Mauritius has long attracted South Africans for its close proximity (direct flights from Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban) and that it remains a visa-free destination for SA passport holders. These Mauritius travel trips are based on my experience of the green island which I returned to this past July after visiting 23 years ago.

1. Pay in local currency

Avoid outrageous exchange rates and fees when paying with your credit and/or debit card by always selecting to pay in local currency. If you choose to pay in your home currency rather than Mauritian Rupees, little known “dynamic currency conversion” charges are applied by the party handling the transaction. Selecting to pay in local currency means your bank at home handles the currency conversion. They will closely track the “true” currency conversion rate, meaning it’s usually a lot cheaper.

2. In July, beware the wind on the east coast

While the southern hemisphere winter months (May – Dec) are generally seen as the ideal time to visit Mauritius, in my recent experience you should be cautious about staying on the east coast if you prefer a windless break. Note that this applies to the east coast of Mauritius (Ile Aux Cerfs, Trou d’Eau Douce etc.) in July and August when surface winds blow against unprotected beaches making water sports and beach time a little less desirable.

3. Renting a car? Chalk it up to experience

Mauritian law requires each vehicle to carry a piece of chalk in the glove box. The chalk is used to mark the scene in the event of an accident and is compulsory (much like it is law to carry reflector warning triangles in South Africa). Make checking for chalk part of your preliminary inspection when you collect your hire car. It also won’t hurt to stash the car hire contract in the glove box as you might need to produce it if stopped by island fuzz

4. Try Phoenix Fresh

If you’re already a fan of Mauritian cold one Phoenix, then you’ll love the version with a twist of bitter lemon. Phoenix Fresh adds a delightfully refreshing twist of lemon to the staple brew of the island. The ideal session beers to join you on the beach.

5. Bus it or bust

On a budget? Local blue busses cover most of the island and are a cheap and informal way to get around. Just a few Mauritian Rupees will get you on board and then you can hop on and off  until you find a suitably vacant stretch of sand.

There are two types of buses in Mauritius, standard and express. The express ones are faster since they don’t stop every few metres like the standard ones do. Buses operate from 5.30am – 8pm in built up areas and 6.30am – 6.30pm in the countryside, however there’s also a late service between Port Louis and Curepipe until 11pm. To give you an idea about the journey times: a trip from the airport to Port Louis might take up to 80 minutes. Take cash.

6. Mauritius Duty Free is a rip off

Don’t leave your holiday gift shopping to the last minute as you’ll end up getting stung in Mauritius Duty Free at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Airport. Like most duty-free shopping around the world, prices at Plaisance Airport’s transit trap are marked up to unreasonable levels again proving that duty free really isn’t the least expensive place to get stuff. Charged in Euro, I bought gifts at the airport that I could’ve purchased outside the airport for less than a third of the price.