Mauritius Travel

Mauritius is one of the top tourist destinations in the world, famed for it's luxury accommodation, natural coral reefs and geographical volcanic delights. However, to visit this earthly Paradise, you may need to spend a little time traveling

In fact, from most major Western countries, getting to Mauritius is something of a trawl. To begin, in most cases there will be at least one stop. Total flight duration from London, UK, stands at around 14 hours. New York (duration of over 20 hours), Paris (duration of 16 hours) and Rome (13 hours) fare no better.

The majority of flights stopover in Dubai, and gaps between flights can sometimes be a couple of days. The flight from Dubai to Mauritius is around six and a half hours, so even the final leg of the journey is quite tiresome and time consuming. You can reduce this by connecting in Johannesburg, South Africa, where the final trip is only four hours, but flights are less regular. While the flying and waiting time may seem preposterous, it is also one of the reasons for the Mauritian reputation of luxury, class and exclusivity. After all, if it was easy to travel to Mauritius, everyone would do it.

Mauritius travel is also expensive. Flights will generally cost over L700 / $1,400. This can be reduced with hotel and flight deals, but never to less than L450 / $900 – even if you do go off peak. Many of the major airlines offer flights to the connection points in Dubai and Johannesburg, with Emirates and national flag carriers South African Airways and Air Mauritius often covering the remainder of the journey.

Unfortunately, at present no budget airlines cover Mauritius. This is largely due to the island's reputation as a playground for the rich and the famous, with even the prices quoted above generally being for economy / coach class. All of this helps retain the Mauritian reputation for exclusive opulence.

It is also possible to travel to Mauritius by sea, but you'd need to be brave to try. As an island, Mauritius has plenty of ports, with the main destination being in the capital Port Louis. There is a limited passenger service to Port Louis from the neighboring islands of Réunion, Rodrigues Island and Madagascar. However, traveling to these islands is just as problematic as getting to Mauritius itself, therefore rendering the idea somewhat pointless.

Mauritius Island The only other genuinely viable option when it comes to traveling to Mauritius is by cruise ship. Many cruise and travel companies offer cruises throughout destinations in the Indian Ocean, including Mauritius. The island usually plays a starring role in these cruises, being one of the better known areas. However, a cruise is often seen as a holiday in itself and will only spend a few days in Mauritius.

Therefore, the most efficient way of traveling to Mauritius is to fly. It may seem like a journey time from hell, but flights are generally in modern, large aircraft right to the final destination on the island itself. Traveling to Mauritius does indeed seem like a lot to ask, but the island itself will pay you back in triplicate with it's stunning scenery and blissful isolation once you arrive. After all, some say nothing good is ever easy.