Expatriates Forums in Mauritius

HOTELS DIRECTORY IN MAURITIUS / MAURITIUS HOTEL GUIDE

Mauritius Info — Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:13 am

Author: Mauritius Info

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:13 am

HOTELS DIRECTORY IN MAURITIUS

Club Med La Pointe Aux Canonniers
Grand Bay
Tel: (+230) 209 1000
Website: www.clubmed.com

Hilton Mauritius Resort Hotel
Wolmar,
Flic En Flac
Tel: (+230) 403 1000
Fax: (+230) 403 1111
Website: www.hilton.com

La Piroque Hotel & Casino
Wolmar,
Flic En Flac
Tel: (+230) 453 8441
Fax: (+230) 453 8449
Email: info@lapirogue.mu
Website: www.lapirogue.com

Labourdonnais Waterfront Hotel
Caudan Waterfront,
Port Louis
Tel: (+230) 202 4000
Fax: (+230) 263 7864
Website: www.labourdonnais.com

Le Mauricia Hotel
Royal Road,
Grand Bay
Tel: (+230) 209 1100
Fax: (+230) 263 7888
Website: www.lemauricia.hotel.com

Le Meridien Ile Maurice Hotel
Village Hall Lane,
Pointe Aux Piments
Phone: (+230) 204 3333
Fax: (+230) 204 3304
Email: resa@lemeridien.mu
Website: www.mauritius.lemeridien.com

Le Victoria Hotel Pointe Aux Piments
Pointe Aux Piments
Phone: (+230) 261 8220
Fax: (+230) 261 8224
Email: victoria@bchot.com
Website: www.levictoria-hotel.com

Maritim Mauritius Hotel
Balaclava
Tel: (+230) 204 1000
Fax: (+230) 204 1020

The Oberoi Mauritius
Turtle Bay,
Pointe Aux Piments
Phone: (+230) 204 3600
Website: www.oberoihotels.com

Royal Palm Hotel
Royal Road,
Grand Bay
Tel: (+230) 263 8353
Email: beachcomber@bchot.com
Website: www.royalpalm-hotel.com

Sofitel Imperial
Wolmar,
Flic En Flac
Telephone: (+230) 453 8700
Fax: (+230) 453 8320
Email: sofitel@intnet.mu
Website: www.sofitel.com

Sugar Beach Resort Hotel
Wolmar,
Flic En Flac
Tel: (+230) 453 9090
Fax: (+230) 453 9100
Email: info@sugarbeachresort.mu
Website: www.sugarbeachresort.com

FOREIGN DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS IN MAURITIUS

Mauritius Info — Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:12 am

Author: Mauritius Info

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:12 am

FOREIGN DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS IN MAURITIUS

AUSTRALIA
Australian High Commission
2nd Floor, Rogers House,
5 President John Kennedy Street,
Port Louis
Phone: (+230) 2081700
Fax: (+230) 2088878
Email: austhc@intnet.mu
Website: www.mauritius.embassy.gov.au

CHINA
Embassy of China
Royal Road,
Bell Rose,
Port Louis
Phone: (+230) 4549111
Fax: (+230) 4646012 / 4549111
Email: chinaemb_mu@mfa.gov.cn
Website: www.ambchine.mu

CZECH REPUBLIC
Honorary Consulate of the Czech Republic
St. James Court Building,
Ground Floor,
St. Denis Street,
Port Louis
Phone: (+230) 2119200 / 6156 / 6640
Fax: (+230) 2115388
Email: portLouis@honorary.mzv.cz

DENMARK
Royal Danish Honorary Consulate
Rogers House,
President John Kennedy Street,
Port Louis
Phone: (+230) 2026611
Fax: (+230) 2121963
Email: philippe.espitaliernoel@rogers.mu

FINLAND
Honorary Consulate of Finland
2nd Floor, Rogers House,
5, President John Kennedy Street,
Port Louis
Phone: (+230) 2105767 / 2026527
Email: philip.taylor@rogers.mu

