Mauritius is a tropical island in the Indian Ocean. It is situated in the south of the equator and just north of the Tropic of Capricorn. It is about 800 km to the east of Madagascar. Rodrigues and Reunion are the islands which,with Mauritius are known as the Mascarenes Archipelago. Mauritius is 1,864 sq. Km (720 square miles) in area and has a population of approximately 1,243,588 (est. July 2005) according to the Central Statistics Office in Mauritius.

Mauritius is surrounded by beautiful white sandy beaches, blue lagoons, palm trees and coral reefs. The beauty of the island is overwhelming. Those who love nature will be absolutely astonished by the magnificence of the mountains, nature reserves and wildlife parks.

Mauritius achieved independence on the 12 March 1968 with Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (later Sir) as the Prime Minister and in 1992, it became an independent republic within the commonwealth. The flag of Mauritius consists of four equal width horizontal stripes. In descending order, these are red, blue, yellow and green.

The colours have been interpreted as: Red for freedom and independence, Blue for the Indian Ocean, Yellow for the light of independence shining over the nation, Green for the agriculture of Mauritius.

Anyone and everyone would feel at home in Mauritius. The people (Mauritians) are of different nationalities: Indians, Africans, Europeans and Chinese. The Indo-Mauritians are divided into three groups: Hindus, Tamils and Moslems. They are all united and live in peace with each other. The people are full of charm, very courteous and helpful.

The official language of Mauritius is English but the real language of the people is Creole which is understood and spoken by all Mauritians, whatever their mother tongue. Though, strange but true, it is neither taught in schools not officially recognised as a language, and has no popular written form. The Creole language evolved from the pidgin used by the French masters of the 18th century to communicate with their slaves, also borrowing words from African and Malagasy dialects. French is also widely spoken. The main mother tongue of the country’s largest ethnic group is Hindu. Tamil was actually the first Indian language spoken in Mauritius.

Mauritians have their own brand of music and dancing which is known as the Sega. It is believed to have come from Africa. It is a wild, sensual dance inherited from the slaves who expressed their feelings of sadness, fears, hopes and expectations in the form of song and movement. It is traditionally perfumed by pairs of the opposite sex.

The mixture of the island’s various races is reflected in the Mauritian cuisine: spicy curries, tropical fruits and vegetables, chinese and European food.

Many religious festivals are public holidays and each culture has been very well preserved without allowing one to swamp the other.Festival of Pere Laval is celebrated by Roman Catholics, Cavadee by the Tamils, Maha Shivaratree and Ganga Asnan by the Hindu, Chinese Spring Festival by the Chinese, Divali (Festival of light) by the Hindus and Tamils, Eid-Ul-Fitr by the Muslim

Mauritius enjoys a tropical climate which can be divided into two seasons: summer and winter. The hot summer months are from November to April with temperatures of up to 35 degrees centigrade on the coasts. The winter months are from May to October with temperatures of up to 25 degrees centigrade with cooler nights.

The crest of Mauritius reflects its past more than its present, flanked by a dodo and a stag, both clutching shoots of sugar cane. The shield portrays a medieval ship, presumably representing the island’s discoverers, and three stylistic trees. There are also a key and a shining star, depicting the country’s motto which appears below it: Stella Clavisque Maris Indici .

The Sega evolved among slaves, and is primarily a fusion of African music with European dances like the quadrille and polka.

Les Windblows is the most well-known sega band from Mauritius, though Marie-Jose Coutonne and reggae-sega (sometimes called seggae) fusionist Ras Natty Baby is also popular. Seggae developed in Port Louis and especially among Rastafarians, in the 1980s. The musician Kaya, perhaps the most popular singer of modern Mauritius, died in 1999, sparking three days of rioting.

You can listen to Sega Music on Radio Moris.

Black River Gorges National Park with its original jungle and bird life which exists only in Mauritius (the Pink Pigeon, the Echo Parakeet and the Mauritius Kestrel; all very rare species). Several walking-tours; Alexander Waterfalls

Bois Chéri : Visit the tea production, enjoy the mauritian cuisine in a colonial house build 1819

Chamarel and the coloured earth : Place in the south-west with pilgrimage church. Remarkably seven-coloured earth for which there isn’t any scientific explanation till now and the Chamarel waterfall.
Le Gris Gris : beautiful beach section in the south of Mauritius.

Domaine de l´Ylang Ylang :Ylang Ylang plantation in Vieux Grand Port. A visit of the plantation is a must for every nature-lover. Lovely situated restaurant.

Domaine Les Pailles: Experience the original Mauritius. Traditional sugar production, Landrover safaris and animation for children. The restaurants are part of the best of Mauritius.Casino of the luxury class.

Domaine du Chasseur :Experiencing the nature of Mauritius. Walks for animal and nature lovers. Restaurant of the top class.

La Vanille Krokodil Park: Park with original vegetation in a beautiful environment. Crocodiles can be experienced very closely. Zoo with monkeys, flying foxes, turtles and more.The restaurant is recommendable: crocodile meat is served.Tours in Mauritius

EUREKA: One of the most beautiful colonial villas of the island, today a museum. Restaurant with country typical cuisine.

