Despite its size, just 45 km wide and 65 km long, travellers taking cheap flights to Mauritius will discover what it lacks in size it makes up for in stunning natural attractions. Famous for its beaches, lagoons, reefs and rainforest, Mauritius also has a vibrant mix of African, Indian, European and Asian influences. Located around 900km east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean it's part of the Mascarene Islands, which includes Réunion and Rodrigues. Island hopping is a popular pastime for visitors who arrive on flights to Mauritius, and day trips are easily made with regular domestic flights operating between the islands. High season for Mauritius runs from April through to August when temperatures average between 18C to 24C, comfortable weather for sightseeing, enjoying the beaches and the numerous watersports on offer. December is also busy as Northern Hemisphere travellers arrive on flights to Mauritius to soak up the winter sun.
Off Season
In terms of tourism, summer (November to March) is considered low season. January to March are particularly humid and rainy months and temps can reach up to 34C, there is also the possibility of cyclones.
When is the best time to book a flight to Mauritius?
The winter months from May to November are considered the best time to book flight to Mauritius. For the cheapest flights to Mauritius aim to book after the high season, and before the rainy season kicks in. Divers should book their flight tickets for March/April for the best water visibility, surfers should aim to visit between June and August, while big-game fishermen should visit between October and April.
Air Mauritius, the national carrier, operates flights to Mauritius from Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. Air Austral, a French airline that services destinations in the Indian Ocean, flies twice a week from Sydney to Reunion. From here you easily connect to Mauritius via a 45 minute flight. Emirates operates flights to Mauritius via Dubai from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth seven days a week.
How to get from the airport to the city centre?
Flights to Mauritius land at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (MRU), 48 km southeast from the city of Port Louis. SSR Airport offers airport taxis which can be booked in the arrivals hall. Three bus services run to and from the airport and the bus stop is located in the car park.
Mauritius insider information
Tipping is not compulsory on Mauritius. Cover up on the beach; nudity and topless sunbathing is not accepted on the public beaches.
Cavadi is celebrated in January/February. During this festival, believers pierce their bodies with needles and pins, and, in a trance, carry the Cavadi, a wooden arch decorated with flowers and with a pot of milk at each end.
Eureka is a beautiful estate house with a spectacular setting, below Junction Peak, south of Port Louis. It's now a private museum, exhibiting antique furniture, chinaware, old photographs, books and other trappings of aristocratic life in the 1800s.
Ile aux Aigrettes, 800 metres off Mauritius's south-east coast, is a renowned nature reserve, home to some of the world's rarest birds. Not the Dodo, obviously, that was wiped out in the 17th century. A Dodo's skeleton is the star exhibit at the Natural History Museum in Port Louis.
The Martello tower is a small defensive fort at La Preuneuse beach. Martello towers were built by the British during the Napoleonic Wars and there are such towers around the UK and Channel Islands, Ireland, South Africa, America, Canada and Minorca. The tower at La Preneuse is a museum.
Ile aux Cerfs is a tiny wooded island near the east coast of Mauritius. It is a magnet for water-sports enthusiasts and golfers. The beach is gorgeous.
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