✈️ The Terminal 2 Layout

Single departures hall on the upper level: 36 check-in counters, 14 e-gates for biometric exit, 18 boarding gates. Arrivals on the ground floor with passport control, baggage claim, customs, and a horseshoe of resort-transfer welcome desks (every major resort posts a clipboard agent here). The Air Mauritius transfer desk handles inter-island and interlines.

🏠 Air Mauritius Hub

Air Mauritius (MK) is the national carrier and the only flag operating widebody longhaul out of Mauritius. SkyTeam-affiliated since the 2024 reorganisation, allowing earn/burn with KLM, Air France, Delta, Kenya Airways. Network: Paris, London, Geneva, Lyon, Munich, Frankfurt, Mumbai, Delhi, Singapore, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Nairobi, Antananarivo, Reunion (RUN), Rodrigues (RRG).

🌍 Geographic Quirk

MRU is at Plaisance on the southeast corner of the island, far from the resort belts of the north (Grand Baie, Trou aux Biches), west (Flic en Flac, Le Morne) and east (Belle Mare). Transfer times: 35 min to nearest east-coast resorts, 60-75 min to west coast, 75-90 min to north coast. Plan for it — pre-book transfers and bring snacks.

📄 Standard Tourist Entry

Passport with 6-month validity beyond entry, return ticket, proof of accommodation (hotel reservation or invitation letter). Border officers occasionally ask for proof of funds (a credit card and a bank statement printout suffice). Online Arrival Form must be completed up to 72 h before arrival at mauritiusnow.com — mandatory since 2023, replaces the old paper form.

💰 Currency: MUR, EUR, USD

Mauritian Rupee (MUR) trades around MUR 46-48 per USD in 2026. ATMs at arrivals (Mauritius Commercial Bank, SBM, ABSA, HSBC) dispense MUR at near-interbank rates with MUR 100-150 fees. Resort hotels quote prices in EUR for upmarket rooms and excursions; restaurants and shops everywhere take cards. Tip 5-10% in restaurants; round taxi fares.

🌍 Premium Visa (Remote Workers)

Mauritius launched the Premium Travel Visa in 2020 for remote workers, students and retirees: 12-month renewable, free of charge, requires proof of long-stay accommodation, monthly income (US$1,500+ for individuals, US$3,000+ for couples), valid health insurance and a clean criminal record. Apply at edbmauritius.org. The visa allows full residence rights minus local employment.

🌍 Yellow Fever & Health

Yellow fever certificate required if arriving from a YF risk country (sub-Saharan Africa, Brazilian Amazon) within 6 days. Direct flights from Europe, North America, Asia or Australia do not require it. No malaria in Mauritius. Standard travel vaccinations (hep A, typhoid) recommended but not required.

🚚 Resort Hotel Shuttle

Default for the majority. Most 4-star and all 5-star hotels include or sell a transfer at booking; cost EUR 35-65 per person to typical resort zones. The driver waits in the welcome-desk horseshoe with a name board. Email the hotel 48 h ahead with your flight number to confirm; the system fails about 2-3% of the time and a backup taxi number is wise.

South coast resorts: 35-50 min from MRU. East coast (Belle Mare): 60-75 min. West coast (Flic en Flac): 60-75 min. North (Grand Baie): 75-90 min.

🚌 Licensed Metered Taxi

Metered taxis (yellow body, official sticker) queue at arrivals. Negotiate the meter or fixed-rate before departure — both are accepted. Port Louis MUR 2,000-2,500 (US$45-55), east coast resorts MUR 2,500-3,200, north coast MUR 3,000-3,800, west coast MUR 2,800-3,500. Pay in MUR, EUR or USD; cards accepted by larger operators.

🚗 Self-Drive (Avis, Hertz, Sixt, Europcar)

The car-rental hall is on the ground floor. International chains plus local operators (Pingouin, Auto Vision). Drive on the LEFT — Mauritius follows UK conventions. International driving permit recommended. The M1 motorway is excellent; secondary roads are narrow but well-paved. EUR 35-55 per day for a small car, less in low season.

🚍 Public Bus & Metro Express

The MRU airport is served by public bus route 198 (and others) to Mahebourg, where you can connect to islandwide services. Tickets MUR 25-100 depending on distance, paid on board. The Metro Express tram launched in 2019 connects Port Louis to Curepipe but does NOT serve the airport. For budget travel, the bus is functional; for resort visitors with luggage, it is impractical.