Grand Bassin: Sacred lake for the Hindus in between some temples situated in the Black River Georges National Park; worth seeing specially when the feast Maha Shivaratree is celebrated there. You are welcome to the ceremonies held over there. Take off your shoes before entering the temples!

La Val Nature Park : beautifully and quietly situated in the southeast with fresh water prawns farming, monkeys, Anthurium farm and more

Père Laval : from 1841 to 1864 missionary in Mauritius. His grave in Saint Croix isn’t a pilgrim place only for Christians.

Rochester Falls: enjoy a refreshing bath; near Souillac with charming vantage points

Trou aux Cerfs in Curepipe: extinct volcano since a long time. From there you have an excellent view over the whole island.

Mahébourg located in the south is one of the larger towns of Mauritius in which the old Creole charm still remains unchanged.

Tamarind Waterfalls: Waterfall more than 240 m high over seven steps. It is difficult and exhausting to go there, but taking a bath in the cold water there is the right reward.

Le Souffleur: wild coast with thundering breakers and jets up to 80 m high

Pamplemousses botanic garden: The water-lilies Victoria Amazonica and the manor house Château de Mon Plaisir (1735) are remarkable.The unusual Talipot palm flourishes only every sixty years and dies afterwards. Come on time!

Port Louis: during the business hours the capital of the island is extremely crowded, loud and colourful; after closing time and on Sundays dead like a dodo (extinct bird of Mauritius). For discovering the town please take a day time and don’t come with your own car, better take the bus.

Visit these places:
One of the main sights of Mauritius is the market with the fruits and vegetables piled up artistically. Just opposite is the bazaar where you can purchase souvenirs and spices at favourable prices. The small museum of natural history, the Jummah Mosque, the Cathedral Saint Louis, the race course Champs de Mars; Caudan Waterfront with its restaurants, shops, cinemas und bars: mainly on weekends the new meeting point for Mauritians and tourists. Rove through Chinatown (chinese pharmacy), go for a stroll along Rue Desforges (S.S. Ramgoolam) and Rue Royal. Pay a visit to the excellent restaurants.

UK
H.E. Mr M GOBURDHUN
Ambassador,
Mr M.I DOSSA,
First Secretary London
32-33, Elvaston Place
London S.W.7 - 5 NW
United Kingdom

Belgium
H.E. Mr S GUNESSEE
Ambassador
Mauritius Embassy, Brussels
68, rue des Bollandistes
Etterbeek
1040 Bruxelles, Belgium

Tel: (32) 2 740 1930
Fax: (32) 2 734 4021

Australia
H.E. Mrs M.A.J.S. JOUANIS
(AG) High Commissioner
Mauritius High Commission
2, Beale Cresent
Deakin
Canberra, ACT 6200 Australia

Tel: (61) 6 281 1203/282 4436
Fax: (61) 6 282 3235
Tel: (44) 207 581 0294/5/6
Fax: (44) 207 823-8437

France
Mrs. M.H CHAVRIMOOTOO
First Secretary
Mauritius Embassy, Paris
127, rue de Tocqueville
75017 Paris
France

Tel: (33) 14 227 3019/6670
Fax: (33) 14 053 0291

India
H.E. Mr. D. SEEWOO
Mauritius High Commission

Mr. D SEETAHUL,
First Secretary

EP-41, Jesus & Mary Marg
Chanakyapuri
New Delhi - 110021, India

Tel: (91) 11 410 2161/2
Fax: (91) 11 410 2194

South Africa
H.E. Mr J.H DACRUZ
High Commissioner
1163 Pretorius Street
Hatfield 0083
Pretoria, Republic of South Africa

Tel: (27) 12 342.1283/4/5
Fax: (27) 12 342 1286

Switzerland
H.E. Mr J. MEETOO
Charge d’Affaires (A.i.)
Mauritius Mission to the UN, Geneva
10 Rue le Corbusier
1202 Geneva
Switzerland

Tel: (41 22) 734 8550
Fax: (41 22) 734 8630

Italy
Mr. D. CANGY
Consul
Via G.B. Morgagni,

6A - 00161
Rome Italy

Tel: (39) 06442 456 52
Fax: (39) 06442 456 59

China
H.E. Mr L K C LAM PO TANG,
Ambassador
Mr V. Cheetoo, (Second Secretary)
#2-2-11, San Li Tun Dong San Jie
Chao Yang DIstrict, Beijing 100600
People’s Republic of China

Tel: (86) 10 6532 5695/96/98
Fax: (86) 10 6532 5706

USA
Mrs. USHA JEETAH
Ambassador
Mauritius Embassy, Washington
4301 Connecticut Avenue,
N.W., Suite 441
Van Ness Centre
Washington D.C. 20008
U.S.A

