Car Hire in Mauritius - Enjoy your next holiday

Picturesque, paradise-like, fabulous, blue, green, and lush. This is Mauritius in a nutshell. Praised in literature for its heaven-like scenery, featured in numerous travel books and desired by many as the perfect honeymoon destination, the island of Mauritius captures the quintessence of a tropical landscape.

Mauritius equals a fiesta for all senses in every sense of the word - be it with its diverse nature, fabulous and varied cuisine or rich heritage.

Visit Port Louis for some history and a real life street market experience, Grand Baie for famous beach resorts, or the similar Flic en Flac for more sandy beaches and outdoors activities. No matter where you decide to travel, Auto Europe, one of the leading car hire brokers worldwide, is present all over the island. With a car hire in Mauritius, you will be completely flexible and able to check out all those lovely places on the island.

With Auto Europe as your reliable travel companion, you are sure to find the best car hire in Mauritius at low prices. Be sure to read our guide to driving in Mauritius as well as your car rental voucher on time.

Road Rules and Petrol Stations

• Driving is on the left side of the road
• Speed limit in towns is 24 mph. On motorways it is between 49 mph and 68 mph
• When approaching a roundabout, give way to those who are already in it.
• With a few exceptions in the capital or at rather busy places, street parking is mostly free of charge.
• Think on time about refilling your tank as petrol stations, although numerous, are rarely open at night or during the weekend.
• Driving licence as well as insurance documents are to be carried while driving at all times.
• Using a mobile phone without a hands-free kit is forbidden.

Tolls

In recent years, the government in Mauritius has decided to undertake a project to reduce the costly traffic congestion. A motorway that cuts through the island has been built. The process of applying tolls to some other roads is under way as well. The already introduced tolls are inexpensive. We advise to get familiar with the toll system directly at suppliers' when picking up your car hire.

Age Requirements

You need to be at least 21 years old in order to hire a car in Mauritius. Another must is to have held the licence for at least one year beforehand.

Currency

You will need Mauritian rupee to get around Mauritius. While some hotels or establishments will accept Euro or pounds, they are quite rare and you would be given all but a favourable exchange rate. Our tip is to exchange money once you are already on the island rather than at home. The airport hosts many exchange bureaus and so do all tourist resorts. Another option is to have your money exchanged at one of the Thomas Cook branches dotted around the island.

Time difference

Compared to Greenwich Mean Time, Mauritius Standard Time is four hours ahead. DST is no longer in operation on the island.

Dictionary

While there is no official formal language in Mauritius, its citizens speak a wealth of languages, French, English and many ethnic ones being some of them. Mauritian Creole is considered the most widespread language spoken by the majority of people on the island. Here are some useful phrases to help you get by:

Hello - Bonzur!
How are you? - Ki manyér.
Pleased to meet you! - Mo kontan monne zwin u.
Yes. - Wi.
No. - Non.
I don't understand. - Ma po kompran.

Electricity

As electricity voltage in Mauritius is 220-240 V, as it is in the UK, you will not need to use power converters. The B type socket used in the UK is also widely used in Mauritius. However, it may be handy to bring an adapter along, in case you encounter other socket types in your hotel. Most hotels do have adapters ready, however.

Visa & Embassy Information 

British High Commission
Port Louis, Mauritius
Telephone: +230 2029400
Email: bhc@intnet.mu

Useful links

Mauritius Airport Information

Mauritius Tourism