FRANCE
Embassy of France
14 Rue Saint Georges,
Port Louis
Phone: (+230) 2020100
Fax: (+230) 2020140
Email: ambafr@intnet.mu
Website: www.ambafrance-mu.org

GERMANY
German Consulate
32 Bis, Rue Saint Georges,
Port Louis
Phone: (+230) 2124100 / 2535701
Fax: (+230) 2114111
Email: hgkdeutsch@intnet.mu

INDIA
Indian High Comission
6th Floor, Life Insurance Corporation of India,
President John Kennedy Street,
Port Louis
Phone: (+230) 2083775 / 3776 / 0031 / 2111400
Fax: (+230) 2086859
Email: coined@intnet.mu
Website: www.indiahighcom.intnet.mu

JAPAN
Honorary Consulate of Japan
38 Royal Street,
Port Louis
Phone: (+230) 2066200
Fax: (+230) 2408133
Email: anil.currimjee@currimjee.intnet.mu

NETHERLANDS
Royal Dutch Honorary Consulate
10 Rue Dr. Ferrière,
Port Louis
Phone: (+230) 2027225 / 7227
Fax: (+230) 2088931
Email: fgb@ibl.intnet.mu

RUSSIA
Embassy of the Russian Federation
Queen Mary Avenue,
Floreal,
Port Louis
Phone: (+230) 6961545 / 5533
Fax: (+230) 6965027
Email: rusemb.mu@intnet.mu

SEYCHELLES
Honorary Consulate of Seychelles
616, St. James Court,
St. Denis Street,
Port Louis
Phone: (+230) 2111688
Fax: (+230) 2334526
Email: gfok@intnet.mu

SOUTH AFRICA
High Commission of South Africa
4th Floor, British American Insurance Building,
25 Pope Hennessy Street,
Port Louis
Phone: (+230) 2126925 / 6926 / 6928 / 6929
Fax: (+230) 2126936
Email: sahc@intnet.mu

SWITZERLAND
Honorary Consulate of Switzerland
2 Jules Koenig,
Port Louis
Phone: (+230) 2088763
Fax: (+230) 2103347
Email: swiss.consul@intnet.mu

UK
British High Commission
Les Cascades Building,
Edith Cavell Street,
Port Louis
Phone: (+230) 2029400 / 2528006
Fax: (+230) 2029408 / 9407
Email: bhc@intnet.mu , bhc@intnet.mu

USA
American Embassy
4th Floor, Rogers House,
President John Kennedy Street,
Port Louis
Phone: (+230) 2024400
Fax: (+230) 2089534
Email: usembass@intnet.mu
Website: www.mauritius.usembassy.gov

GETTING AROUND IN MAURITIUS / MAURITIUS TRANSPORT GUIDE

Mauritius Info — Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:11 am

Author: Mauritius Info

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:11 am

GETTING AROUND IN MAURITIUS

BY AIR

Air Mauritius operates daily flights connecting Plaisance Airport and Rodrigues Island (flight time – one hour 15 minutes). Three helicopters are available for transfers and for sightseeing tours. For more information contact, Air Mauritius Helicopter (tel: 603 3754; email: helicopter@airmauritius.intnet.mu).

BY SEA

Coraline sails once a week to Rodrigues Island from Port Louis. Contact Mauritius Shipping, Suite 417-418, St James Court, St Denis St, Port Louis, Mauritius (tel: 210 5944 or 6120).

BY ROAD

There is a good network of paved roads covering the island. Traffic drives on the left.

Bus

There are excellent and numerous bus services to all parts of the island.

Taxi

These have white registration plates with black figures. Taxis are metered.

Car rental

There are numerous car hire firms. Most require drivers to be over 23 years old.

Documentation: International Driving Permit recommended, although a foreign license is accepted. A temporary driving license is available from local authorities on presentation of a valid British or Northern Ireland driving license.

