The island state of Mauritius sits in the south-western section of the Indian Ocean. The island has a tropical climate with heat, sunshine and blue skies nearly all year round.

Its location in the southern hemisphere means that Mauritius’s two seasons, summer and winter, are the opposite of what we are used to in Europe. There are minimal differences between the two seasons, making Mauritius the perfect beach holiday destination all year round.

Summer in Mauritius is from November to April.

During these months, you experience the hottest temperatures of the year, but also the most rain and the highest humidity. Rain primarily falls in showers or thunderstorms lasting a few hours.

This season is particularly ideal for sunbathing, snorkelling and diving between October and December, as visibility in the ocean is at its best during these months.

Between January and March, there is a higher risk of Mauritius being hit by powerful storms or cyclones, and it may rain more than usual in this period. Statistically speaking, however, cyclones only pass directly over Mauritius every 5 years.

Winter in Mauritius lasts from May to October.

This period is drier than the summer period, and the temperature is more comfortable. With its comfortable humidity, the winter is ideal for outdoor activities while remaining hot enough for sunbathing and enjoying the gorgeous sandy beaches.

The eastern and south-eastern parts of Mauritius may be affected by the south-eastern trade winds in July and August.

It goes without saying that you need to bring your passport with you on your tour.

As a British national, you can stay in Mauritius without a visa for up to 90 days.

When entering Mauritius, your passport must be valid for 6 months past the duration of your stay.
You must also be in possession of a return ticket, or an onward ticket to another country.

The visa regulations can be checked on the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office website.

You must fill out an entry form before you arrive in Mauritius. You can find the entry form here: https://safemauritius.govmu.org/. This must be printed and presented upon arrival in Mauritius.

Prior to your departure, you can download our App here to find your travel documents and the contact details for TourCompass and our local partners.

We recommend that you download the WhatsApp app to your smartphone and add the phone numbers of our business partners. You can send messages and call them for free using the app when you have a Wi-Fi connection.

We advise you to contact a medical specialist, your GP or an authorised vaccination clinic. You can also read more about the rules regarding travel vaccinations here.

Please be aware of the rules about yellow fever – especially if you are entering via another African country.

Please read our general travel terms and conditions carefully, as these are part of the agreement terms for tours purchased at TourCompass. Tours purchased from us are covered under the “Package Travel Act”.

Click here to read our travel terms and conditions.

All the flights and flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it.
Please see our booking conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate click here.

We always advise you to obtain comprehensive travel insurance when heading off on your dream holiday. It is also highly recommended to acquire cancellation insurance for extra protection. 

Click here to proceed to our page on insurance, where you can read more about our recommendations.

The local currency in Mauritius is called the Mauritius Rupee (MUR).

Visa, MasterCard and Diners are accepted in most places. You can exchange to MUR at the airport, banks and hotels or withdraw from cash machines.

Restaurants and hotels generally add a service fee of 10 per cent to the bill. Tips are not therefore normally expected in Mauritius. If you have received extraordinary treatment during your stay and wish to show your appreciation, it is perfectly OK to give a tip.

At the vast majority of our destinations, we are able to take allergies, as well as allergens or preferences into account when it comes to food, however it is important that you inform us of this when you book the tour.

In the hotel descriptions on our website, you can see whether Wi-Fi is available at the hotels. Please note that the connection may be unstable.

Smoking policy

Mauritius has a strict smoking policy, and smoking is prohibited in all public places.

Make sure you pack all your important and indispensable things in your hand luggage. This applies to items such as passports, visas, vaccination cards, travel documents, insurance documents, credit cards, money, computers and mobile phones, as well as information about your health and vital medicines.

Most restaurants and eateries in Mauritius have a dress code, such as long trousers for men. Beach sandals and swimwear are not allowed in restaurants.

Visitors are not permitted to bring plants, seeds, fruit and other plant products into the UK from their travels outside the UK, unless they are accompanied by a plant health (phytosanitary) certificate. These rules also apply to smaller quantities of plants and plant products.

Read more about the rules here.

Please note that our tours are not generally suitable for people with impaired mobility. Please contact us for information about your options in relation to your specific needs.

Most airlines have electronic tickets (e-tickets).

It is important that you check your name for spelling errors, as the name on the reservation must be exactly as it appears on your passport. If your name needs to be corrected, please contact us as soon as possible. Please note that this may incur a fee from the airline.

The airline will assign you a seat on the plane at check-in. If you have specific wishes regarding where you sit on the plane, you can make a seat reservation yourself on the airline’s website or in their app. Please note that most airlines require payment for a seat reservation.

It varies when airlines open for seat reservations, but as a general rule, you can book seats from the time of booking and up to 48 hours before departure.

