What is the basic information about Mauritius?
1. Introduction to the country
Before 1505, the island was still uninhabited. When the Portuguese Mascarene landed on the island, he saw a group of bats flying up and down, so he simply called the island "Bat Island".
In 1598, the Dutch came here and named the island "Mauritius" after Prince Maurice. Taiwan is now translated as Mauritius. The Dutch ruled for more than 100 years. In 1715, the French occupied the island of Mauritius and renamed it "Ile de France".
More than 100 years later, Britain defeated France and changed the name of the island back to "Mauritius". In 1814, the island was officially classified as a British colony. The Mauritians sought autonomy through various means, and finally in July 1961, the United Kingdom agreed to the autonomy of Mauritius. On March 12, 1968, Mauritius officially declared independence. Now, Mauritius is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, with the official language being English and a population of 1.074 million.
2. Geographical location
Mauritius consists of the island of Mauritius and other small islands. Area is 2040 square kilometers. Mauritius is a volcanic island surrounded by coral reefs, and the island's landforms are diverse. The coast is a narrow plain, and the central part is a plateau and mountainous area. There are many mountains and isolated peaks, and the scenery is quite spectacular. Mauritius has a subtropical oceanic climate, with two seasons of rain and drought throughout the year, with an average temperature of 25°C. Plateau lakes provide islanders with fresh water resources.
3. Folk customs
The residents are mainly of Indian and Pakistani descent (68.4%), Creoles (mixed European and African, 27%), Chinese ( 2.9%) and people of European descent (1.7%). The official language is English, French is also widely spoken, and Creole is the most commonly spoken language among locals.
51% of the residents believe in Hinduism, 31.3% believe in Christianity, 16.6% believe in Islam, and a small number of people believe in Buddhism.
4. Weather
Mauritius has a subtropical maritime climate. The whole year is divided into summer and winter. Summer is from November to April of the following year. The coastal temperature is 27°C, the central plateau is 22°C, and the sea water temperature is about 27°C. The winter and cool season are from May to October, and the average coastal temperature is 24°C. ℃, the central plateau is 19 ℃, and the sea water temperature is about 22 ℃.
5. Clothing
Mainly light summer clothes. Please bring your own rain gear and windbreaker to prevent weather changes.
6. Bring your own supplies
Personal hygiene products, such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, slippers, etc.; if you like swimming, please prepare sunscreen and swimming supplies; also bring a flashlight and labor gloves For fishing or swimming.
Because there are many coral stones in the sea, it is best to bring your own white cloth shoes for swimming. General diving supplies such as masks, straws, fins, etc. can be rented at the hotel.
7. Time difference
Mauritius time is 4 hours behind Beijing time.
8. Currency
The currency of Mauritius is the Rupee, the common currency is the Euro, and the US dollar is also commonly used.
1 rupee is equivalent to about 3 yuan in RMB; generally hotels mainly use euros, and most resort hotels accept internationally accepted credit cards.
RMB exchange is not accepted.
9. Language
The official language is English. French and Portuguese are also widely used, and television and newspapers are all in French.
10. Drinking water
The tap water in the hotel is not suitable for drinking. Mineral water needs to be purchased. There is a hot water bottle available in the room. In addition, guests are not allowed to bring their own drinks in the restaurant, and violators may be charged a fine.
11. Meals
Mainly Western food, and hotels generally include breakfast and dinner.
Because Mauritius is inhabited by different ethnic groups, it has combined the unique eating habits of each ethnic group, such as Indian curry, East African roast chicken, British roast beef, Hakka braised pork with pickles, etc. The island is also rich in fruits. and seafood, affordable prices and a wide variety.
There are many better Chinese restaurants in Mauritius.
12. Medications
Please prepare some commonly used safe medications and emergency medical supplies for emergencies.
If you need to take designated medicines for a long time, please prepare sufficient amounts in advance before departure to maintain optimal health.
13. Voltage
The voltage is 220 volts, two-hole German standard plug, please bring your own conversion plug
14. Shopping
Casual wear , Indian sarees, silk shirts, bamboo products of various sizes, hand-embroidered tablecloths, silk home furnishings, wood carvings, ship models, jewelry and local high-quality pullover shirts, etc.
Purely handmade model ships are refined from ancient European warships and merchant ships. Their shapes and sizes are the same proportions as the original ones, and their prices range from a few hundred yuan to tens of thousands of rupees.
15. Tipping
Hotel waiters, room attendants, tour guides, and drivers should tip appropriately to show courtesy.
16. Public Security
Compared with other African countries, the social security situation in Mauritius is relatively reassuring. The society is stable and the crime rate is low. You can travel to various tourist attractions with confidence.