Mauritius - Useful Information

ISD Phone Numbers
To obtain an overseas number you must dial the international code 00, then the country code and finally the telephone number.

Here are some popular country codes :
France    33
Great Britain    44
South Africa    27
Reunion Island    262
Germany    49
Italy    39
India    91

Government Tourist Office
this organisation has all the necessary information concerning activities on our beautiful island.
Telephone :    208 6397
Fax :    212 5142

International Chamber of Commerce
provides information on economic and business matters.
Telephone :    208 3301
Fax :    208 0076

Central Post Office
situated near the Port-Louis harbor will give you information concerning the mail and postal parcels over 200 countries.
Telephone :    208 2851   

Overseas
Telecommunication Services
will help you to contact overseas by phone, telex or facsimile. The Mauritius telex code is 0966.
OTS, Rogers House, Port-Louis Tel :    208 1036
OTS, Cassis (24 hour a day)
Tel :     208 0221

Emergency Services
Fire Services : 995
Police : 999
Ambulance : 999 or 114

Credit Card
Contact the bank where your credit card is listed (Visa, MasterCard, American Express...)
A 24 hour service is available at the Mauritius Commercial Bank on 208 5250

Clinics and Hospitals
complete information about this can be found in the Yellow Pages.

Time zones
GMT     + 4 hours
Central Europe : + 3 hours
    + 2 hours in summer
South Africa :     + 2 hours

Taxes & Tips
A 10% Government Tax is applicable to all hotels and restaurants bills.
Tips can be given at your own discretion.

Driving Tips
Mauritius has inherited many British customs such as tea time at 16:00 and left-hand driving with priority to the right : you will have to be very careful while driving. The car park spaces found in the cities are strictly regulated by the use of coupons available at the filling stations.

ATM’s
you can come to Mauritius without any cash since automatic tellers are available all over the island and you can withdraw money directly from overseas with cards such as Visa International, MasterCard, American Express, etc.. Mauritius has benefited from the freedom of currency exchange since 1994.

Electricity Voltage
The standard domestic electricity usage is 220 V. You can either use British plugs (3 branches) or French and American ones (2 branches).

Television
Television programmes are broadcasted by the national Mauritius Broadcasting Corporation and are diffused on the TV1, TV2 & TV5 channels. The MBC broadcasts the Canal+ programmes from Reunion Island on the channel 3 and an English programme on the channel 4.   An oriental channel is still being studied for the channel 6. Furthermore, many Mauritians can pick-up RFO’s second channel from Reunion Island.

Radio Broadcast
As for the radio, you will pick-up 5 different public stations (the private broadcasting is still under study) : RM 1, RM 2, Sugar FM, Planet FM, Sansar FM.

Newspapers
the daily newspapers have a long history of freedom of expression.

Useful Dates
The civil Mauritian calendar has 13 Public Holidays for religious events such as :

Thaïpoosam Cavadee
(January)
A Tamil event where the adepts, after 10 days of fasting, pierce their bodies with needles and form a very coloured and animated procession.

Chinese New Year
(beginning of February)
You will admire typical Dragon Dances in certain parts of the island.

Eid El Fitr (March)
Represents the end of the Muslims’ fast, and very colourful events take place.

Maha Shivaratree (March)
Is the Hindu pilgrimage to Grand Bassin representing the homage to the goddess Shiva.

Pilgrimage of the Pere Laval (September)
The catholic population goes to the crypt of the priest and missionary of the saint-like Pere Laval.

Ougadi (April)
It is a religious event for the Telegus, illustrating the homage to the Telegu New Year which coincides with the beginning of the Indian harvest. Get togethers, prayers and cakes are common practices during this event.

Ganesh Chaturti (September)
Is a religious event for the Marathis celebrating the anniversary of the God Ganesh, the ceremonial God, half-man, half-elephant, the son of the God Shiva. The adepts pray and make flour or clay statues representing the God Ganesh which they will then drown in a sacred river or in a sacred water point.

Divali (November)
Is a religious event for the Hindus celebrating the victory of Good over Evil, light over darkness. During this occasion, the whole island sparkles with thousands of small lights and lanterns.