# mauritius travel: what actually matters
yaar, lemme tell you abt my trip to mauritius last year. i went solo for 10 days, thinking it’d be this chill island vibe, but bro, it was a mix of okay beaches and some proper headaches. no sugarcoating here – i’m spilling teh real deal coz i wish someone had warned me. prices in inr mostly, some £ for comparison (1£=110ish inr back then). let’s break it down.
getting there
arre, reaching mauritius ain’t rocket science but flights from india can burn a hole in your pocket if you’re not smart. i flew from mumbai to sir seewoosagur ramgoolam international airport (mru), direct with air mauritius. round trip cost me 38,000 inr in economy, booked 2 months ahead on makemytrip. one way starts at 18k-22k if you’re lucky with deals, but peak season (dec-apr) jumps to 50k easy. from delhi, add 5-10k more coz no direct sometimes – go indigo or air india via mumbai.
no trains or buses, duh, it’s an island 4 hours flying time from bombay. closest mainland is reunion or madagascar, but ferries? forget it, not practical from india. i landed at 2am, immigration was quick – 10 mins, no visa nonsense for indians (free on arrival for 60 days). taxi from airport to grand baie? 1500-2000 inr (25-30min ride), or shared bus for 200 inr but last one leaves early. pro tip: download offline maps before, coz roaming data is pricey at 500 inr for 5gb sim from airport mcb or emtel.
if you’re from uk or europe, direct from london heathrow with air mauritius or british airways, £450-700 return (50k-75k inr), 11 hours. i wouldn’t do stopovers, direct is best. yaar, jet lag hit hard coz of teh time difference (mauritius is 2.5 hours ahead of ist).
where i stayed
i bounced between two spots to save cash – first 5 nights at veranda paul et virginie in balaclava (northwest), then 5 at some budget guesthouse in flic en flac. veranda was 7000 inr/night via booking.com, ocean view room but bro, what a letdown. ac was weak, leaked water everywhere during rains, and breakfast? same toast-jam everyday, no variety. beach access was nice but crowded with locals picnicking, not peaceful. staff friendly tho, helped with laundry for 300 inr/load.
switched to ocean dream guesthouse in flic en flac – 3500 inr/night, basic double room with fan (ac extra 500). clean enough, 2min walk to beach, but road noise at night was killer, like sleeping next to a highway. owner was mauritian indian, spoke hindi, made teh stay fun with tips on cheap eats. bathroom hot water failed twice, and wifi? spotty af, couldn’t even upload stories. total stay cost 52,500 inr. if you’re balling, go resort like lux le morne at 15k+/night but i heard they push timeshares hard. airbnb in grand baie is cheaper at 3k-5k but check reviews – some are party hostels full of drunk russians. honest? none were great value, felt overpriced for teh meh quality. next time, i’d couchsurf or homestay with locals.
food scene
mauritian food is indian-creole fusion, yaar – think curry but milder, with french twists. street food is teh star: dholl puri (yellow split pea flatbread wrap) for 50-80 inr, loaded with chutney, beans, chilli. gateaux piment (chilli cakes) 10 inr each, alouda (falooda milkshake) 100 inr. port louis market is chaos but gold – fresh juices 50 inr, mine friandises (samosa-like) 20 inr.
local dishes: rougaille (tomato-onion stew with fish/chicken) 300-400 inr plate at beach shacks, briani (biryani) 250 inr, best at scott arms pub. seafood? grilled prawns 600 inr/kg, but fresh lobster 1500 inr – ate at star of the sea in grand baie, decent. tried octopus salad, okay but chewy.
what made me sick? bro, street seafood in 35c heat. day 3, gobbled prawn curry from a random van in pereybere beach – next morning, stomach revolt, spent 2 days hugging toilet. blame bad ice or unhygienic prep. doctor visit 2000 inr + meds. veg options plenty – eggplant curry, roti jaufre (flatbread). supermarkets like intermart for instant noodles 100 inr/pack, saved my life.
dining out: beach restaurants 800-1200 inr for two-course meal. skip fancy fusion like teaspoon in grand baie (overhyped, 1500 inr thali). beer? phoenix 100 inr bottle. total food spend 15k inr – cheap if you street it, but pack imodium.
spots worth your time
okay, no bs lists – here’s what actually mattered from 10 days wandering.
1. flic en flac beach – long white sand stretch, free entry, water calm for swimming. went mornings, emptyish, sunset views solid. water warm, but corals dead in spots from bleaching, snorkel okay but saw mostly fish poop. honest: crowded afternoons with families blasting music, but better than others.
2. black river gorges national park – hiked macchabe
plan your trip
Affiliate links at no extra cost.
May 2026