Travel Guide To Port Louis

Embassy of India
Address: L.I.C., Pres. John Kennedy Street, Port Louis, Mauritius
Working Hours
9.30 AM to 5.00 PM (Monday to Saturday, Closed on Friday and Sunday)
Tel. Nos.: +230 208 3775

Indian passport holders can get on visa on arrival at the Mauritius Airport. Indian travellers need to carry the following documents at the time of travel for the immigration process.

• Original passport valid till 6 months
• 2 Photos
• Accommodation proof
• Return air ticket
• Foreign exchange currency
• Visa fee

Being the capital of Mauritius, Port Louis is mainly situated in the Port Louis District, along with a tiny western part in the Black River District. It is Mauritius's political, economic as well as cultural centre, and also one of the most populous cities. Administered by the Municipal City Council of Port Louis, it is home to the largest harbour of Mauritius and is where large businesses and little trades co-exist together, all this forms the exclusive atmosphere of Port Louis.

• Port Louis Harbour - Located in Port Louis, this harbour is an unique commercial harbour of Mauritius which is well sheltered and protected from the South East Trade Winds with the help of the Mountain ranges.

• The Blue Penny Museum - It plays an essential role in the island’s cultural platform. It is situated in the popular mall of the Capital, Le Caudan Waterfront. The Blue Penny Museum has been named after the iconic and rare 2 pence Blue Stamp. One of the two 'Post Office' were engraved back in 1847 by Joseph Osmond Barnard primarily for the Mauritian Posts.

• Caudan Waterfront – This stunning waterfront and its surroundings have an amazing collection of local souvenir shops as well as other foreign brand goods like clothes, and spirits. Apart from the harbour of Mauritius, you’ll also find local restaurants, cinema, and game arcades.

• Jummah Mosque – It is a rare proof of the skills of Indian, primarily, Tamil craftsmen, who also constructed churches and temples. It is an immensely peaceful spot in the middle of this enormously busy capital.

• The Le Caudan Waterfront – This tourist attraction has a fantastic space for tourists, shoppers, local artists, and even gastronomes. The breath-taking ambience that it provides will leave you truly jaw dropped. It is one of the most exhilarating places which you would never like to leave. Hence it is considered to be a must-visit place for every tourist who visits Mauritius.

Direct flights to Mauritius operate from New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. Air India and Air Mauritius run everyday flights between the two destinations. Other than that, connecting flights are also available from all the major international airports situated in India. Air India, Air Seychelles, and Emirates run on most of these routes. Mauritius’s international airport is called the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport. It is well connected to Asia, Europe, Africa, and the regional islands. Country's national airlines, Air Mauritius, along with the national airlines of India, Turkey, France, Malaysia, Britain, and Kenya and those from the middle east provide easy access to Mauritius.

The winter months of July to October are the ideal time to visit Mauritius. These months in Mauritius are considered to have the most pleasant as well as the most happening outdoor weather. There is less humidity and very minor rainfall that occurs. The beaches are sunny and beautiful, and the waters are clear. Outdoor activities such as hiking are perfect during this period.

Packing the essentials products like clothes and footwears usually depends on what the weather conditions are like in Port Louis. Here is a list of some of the travel essentials one must never forget to pack:

• Sunscreen
• Earplugs
• First Aid Kit
• Important documents such as travel insurance policy

• Curry - Curry is an all-time favourite food, and there exist plenty of side dishes one can choose from, including rice, roti, mine-frit which are Chinese fried noodles, and niouk nien (dumplings). Cari poule, which is basically a chicken curry is available in most restaurants as well as from the street sellers.

• Gateau Piment Or Chilli Cakes – Even these are offered all around Port Louis in small paper bags from street sellers. This snack is immensely popular among many of the locals. They are delicious and usually served on bread and can sometimes be also offered as a side dish. They are mostly eaten red-hot but can also be eaten cold.

• Rougaille - Rougaille is also a famous traditional dish. Served fresh and hot, this Creole tomato dish also contains spices, garlic, onions, chillies, and garlic. It is often a significant food at weddings and other popular festivals and ceremonies. Mostly, it’s available as a side dish with curries. Once rougaille is cooked, a variety of ingredients can be added, such as fish, peas, meats, soya, or even gateau piment. It is also a very easy dish to prepare, only taking around ten minutes.