We also point out that the airline has complete control over all seats on the plane and that they are therefore entitled to make changes to the reservation at any time.
If you do not make a seat reservation before departure, the airline will assign you a seat at check-in.

Your passport and your booking reference, which appears on your itinerary, are required to check in.

We recommend that you download the airline’s app on your phone. In the app, there is an option for online check-in, which typically opens 24 to 48 hours before departure. The app also allows you to stay informed of any flight changes and other important information about your flight.

Please note that the flight times may have changed in relation to those listed on the travel itinerary you received when you booked your holiday. It is always the flight times in the airline’s app or on the airline’s website that apply.

We recommend that you arrive at the airport to check in at least two hours before departure. It is a good idea to check the airport’s website for the latest updates.

We use many different airlines for our destinations. You can check the exact rules for hand luggage and checked baggage on the airline’s website or in their app.

If domestic flights are used in your programme, please note that your permitted baggage may be different from your overseas flight. It is usually always possible to buy extra luggage locally.

Please note that it is not permitted to bring hard-case suitcases for check-in on domestic flights. Your suitcase should be made of a soft material that is easier to pack. Nor are you permitted to bring trolleys as hand luggage on local domestic flights.

If you are flying via O.R. Tambo Airport in Johannesburg, please be aware that checked baggage must have at least one flat side and must not have long, loose straps (such as a backpack). If you are travelling with a round sports bag or a backpack with long straps, you should make use of the baggage wrapping service at the airport before checking in your luggage.

Please note that if you fly via Johannesburg, you are occasionally required to collect your luggage from the baggage carousel and bring it through customs yourself, and then hand it in at the check-in counter again. When you check in, check whether this is the case or whether your luggage will be sent all the way to your final destination.

If your baggage is delayed, please contact the staff in the baggage reclaim area to report your missing baggage.

It is important that you have your baggage receipt when completing your PIR (Property Irregularity Report).

Please note that you must not leave the baggage area at the airport until you have completed the report.

In the event of delayed baggage, we ask you to contact our partner, who will ensure that your guide/driver waits for you.

Should any changes occur in connection with your flight reservation before departure, we will of course contact you to let you know.

Should your flight be delayed after check-in, the airline is responsible for rebooking your flight. They will typically book the next possible flight and arrange any meals and accommodation if necessary.

Our partner checks for any changes in arrival times and will naturally still wait for you, even if your flight is delayed.

If, due to a delay or cancellation, the airline books you on another flight number after you have arrived at the airport, please contact us on TourCompass’ emergency number.

Immigration:

When you arrive at your final destination, you will go through immigration, where your passport and any entry documents and visas are checked. In many places, you will be required to provide fingerprints, and a photo of your face will also be taken for biometric recognition. You may also be asked questions about your travel plans in the country and possibly where you are staying.

Customs:
Once you’ve cleared immigration and picked up your luggage, you will head through customs. If you have nothing to declare, you can go through “nothing to declare”. If, on the other hand, you have something to declare, it is important that you go through “declare”. It’s your own responsibility to check the customs regulations that apply in the country you are travelling to.

At Mauritius Airport, you should contact counter 7 for your transfer to the hotel.

In the unexpected event that you cannot find your guide/driver, please contact our partner on the emergency number which appears on the travel documents.

Normal check-in is typically from 2 pm, and you cannot therefore count on getting your room earlier. If you’d like to check in early, this can be arranged for a fee when you book the tour.

When you check in, the receptionist will generally register your credit card and may reserve an amount. This is not an additional fee, but customary at hotels to ensure payment of any consumption from the minibar and the like. When you check out, the amount will be automatically released if you have not made use of this.

It is very normal for hotels to take a copy of your passport. In some places, this is a requirement of the local authorities.

Check-out is normally by 10 am. If you’re not travelling until the afternoon or evening, you can have your luggage stored until it’s time to leave. If you would like a late check-out instead, this can be arranged for a fee when you book the tour.

In the event of unforeseen circumstances such as bad weather, blocked roads or otherwise, it may be necessary to change the order of sightseeing tours and attractions in your itinerary.

We have a 24-hour emergency hotline so that you can always get in touch with us should anything unforeseen occur during your tour. You will also be sent the telephone numbers and emergency telephone numbers of our partners at the destination. In some cases, it may be easiest and fastest to contact our partners due to time differences, if, for example, you find yourself in a situation where your pick-up for an excursion or transfer is more than 15 minutes delayed.

Our livelihood depends on satisfied guests, and we would therefore very much like to hear from you after your return home. Send us an email at info@tourcompass.co.uk or call us on tel.: 01279 704 135.