smartraveller Children's Issues page, Child Wise and the National Childcare Accreditation Council.