• Fruit Salad - Mauritius is home to many exotic fruits. Here, fruit salad is quite a popular dessert, which is often served with a side dish of unripened pickled fruits. A fruit salad consists of various fruits, such as pineapple, guava, lychee, pawpaw, apples, mangoes, oranges, pineapples, and many more. Furthermore, this favourite snack is also sliced pineapple with chilli salt.

• Millionaire’s Salad – This is a unique kind of dessert which consists of salad leaves and a palm tree heart, which is a vegetable extracted from the inner core of various palm trees.

• Caudan Waterfront - This stunning, open-air district offers some 170 amazing boutique shops, with a fantastic selection of everything from electronics to fashion. You'll come across various popular global designer brand names from the fashion industry. When you require a break from shopping all day, you can slip into one of the many fantastic restaurants along the waterfront.

• Port Louis Central Market - Open every day, this shopper’s hub is the ideal place to find good deals on t-shirts, fresh fruits, souvenirs, Mauritian handicrafts, DVDs, spices, basketry and also everything else. You can easily bargain for the prices here, and the best part is that the atmosphere here is always lively. You’ll also find beach hawkers coming around to offer sarongs, shell jewellery and various other trinkets.

• Rozi Darbarr Restaurant
  Location: Léoville L'Homme St, Port Louis, Mauritius
  Contact: +230 210 4732

• Mystic Masala Snack Bar
  Location: Port Louis Water Front, Port Louis, Mauritius
  Contact: +230 210 2442

• Namaste Restaurant
  Location: L'Observatoire, Le Caudan Waterfront, Mauritius
  Contact: +230 211 6710

When going on a trip to Port Louis, it becomes important to be aware of some of the health care centres to avoid any mishappenings caused due to an emergency. Below is the list of some healthcare centres you can contact when in need:

• Clinique Du Nord
  Location: 81 Route Royale Royal Road, Port Louis, Mauritius
  Contact: +230 247 2532

• AFM dental clinic & medical center
  Location: 29 Jardin Despeaux Street, Port-Louis, Mauritius
  Contact: 230 5786 9705

• Maritus Employers Federation Provident Association
  Location: 5eme etage, Labourdonnais Court, Rue Saint George, Port Louis, Mauritius
  Contact: +230 216 7000

The official currency of Port Louis is Mauritian Rupee

Being both an English-speaking and French-speaking nation, both English and French are spoken in Mauritius. It is always better to keep a few local phrases handy for a great trip.

The following medical expenses are covered: 

• Travel insurance includes medical expenses, repatriation, and emergency medical evacuation. Even dental care expenses such as acute anesthetic treatment of teeth are covered.

“Deductible”means a cost-sharing requirement under this policy, that provides that the insurer will not be liable for a specified rupee amount or percentage of claim amount or number of days or number of hours, as specified in the policy schedule and which will apply before any benefits are payable by the insurer. A deductible does not reduce the sum insured and is applicable per event, upto the specified limits mentioned.

