Mauritius is an island paradise in the Indian Ocean, located off the east coast of Africa. You’ll find a stunning landscape of soft sand beaches, mountains, tea plantations, waterfalls, forests and sparkling clear lagoons encircled by coral reefs.
Mauritius is one of the most ethnically-diverse countries in the world, creating a fascinating, vibrant and peaceful island community that offers a warm welcome to visitors. It is big enough for thrilling adventures and small enough to ensure everything on the island is within easy reach.
Mauritius is an island country in the Indian Ocean, east of Africa. It lies around 500 miles (800km) east of Madagascar and is part of the Mascarene Islands. Mauritius has offshore islets and outlying territories such as Rodrigues Island.
The island’s size is perfect for a holiday. Everything is within reach, so nothing is ruled out by long travelling distances. The east to the west coast spans approximately 45 km and takes around 1 hour 15 minutes to drive across. The north to the south of the island is approximately 61 km and takes around 1 hour 20 minutes to drive. The island covers 2030 sq km and is home to beaches, mountains, national parks, fishing villages and the capital city of Port Louis.
You can fly direct to Mauritius from major cities around the world, including London, Paris, Johannesburg, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Perth and Dubai. There is one international airport in Mauritius and this is called Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport. It is located in the southeast of the island at Plaine Magnien. If you arrive by cruise ship, you will likely dock at the capital city of Port Louis.
Flying to Mauritius
Mauritius cruises
Mauritius is an award-winning destination! We often pick up accolades for the best adventure travel destination and weddings destination in the Indian Ocean. You can find our latest awards on the World Travel Awards website.
The languages spoken in Mauritius are English, French and Creole. You can learn a few key phrases with our handy guide to Creole expressions.
Mauritians are mainly descended from Indian laborers, Chinese traders, African slaves, and Dutch, French and British colonists. Today, this creates a diverse community that celebrates all religions and ethnicities. You’ll find these influences reflected in our food, architecture, music and more. There are two UNESCO World Heritage Sites on the island, Le Morne Cultural Landscape and Aapravasi Ghat, fascinating places to learn about the history of slaves and indentured labourers on the island. The traditional Sega dance and Geet Gawai, the opening ritual for an Indian wedding, are on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list.
From a street food tour of Port Louis to hiking through spectacular National Parks in search of tumbling waterfalls, there is so much to see and do in Mauritius.
Mauritius is a year-round destination but, depending on what you want to do on the island, there are better times to visit for hiking, windsurfing, festivals and events. You can find out more with our guide to the weather in Mauritius and our festivals guide.
If you want to relax on the beach, Mauritius is the perfect choice for a beach holiday! You’ll find stunning white sand beaches all around the island, plus clear, calm lagoons perfect for snorkelling, swimming and paddleboarding. There are also offshore islets like Ilot Gabriel and Ile aux Cerfs, where you can spend the day on the beach.
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