Need to Know
Currency
Language
Visas
Money
Mobile Phones
Time
When to Go
High Season (Dec–Jan & Jul–Aug)
AColourful Hindu festivals and cultural events are usually held in December and January.
AWhale sharks and whales visit in July and August.
AHotels raise prices during Christmas and New Year and often require minimum stays of one week.
Shoulder (Apr–May & Sep–Nov)
AThe best time to travel – less rain, lower humidity and bluer skies.
AEaster is busy.
APerfect for outdoor activities, especially hiking and whale watching.
APleasant temperatures, calmer seas and fewer visitors.
Low Season (Feb–Mar & Jun)
ASome resorts offer discounted packages.
ACheaper airfares.
ARain and cyclones (February and March) in Mauritius and Réunion can disturb travel plans.
Useful Websites
Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com/mauritius, www.lonelyplanet.com/reunion, www.lonelyplanet.com/seychelles) Destination information, hotel bookings, traveller forum and more.
Île de la Réunion Tourisme (www.reunion.fr) The official tourist-board website; information on attractions, restaurants, accommodation, activities and lots more.
Seychelles Travel (www.seychelles.travel) The official tourist-board website; information on attractions, accommodation, activities and much more.
Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (www.tourism-mauritius.mu) The country's main tourism portal; generally excellent but some sections a little thin.
Important Numbers
There are no area codes in Mauritius, Réunion or the Seychelles. To dial a phone number from abroad, dial your international access code, the country code, then the number (without the ‘0’).
| Mauritius country code | 230 |
| Réunion country code | 262 |
| Seychelles country code | 248 |
| Police (Mauritius & Seychelles) | 999 |
| Police (Réunion) | 17 |
Exchange Rates
| Australia | A$1 | €0.67 | (Seychelles) Rs 10.61 | (Mauritius) Rs 26.65 |
| Canada | C$1 | €0.70 | (Seychelles) Rs 10.72 | (Mauritius) Rs 27.61 |
| Euro Zone | €1 | €1 | (Seychelles) Rs 15.51 | (Mauritius) Rs 40.52 |
| Japan | ¥100 | €0.82 | (Seychelles) Rs 12.63 | (Mauritius) Rs 32.97 |
| NZ | NZ$1 | €0.61 | (Seychelles) Rs 9.51 | (Mauritius) Rs 24.63 |
| UK | UK£1 | €1.29 | (Seychelles) Rs 19.53 | (Mauritius) Rs 51.98 |
| USA | US$1 | €0.87 | (Seychelles) Rs 13.75 | (Mauritius) Rs 37.27 |
For current exchange rates, see www.xe.com.
Daily Costs
Budget: Less than €150
ABed in a gîte (lodge) in Réunion: €17
ADouble room in a guesthouse: €60
ATakeaway meal: €4–8
ABus ticket: €0.40–4
Midrange: €150–300
ADouble room in a hotel or B&B: €90–150
ALunch and dinner in local restaurants: €20–50
AFerry ride in the Seychelles: €60
AShort taxi trip: €8–20
Top End: More than €300
ARoom in a resort (promotional deal): from €200
ATop restaurant dinner: €40–80
AHelicopter tour: from €150
Opening Hours
Banks 8am or 9am to 2pm, 3pm or 4pm Monday to Friday, sometimes open on Saturday morning
Government offices 8.30am–noon and 2pm–5pm Monday to Thursday, to 3pm Friday
Restaurants 11.30am or noon to 2pm and 6.30pm or 7pm to 9pm (later in tourist hubs)
Shops and businesses 8am or 9am to 5pm or 6pm Monday to Saturday; some shops closed at lunchtime and on Monday in Réunion
Arriving in Mauritius, Réunion & the Seychelles
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (Mauritius) Semiregular buses between Port Louis or Curepipe and Mahébourg go via the airport and pick up passengers from outside the arrivals hall. Most travellers get where they're going by hiring a taxi – there's a taxi desk with set prices in the arrivals hall.
Roland Garros International Airport (Réunion) Between 6.30am and 6pm there's a regular shuttle bus service from the airport to central St-Denis (€4, 12 daily). Taxis from just outside the airport cost from €20 to central St-Denis (20 minutes).
Seychelles International Airport The Seychelles' only international airport is located on Mahé, about 8km south of Victoria. Big hotels provide transport to and from the airport. Taxis from just outside the airport.
Getting Around
Mauritius, Réunion and the Seychelles are easy destinations to get around.
Car Outside cities, renting a car gives unmatched flexibility and convenience. Cars can be hired in major towns and at the airports. Drive on the left in the Seychelles and Mauritius; on the right in Réunion.
Air Most convenient services are between Mauritius and Rodrigues and between Mahé and Praslin. Be aware that if you're planning to travel to both Mauritius and Réunion, it makes much better financial sense to visit Mauritius first and fly on to Réunion, as return flights work out around €100 cheaper when originating in Mauritius. The flat-fare system of flights from Réunion to Mauritius hikes the fare by 40%.
Boat The preferred mode of interisland transport in the Seychelles. Fast and reliable but quite expensive.
Bus Very cheap. In all three countries getting around by public transport is possible but sometimes complicated and rather slow.
Taxi In some cases hiring a taxi is a great way to explore an area, especially if you can share costs with other travellers.