• Medical Expenses (inclusive of Repatriation and Emergency Medical Evacuation), Daily Allowance in case of hospitalization, Compassionate Visit benefits, the following will not be payable for Any pre-existing condition, Routine examinations, Expenses for rest or recuperation at spa/ health resort/ sanatorium, Pregnancy (including childbirth, miscarriage, abortion or related complications ) or treatment relating to the removal of physical flaws or anomalies (cosmetic treatment or plastic surgery).
• Cosmetic surgery, unless such cosmetic surgery is rendered medically necessary as part of treatment for accidents and burns whilst being abroad.
• Suicide, attempted or wilfully self inflicted injury or illness, mental disorder, anxiety, stress or depression, venereal disease, alcoholism, drunkenness or the abuse of drugs, or any loss arising, directly or indirectly, from any injury, illness, death, loss, expense, or other liability attributable to HIV and/or any HIV related illness including AIDS and/or any mutant derivative or variation thereof however caused.
• Treatment which could be reasonably delayed until the Insured’s return to India, which will be decided jointly by the treating Physician and the Emergency Assistance Service Provider and shall be in accordance with accepted standards of medical care.
• The Insured taking part in naval, military or air force operations; war and nuclear perils.
• Insured engaging in air travel unless he or she flies as a Fare Paying passenger in an aircraft licensed to carry passengers.
• Participation of the Insured in winter sports, mountaineering and such other professional sports or any other hazardous or potentially dangerous sport for which the Insured members are adequately trained, physically fit and using proper equipment. and that too only if specifically agreed and mentioned in the policy schedule.
• Hazardous occupation, or if engaged in any criminal or illegal act.
• Medical Expenses in respect of Experimental, investigational or unproven treatments or treatments which are not consistent with or incidental to the diagnosis and treatment of the positive existence or presence of any Illness for which confinement is required at a Hospital. Any Illness or treatment which is a result or a consequence of undergoing such experimental or unproven treatment.
• Naturopathy treatment.
• Non Allopathic treatment e.g. - Ayurvedic, Yogic, Homeopathic, Unani treatment(s).
• Under no circumstances shall this insurance contract be deemed to provide cover and no liability be incurred to pay any claim or provide any benefit hereunder to the extent that the provision of such cover, payment of such claim or provision of such benefit would expose us to any sanction, prohibition, or restriction under United Nations resolutions or the trade or economic sanctions, laws or regulations of the European Union, United Kingdom, United States of America & India

You can avail the Travel Insurance online and enjoy the benefits offered by ICICI Lombard General Insurance (Bharti AXA General Insurance*)

Loss of passport and documents:

Reimbursement of actual expenses incurred in connection with obtaining a duplicate or fresh passport or reasonable cost of replacing/obtaining the stolen documents/ tickets if the passport belonging to the Insured / Insured Person be lost

Home Fire Insurance Contents & Home Burglary Insurance (contents):

Cover against any loss or damage of the Contents at Home of the Insured in India caused by Fire and Allied perils or through burglary and/or housebreaking while the Insured is on a trip abroad.

Hijack Distress Allowance

Payment of distress allowance in case of hijack of a common carrier for more than certain number of hours whilst on the trip. You can easily avail the allowance by filing a claim online through Travel Insurance cover online process.

Medical Expensesinclusive of Repartration  and Emergency Medical Evacuation

If you are sick or injured during the journey, your medical expenses can prove to be costly. In such cases,  Travel Insurance cover greatly helps. The insurance company also offers a cashless settlement with the network hospitals or you can also opt for the reimbursement process within 30 days of hospitalization.

Legal Expenses

Payment of legal costs and expenses incurred by the Insured towards claims from third Parties for compensation in respect of death or disablement arising due to an injury whilst on a trip abroad.

Personal Accident

Payment of compensation if the Insured sustains accidental bodily injury during a trip resulting in death or Permanent Total Disablement or Permanent Partial Disablement within 12 months of occurrence of such injury.

Trip Cancellation/Or Interruption

Payment towards the non-refundable prepaid payments incurred on the trip being cancelled and additional cost of transportation in case of Interruption: due to medical problems, personal employment problems or natural disasters or other listed reason in policy wordings.

Trip Delay

 Reimbursement of additional expenses if trip is delayed beyond a period, due to airline problems, medical problems, personal employment problems or natural disasters.

 Daily Allowance in case of Hospitalisation

 Payment of daily allowance for the days the Insured is hospitalised beyond a specified number of days, as mentioned in the Policy Schedule, for which a valid claim is admissible under the Policy whilst on a trip abroad.Emergency Accommodation

 Payment of compensation for the additional cost of emergency accommodation if the Insured/ Insured Person could not stay in the accommodation originally booked due to ­fire& flood, earthquake, storm, hurricane, explosion, outbreak of major infectious diseases.

During a trip there are chances of unfortunate events such as loss of checked in baggage, medical emergency, loss of passport that can spoil your international trip, be it business or leisure. Travel insurance can protect you from such events ensuring that you are left stuck in foreign land.