MAURITIUS TRAVEL INFORMATION / MAURITIUS TRAVEL GUIDE

Mauritius Info — Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:10 am

Author: Mauritius Info

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:10 am

MAURITIUS TRAVEL INFORMATION

Full Name

Republic of Mauritius

Capital City

Port Louis (pop 150,000)

Area

1,860 sq km
718 sq miles

Population

1,200,000

Time Zone

GMT/UTC + 4 ()

Languages

French (official)

English (official)

Hindi (other)

Urdu (other)

Bhojpuri (other)

Religion

Hindu (51%), Christian (30%), Muslim (17%), other (2%)

Currency

Mauritius Rupee (Rs)

Electricity

220V or 125V 50HzHz

Electric Plug Details

European plug with two circular metal pins

British-style plug with two flat blades and one flat grounding blade

Country Dialing Code

230

MAURITIUS TOURISM GUIDE / TOURISM IN MAURITIUS

Mauritius Info — Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:09 am

Author: Mauritius Info

Posted: Tue Mar 13, 2007 5:09 am

MAURITIUS TOURISM GUIDE

PORT LOUIS

Capital and main port of Mauritius, the city was founded by the French Governor, Mahé de Labordonnais, in 1735. The harbour is sheltered by a semicircle of mountains. The city has plenty of character and, in some quarters, signs of its past elegance are still evident. Off the main square, the palm-lined Place d’Armes, there are some particularly fine French colonial buildings, especially Government House (built in 1738) and the Municipal Theater, built around the same time. There are two cathedrals, one Protestant and one Catholic, a fine Supreme Court Building, some 18th-century barracks and the Natural History Museum (exhibiting Mauritius’s most famous bird, the extinct Dodo). On the outskirts of the city, at the foot of the mountains, is the Champ de Mars, originally laid out by the French for military parades, and now a race course. The splendid Edward VII Avenue and Fort Adelaide, a citadel fortified in the time of William IV, offer the best views of the race course, city and harbour. South of Port Louis is Le Réduit, the French colonial residence of the President of Mauritius, set in magnificent gardens. Other places of interest include the Jummah Mosque in Royal Street and the Chinese Pagoda.

The Domaine Les Pailles nature park nestling at the foot of the Moka mountain range covers an area of 3000 acres. Among the attractions are a natural spring, a spice garden, a replica of a sugar mill and an old rum distillery. Trips through the park in 4-wheel-drive vehicles, horse-drawn carriages or trains are also possible.

NORTHERN & WESTERN MAURITIUS

To the north of Port Louis are the Pamplemousses Gardens. These, created at the end of the 18th century, are known to naturalists throughout the world for their large collection of indigenous and exotic plants, including the giant Victoria regia water lilies and many species of palm trees. Of particular interest is the talipot palm, which is said to flower once, after 60 years, and then die. There are also tortoises here, some of them over 100 years old.

Facing the calm water of the lagoon between Pointe aux Piments and Trou aux Biches is the Aquarium populated by 200 species of fish, invertebrates, live coral and sponges, all originating from the waters around the island. An open-circuit seawater cycle of one million liters runs through the 36 tanks every day. The Aquarium offers a unique opportunity to admire the colorful treasures of the Indian Ocean.

The island’s main residential town in the west of the country, Curepipe, provides good shops and restaurants. Between Curepipe and Floreal lies Trou aux Cerfs, a dramatic, extinct crater 85m (280ft) deep and more than 180m (600ft) wide, which offers extensive views of the island from its rim.

Open daily, Casela Bird Park is set in the district of the Rivière Noire, stretches over 20 acres of land and contains more than 140 varieties, amounting to 2500 birds. Specimens from the five continents may be seen there, but the main attraction is the Mauritian Pink Pigeon, which is one of the rarest birds in the world. Other attractions are the fish ponds, tortoises, monkeys and orchids (seasonal). Trees, streams and small cascades all add to the remarkably peaceful atmosphere.

