The population, estimated at 1,5 million, comprises different races, cultures and religions. Mauritians are mainly descendants of immigrants from France, England, Africa, India and China. The cultural diversity and racial harmony makes Mauritius a unique place. Most Mauritians are multilingual.

Mauritius has a cosmopolitan culture. Co-existence among Mauritians of Indian, African, European and Chinese ancestry has led to a sharing of cultures and values. The main festivals and religious events celebrated in Mauritius are Cavadee, Chinese Spring Festival, Christmas, Divali, Easter, Eid-ul-Fitr, Ganesh Chathurti, Holi, Maha Shivaratree, Père Laval Pilgrimage and Ugadi.

Banks
Open from 09H00 to 15H00 from Monday to Thursday and Friday until 16H00

Geography
Location: Southwest Indian Ocean, 2,000 km off east Africa, between latitudes 19°50 and 20°32 south and longitudes 57°18 and 57°46 east. The surface area is 1,860 sq km. The central plateau rises 600 meters above sea-level. The climate on the central plateau is cooler than on the coastal areas. Time zone - GMT +4

Entry requirements
A valid passport and a return or onward ticket is a must for travellers entering Mauritius. Visas are not required by those from a Commonwealth country, Japan, South Africa, the USA, the EU and the Scandinavian countries. Those that do require a visa can usually obtain one for three months, and they are renewable on request. Mauritian Embassies and High Commissions issue visas free of charge. Passengers in transit require no visas but they must continue their journey within 72 hours of checking in.

Gastronomes will find a variety of flavours and aromas from the culinary traditions of France, India, China and Africa. Eating in Port Louis is a gastronomical adventure. Stir-fried Chinese delights, piquant Indian curries and briyanis, seafood and other exotic dishes are all available. A bonus is that most of the restaurants, particularly at Le Caudan Waterfront, are open until late and for entertainment, there is a cinema and casino. You can obtain details on these and other nightlife highlights from the Tourist Information office in Air Mauritius Centre.

Early Visitors
Mauritius Island was first discovered by Arab sailors around the 9th century. On maps of about 1500 it is shown by the Arabic name of ‘Dina Arabi'. They were not interested in establishing a settlement on the island.