Mauritius has always been on my travel bucket list so finding a reasonable flight ticket from Johannesburg during my 3-week Southern Africa trip was exciting.
Safe to say this beautiful island is currently my favorite African country!
Flying Here
I had a rather unpleasant flying experience as the airline I booked called FlySafair denied me boarding in Johannesburg without presenting proof of funds and other ridiculous documents, which the ticket agent claimed was a requirement by Mauritius.
They quite literally demanded that I go and print out my bank balance disregarding the fact that I was only visiting Mauritius for 2 days, my hotel was booked & paid for, activities were booked & paid for and I also had $400 cash in hand. The attendant got all this info and still made me wait on the side for an hour.
I got on board anxious not knowing what the experience would be on arrival and it was the worst 4-hour flight of my life.
Shockingly, the Immigration process in Mauritius was less than 5 minutes, and they were super nice. No one checked or requested any information outside their usual checks and that’s when I knew I had been profiled by my booking airline in Johannesburg.
The ticket was around $450 round trip and it was comparably cheaper but If you ever plan to visit Mauritius from Johannesburg with our passport, DO NOT fly with them. Pay more at another airline for comfort 🤷🏾‍♀️
Accommodation
Other travelers told me the Northern part of the island was the best part to stay so I booked my hotel up north!
The drive was almost 2hrs from the airport and the taxi was 2,000 Rupees, almost $45 one-way.
My Airbnb was called “Residence Le Point Choisy” and was located near Mon Choisy Beach, one of the pristine beaches in northern Mauritius.
The room was spacious, fitted with all basic amenities, it was clean and it was a 5-minute walk to multiple restaurants and bars.
The beach was a 20-minute walk unfortunately but the accommodation was $45 per night and this happens to be one of the cheapest accommodations on the island.
Find them on Airbnb or Booking.com
Activities & More
I booked the popular 3-island Catamaran tour that lasted an entire day and a visit to the botanical gardens during my visit. I only had 1 full day for tours on the island.
The 3-island tour was an incredible experience and it was a day well spent. The tour typically starts at 8 am and ends at 4 pm and I found a ticket for $150 from my hotel’s reception. This included 2 meals and drinks on board, plus hotel pick up and drop off at the starting point of the Catamaran. I’ve been told you can find cheaper tickets but I just didn’t have the time to search.
Watch the stunning video HERE
The cost of visiting the Botanical Gardens was just 300 Rupees, approximately $7 and it was an okay tour. Personally wouldn’t do it again because there wasn’t much to see but the garden is picturesque, lush green and very peaceful.
I didn’t have time to check out the restaurants on the island but I loved the food at CocoChill located in Mon Choisy. The ambiance was picturesque, the service was terrific and it was a short walk from my Airbnb.
Tips & More
One important task before visiting the country is to fill out the all-in-one health form on the Mauritius immigration website at least 3 days before your visit. The form can presented digitally at the immigration desk on arrival in Mauritius.
The island is quite expensive so plan accordingly. Beachfront resorts and upscale hotels are $150 plus nightly. I spent just 3 days here, booked basic accommodation, and ate locally but my pockets still felt it 🤣
There are no direct flights from Accra to round trip Mauritius and tickets cost at least $1,000 transiting through Kenya or South Africa.
The currency widely accepted on the island is Rupees and Euros. They do not care about USD đź’€
French and English are fluently spoken by locals, hotels, taxis & tour operators so communicating is quite easy on the island.
As always, happy travels
Nomadic Maajoa 