A Trip to Mauritius with Children

Increasingly, Lithuanian families are deciding to spend their winters in countries with a warm climate. There is nothing surprising – children not only improve their health there, but also get to know new cultures, tastes, and sights. However, few families travel to places as exclusive as Mauritius. We learned what a trip to Mauritius with children looks like in a conversation with a mother Indre.

The trip to Mauritius with the children is certainly not the first or even the most distant one for Indre’s family. Having started traveling as a couple, they continued their travels even after the birth of their children. Lithuanians with their children have been to Latvia, Norway, Great Britain, Crete, Croatia, France, Turkey, Tenerife, the United States of America, from there they took a cruise to St. Martin Island, Puerto Rico and Haiti. The little one recently celebrated her first birthday and already has 12 flights on her travel account.

The family flew to Mauritius when the little one was 11 months old and the older one was 4.5 years old.

Why is traveling to Mauritius with children convenient?

Indrė says that the first criteria was the small time difference between Lithuania and Mauritius (only 2 hours!) so that the husband could work remotely.

I also liked Mauritius because of the convenience of traveling, because the island is similar in size to Tenerife – in about 3 hours. you can drive from one end of the island to the other. Also, since it is one island, once you settle in one place, you don’t need to move to another island with all your belongings, like in Thailand or most other islands in Asia.

The mother of two children assures that even though Mauritius sounds exotic, because it is Africa after all, it is also a very European country, because historically it was a former French and British colony.

Another important criteria is the weather. While it’s winter in Lithuania, it’s summer in Mauritius, but it’s quite rainy. Rain, like in other tropical countries, is heavy but short, unless a cyclone hits the country. Indre remembers that they were visited by only one cyclone during the trip, so it rained for 3 whole days. However, this did not scare the young family, because the air temperature was still very warm, the rain was also warm, so dancing in the rain and swimming in the rain was an additional attraction not only for the children, but also for the parents.

Traveling to Mauritius with Children – Practical Aspects

• Indrė’s family chose a trip via Frankfurt, so at first it was a short flight Vilnius-Frankfurt, and then a direct flight at 12 o’clock to Mauritius. They returned the same way, only the long flight was during the day. You can find what to do with children during a long separation in our article “How to keep kids busy while traveling”;
• There are no mandatory vaccinations when traveling to Mauritius. There is also a low risk of contracting malaria or other diseases. The medical service is also very good, Indre had to try it herself (she paid 100 euros for emergency help, medicine and two drops);
• Visas are not required when leaving Lithuania, but you can stay in the country for up to 90 days.

Currencies and Communication

• The currency of Mauritius is a rupee. The most favorable exchange rate is at the airport, so it is best to exchange money there. In most places you can pay by card, but the market, local street food is only paid in cash, and in some places the prices are simply more favorable in local currency;
• It is easy to communicate – Mauritius does not have an official language, but since the island was a former French and British colony, almost everyone speaks both English and French perfectly, so Indre’s family did not have any difficulties in communicating. All signs on roads or attractions are in English, sometimes in French;
• Both renting a car and traveling independently are really easy – both Google Maps and Waze apps work perfectly. However, driving takes place on the left side of the road, so although there were no major challenges for Indre’s husband, the woman herself did not dare to drive;
• Prices are similar to those in Lithuania, some products in stores are a little more expensive, others are cheaper. In the stores, the range is European, many global brands can be found. Even in smaller stores you can find purees, diapers or wet wipes. Street food is cheap. Entertainment prices are similar to everywhere else in Europe. But let’s say a full-body, really high-quality massage in a spa center, 40 euros.

A trip to Mauritius – what is worth seeing with children?

Indre’s family likes active activities, so in addition to active rest, they also exercise their two little travelers.

Hiking

Since this time it was a little more difficult to hike because of the little one, the family only went on two hikes. The culmination of one of them was to reach the top of the waterfall, with a wonderful panorama, where everyone took a refreshing dip. There was a lot of excitement for both young and old!