Tel: 202 244 1491/1492 (office)
Fax: 001 202 966 0983

U.S.A(New York)
H.E. Mr J KOONJUL
Ambassador, UN Representative

Mr B. GOKOOL, First Secretary
211 East 43rd Street #1502,
New York 10017, U.S.A

Tel: (212) 949-0190/91
Fax: (212) 697 3829

Malaysia

H.E. Mr S.K.S DUSOWOTH
Mauritius High Commission
Kuala Lumpur
Letter Box 122
Suite ABC, 14th Floor
Bangunam Angkasa Raya
Jalan Ampang
50450 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 603-2163 6306/01
Fax: 603-2163 6294

Egypt
H.E. Mr S PHOKEER
Ambassador
Mauritius Embassy
156 El Sudan Street
Mohandessine
Cairo - Egypte

Tel: (20) 2 361 8102/03
Fax: (20) 2 361 8101

Pakistan
H.E. Mr. R DWARKA
Ambassador

Mr S.N. UDAIYAN,
Ag. First Secretary
House # 27, Street # 26
Sector F-6/2
Islamabad, Pakistan

Tel: (92) 210 145/213 235
Fax: (92) 51 210 076

Vaccination certificates are required if coming from an infected area. Cholera vaccination is no longer required for travellers to Mauritius and according to the recent epidemiological situation, there is no malaria risk.Check with a doctor of travel agent prior to departure for the latest requirements. Regulations are strict, particularly for those arriving from Africa.

Passengers of 16 years of age and over may import duty free:250 grams of tobacco (including cigars and cigarettes), 2 litres of spirits, 2 litres of wine, ale or beer, one quarter litre of toilet water and a quantity of perfume not exceeding 10cl.

A plant import permit may be obtained from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Resources. All plant material must be declared to Customs immediately on arrival and is subject to examination.

All animals including animal material need an import permit from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural resources, and a sanitary certificate of country of origin. All animals must be declared to the Customs immediately on arrival and landing is only allowed if certificates issued by the Veterinary Authorities of the exporting country is in conformity with the Import Permit. Dogs and cats undergo a 6 months’ quarantine. Birds and other animal species up to 2 months.

Additional information may be obtained from the Division of Veterinary services of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Resources at Reduit. Tel : 454-1016. For animal and plant inspection and delivery permits, contact the Agricultural Services, Head Office, Reduit. Tel: 454-1016.

Firearms and ammunitions must be declared on arrival. A compulsory airport tax of 100 rupees is levied on all departing passengers, except for those travelling to Rodrigues.

There are no limit on the amount of foreign currency brought into the country in the form of travellers cheques, bankers drafts or letters of credit. Travellers may import Mauritian notes to the maximum of 700 RS and take out 350 RS. Major credit cards are accepted at banks and most shops and restaurants.

The monetary unit is the Mauritian Rupee (RS) which is divided into 100 cents (cs). Foreign currency notes, drafts, travellers cheque and other banking instruments may be imported into Mauritius without restriction.

The services of opticians and contact lens practitioners are widely available and of good standard. Spectacles are good value and prescriptions can be made up in a few days.

Emergency hospital treatment is free and there are a number of private clinics. The larger hotels have a resident doctor. Local doctors will attend cases of sudden illness. Avoid contact with stray dogs and if bitten seek medical advice as soon as possible.

Avoid wading in muddy water without wearing protective shoes. This is the habitat of the laff or stone fish which if trodden upon emits a poisonous venom from its spine. Immediate removal to hospital is necessary as the would can be fatal if untreated.

Port Louis Dr A. G. Jeetoo Hospital, Volcy Pougnet Street :Tel: 212-3201

Pamplemousses SSR National Hospital: Tel: 264-1661

Mahebourg Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital : Tel: 631-9556

Rose Belle Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital:Tel: 627-4960

Moka Eye Hospital: Tel: 433-4015

Quatre Bornes Princess Margaret Hospital: Tel: 454-3031

Vacoas Tel: 686-2061

(Latest information from the British High Commission in Mauritius)

Further information can be obtained from the British High Commission, Consular and Immigration Section, Les Cascades Building, Edith Cavell Street, Port Louis (tel: +230 211 1361; fax: +230 211 1369/212 8470).

The crime level in Mauritius remains low, although incidents of theft and assault are on the increase. Visitors staying in self-catering accommodation should be aware of the increase in reported housebreaking. Tourists staying in large hotel complexes are at less risk.

Care should be taken with bags and valuables when visiting the popular tourist areas of Grand Baie and Flic en Flac or crowded local markets.

Some pharmaceutical drugs which are freely available on prescription in the UK, are prohibited in Mauritius (such as the high dosage pain killer, Coproxamal). Importation of these drugs without a valid prescription results in prosecution and a fine. Visitors arriving with prescription drugs should keep them in the manufacturer’s box with the pharmacy prescription label ready for inspection by Mauritian customs.

There have recently been two incidents in which speedboats caused serious injury to swimmers off hotel beaches. Visitors should exercise care and be alert to this danger particularly outside marked bathing areas.