Situated 550km (340 miles) northeast of Mauritius, is the island of Rodrigues. This tiny, rugged, volcanic island is a beautiful and relaxing refuge for travelers. The island is covered in coconut palms, casuarina trees and pink-flowered bushes known as vieilles filles (spinsters). The capital, Port Mathurin is the main port of entry and the ‘Mauritius Pride’ sails regularly to and from Mauritius.

SOUTHERN MAURITIUS

Domaine des Grands Bois covers over 2000 acres of magnificent parkland, rich in lush and exotic fauna. Ebony, eucalyptus, palm trees and wild orchids provide the backdrop for stags, deer, monkeys and other wildlife.

Near Souillac, in the wild south, La Vanille Crocodile Park breeds Nile crocodiles imported from Madagascar. The site offers a vast park with a nature walk through luxuriant forest studded with freshwater springs. A small zoo of animals found in the wild in Mauritius is also located here.

Situated nearby, the Rochester Falls can be reached by a road which crosses a sugar plantation that is open to visitors. Water cascades over spectacular rock formations. Spectacular joints have been formed by the contraction of lava due to sudden cooling. Within a short distance of Bois Cheri, Grand Bassin rests in the crater of an extinct volcano, this is one of the island’s two natural lakes. It is a place of pilgrimage for a large number of Mauritians of the Hindu faith.

To the southwest lies Plaine Champagne, the highest part of the central plateau (740m/2430ft), from where there is a superb view of the Rivière Noire Mountains and the sea lining the horizon. The forest-clad slopes contain some fine specimens of indigenous timber and interesting plants peculiar to the island. For the keen birdwatcher, the mountains are the habitat of most of the remaining indigenous species.

BEACHES

Tamarin

Lying in the shadow of the Rivière Noire Mountains, Tamarin has a fine lagoon which is split in two by the Rivière Noire estuary. The bathing at this point is a big attraction, and amenities for surfing in the big ocean swells are available.

Grand Baie

The northern coastline beyond Baie du Tombeau has many delightful beaches: Pointe aux Piments, famous for its underwater scenery; Trou aux Biches, with its fringe of filaos (casuarina) and coconut palms and its splendid Hindu temple; further up the coast, Choisy, one of the most popular beaches on the island, offering facilities for safe bathing, sailing, windsurfing and water-skiing; finally, the coastline curves into Grand Baie itself, the main centre for yachting, water-skiing, windsurfing and many other sports.

Péreybère

This delightful little cove is midway on the coast road between Grand Baie and Cap Malheureux. The deep, clear water makes it one of the very best bathing places on the whole island.

Cap Malheureux

This is a fishing village in the extreme north, with a magnificent view of Flat Island, Round Island and Gunner’s Quoin, which are islands of volcanic origin, rising from the light-green sea.

Grand Gaube

Further along the coast is another charming fishing village where fishermen have earned a well-deserved reputation for their skill in the making of sailing craft and of deep-sea fishing.

Roches Noires/Poste Lafayette

These are both favored seaside resorts, especially in the hotter months, because of the fresh prevailing winds that blow almost all the year round from the sea.

Belle Mare

A beautiful white sandy beach with fine bathing is found here. The coast, with its white sweep of sands at Palmar and Trou d’Eau Douce, stretches out lazily to Grand Port, a quaint little village by the sea. There, the beach narrows and the road follows the coastline closely to Mahébourg. Pointe d’Esny, the adjoining white sandy beach with its string of bungalows, leads to Blue Bay.

Blue Bay

In a semicircle of filao trees lies one of the finest bathing spots on the island. Situated on the southeast coast, not far from Mahébourg, Blue Bay offers a fine stretch of white sandy beach, and a deep, clear, light-blue bathing pool. There is also scope for yachting and windsurfing.

A twisting, tarred road leads from Case Noyale village to Chamarel. This is an area of undulating land of seven contrasting layers of coloured dunes: blue, green, red and yellow earth, believed to be the result of weathering. The nearby Chamarel Waterfall emerges from the moors and the primeval vegetation and is very beautiful.