🍻 Amber Lounge (Priority Pass)

The flagship Priority Pass option, post-security in international departures. Hot Mauritian buffet (dholl puri, octopus curry), full bar with premium rums, business desks, two showers, sleep pods. Walk-in price US$50-65 if you have neither lounge access nor an airline card. Capacity strained 19:00-22:00 European departure wave on Friday/Saturday.

🍸 Air Mauritius Business & First

Two airline lounges adjacent in the international concourse. Business Lounge access for MK Business Class, SkyTeam Elite Plus (Delta, Air France, KLM, Kenya Airways customers), Premium Card holders. First Lounge restricted to MK First Class on flights to Paris/London. Decor is contemporary tropical; food is buffet-Mauritian; showers and quiet rooms.

✨ Star Alliance & Other Partners

Star Alliance Gold (Lufthansa, Turkish, United, Singapore, Asiana customers) does not have a dedicated Star lounge at MRU but typically gets contracted access to Amber Lounge through the 2024 reciprocity arrangement. Verify at check-in. oneworld Sapphire+ (BA, Qatar customers) similar story — access via Amber under partner contract.

🍲 Dholl Puri, Biryani, Mine Frite

Dholl puri (the iconic flatbread with split-pea filling, eaten with chutneys and curry) is Mauritius’s national street food and the airport’s best meal. The dholl puri stand in airside food court runs 06:00-22:00; MUR 90-150 for two with curry. Mauritian biryani is famously smoky-spiced; mine frite (Chinese-Mauritian fried noodles) is the late-night favourite.

🍷 Mauritian Rum

Mauritius produces world-class agricole and traditional rums. Duty-free brands: Chamarel, Saint Aubin, Rhumerie de Mascareignes, New Grove, Lazy Dodo, Penny Blue. Aged 12-15 year bottles run EUR 45-90, half what you pay in European specialty stores. The single-cask Penny Blue release is collector-grade. Mauritius limits airside duty-free to 2 litres of spirits per adult.

🍋 Vanilla & Tea

Mauritian vanilla pods are excellent (sourced from the same Bourbon orchids as Madagascar). The Bois Cheri tea estate brand sells loose-leaf, vanilla-infused, mango-infused and Earl Grey blends in airside tins. Bois Cheri also sells coffee from the Chamarel coffee plantation. Loose-leaf tea EUR 8-15 per 200g, vanilla pods EUR 6-12 per pack of 10.

🤐 Mauritian Textiles

Mauritius has a high-quality textile industry (Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren all manufacture here). Maradiva, IRS, FERNEY shops in airside duty-free sell genuine factory-direct shirts, polos, and resort wear at 30-50% below European retail. Sarongs and pareos in batik prints make excellent gifts.

🏔 Le Morne Brabant (UNESCO)

The dramatic basalt monolith on the southwest peninsula, UNESCO-listed for its history as a refuge for escaped slaves. The summit hike (8 km round-trip, 4-5 hours, MUR 1,200-2,000 with guide) reaches 556 m with panoramic views over the lagoon. The reef break below Le Morne is a world-class kitesurf and surf zone.

🌲 Black River Gorges National Park

68 km² of indigenous tropical forest in the south-central highlands — the only intact native ecosystem left. Trails: Macchabee viewpoint (easy, 1 h), Black River Peak (challenging, 6 h, 828 m), Bel Ombre (medium, 4 h). Endemic species: pink pigeon, echo parakeet, Mauritian flying fox. Entry free; pick up the trail map at the visitor centre.

🛵 Rodrigues Island

580 km east of Mauritius, a 90-minute Air Mauritius ATR-72 flight (MUR 9,000-15,000 round-trip) to a quieter, wilder, slower island where the local Creole French is the everyday language. Known for kite surfing, octopus, fly fishing, and zipline-style canopy tours. The flight is the long-distance Indian Ocean equivalent of a domestic hop — book it 3-4 weeks ahead.

🦊 Ile aux Aigrettes & Wildlife

Tiny coral islet 2 km offshore from Mahebourg (10 km from MRU), managed by the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation. Home to reintroduced pink pigeons, telfair’s skinks, Mauritian olive white-eyes and Aldabra giant tortoises. Day-trip boat from Pointe Jerome (MUR 1,000 with guide). One of the world’s great success stories in tropical island restoration.