During the trip, we Lithuanians also visited waterfalls: one waterfall where you could also swim and the highest waterfall in Mauritius from the observation deck.

Zoo

Another really impressive object was the Casela Park. It is a zoo which also has other attractions such as hot tubs and other entertainment areas. The feeding of the giraffes and the safari tour left the biggest impression. This entertainment will surely appeal to both young and old people. By the way, the park even offers the opportunity to walk with lions and cheetahs!

Tea plantation

The family also visited a tea plantation, where the view is reminiscent of Sri Lanka. On site, you can see the entire production of tea from start to finish. There is a museum, plus there is a tea tasting. Again, enjoyed by both adults and children.

Botanical Garden

This botanical garden, in Indre’s opinion, is the most impressive of everything she has seen. Especially green, with an abundance of plants, not single trees, as is often the case, but huge avenues of palm trees. Giant water lilies and lotus flowers can also be seen here.

National Park

It has both very beautiful observation decks and hiking trails of varying difficulty.

Culture

In Mauritius, there is a remarkable harmony of different religions, with Christian churches and Muslim mosques and Hindu temples standing next to each other. Indre and her family visited the holiest place for Hindu pilgrims, the Grand Bassin, a lake located in the crater, into which, according to a legend, Shiva poured holy water from the Gang River. Now this place is surrounded by temples and their various religiously significant statues. The children observed how differently people here pray, make sacrifices, put fruits and flowers on a tray, and release them into the lake. While traveling, the Lithuanians visited several more Hindu temples.

The capital

Although the island is small, its capital simply pulsates with energy and smells! It’s a wonderful combination of skyscrapers, driving Tesla cars and a market where everything has been done the same way for centuries.

Playgrounds

Indre says that she hardly saw any playgrounds in the country, but beaches and the ocean are the best playgrounds! The entire island of Mauritius is surrounded by a coral reef, so there are no big waves on the beaches, it is very convenient to swim with children, and the water temperature is 27-29 degrees, so you don’t want to get out of the water at all. And where are the many inhabitants of the underwater world – Indre’s husband even saw a turtle while snorkeling (self-diving)!

Children’s Affairs in Mauritius

Only a family who knows their child can decide whether a stroller is needed. Indre took it and assures that she used it a lot. Although there are no sidewalks in smaller towns, the woman felt safe even walking on the side of the road, because the drivers drive in an orderly manner. Riding scooters is not as common as in Asia.

The woman appreciates that she felt really safe in Mauritius, because crime in the country is really low, especially for more serious crimes. Pickpocketing and other petty crimes are common, as in other tourist countries, but in this respect, Indre believes that she felt more unsafe in Tenerife than in Mauritius.

The country is well suited for traveling with children. Car seats can be rented, and you can definitely find everything children need in shops and pharmacies.

A trip to Mauritius – practical advice from a mother:

• First of all, don’t be afraid to travel on your own. The majority of Mauritians only choose Al for hotel holidays. Of course, the hotel grounds there are amazing, but the island itself is also very beautiful, so you shouldn’t limit yourself to just the hotel grounds;
• It is important to take a lot of sunscreen, because the UV index is very high there and to use it responsibly;
• If you are going during the rainy season, you need to take care of mosquito protection. ATTENTION! Lithuanian sprays are not effective there, so it is best to go to the pharmacy and buy the appropriate tools after your flight;
• It is best to change money into local currency (rupees) at the airport, because the exchange rate is friendliest there;
• If you want to have internet everywhere during your trip, buy a SIM card at the airport.

Are you afraid to travel with children or a baby, are you hesitating whether it is worth traveling?  Read our recommendations prepared for you in our blogs  “Tips for preparing for a trip with children” and “Tips for preparing for a trip with a baby”. We are sure that you will find all the answers to the questions that arise and worry you.

If you want a reliable travel agency to take care of your travel planning, we recommend contacting Choose Wings.

This article is author’s work and was prepared by “Traveling with Children ®”. Copying and using without permission is strictly prohibited.

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