Geographical location
According to COUNTRYAAH, the island state of Mauritius lies in the Indian Ocean, 870 kilometers east of Madagascar. The African mainland is 1700 kilometers away from the island, the closest neighbor is La Réunion around 200 kilometers away.
More than 80% of the locals speak the French Creole language Morisyen, the official languages of the government are English and French.
Mauritius has a size of around 2,040 square kilometers and a population of around 1.3 million. You can pay with the local currency Mauritius rupee. Mauritius has only been independent from Great Britain since 1968, although it still belongs to the Commonwealth of Nations.
Together with La Réunion and Rodrigues, Mauritius forms the Mascarene archipelago. The capital Port Louis is located in the northwest of the island. Mauritius can be reached non-stop from Frankfurt, for example, the 9,210 kilometers to Mahebourg (Mauritius Airport) are covered in around 11 hours.
- Abbreviation Finder: Check to see national geography, brief history, society description, domestic politics, economy overview, and a list of widely used acronyms about Mauritius.
Climate in Mauritius
The island state of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean is located south of the equator. For this reason the seasons there are opposite to Germany and the northern hemisphere. Mauritius is located in the climatic zone of the summer humid tropics and therefore has a high humidity of 80 percent on average.
The east coast is much more rainy than the west coast, for example, which is in the so-called rain shadow of Mauritius. The temperatures are very pleasant all year round, between 25 and 30 ° C. Summer brings the most rain, especially from January to the end of February there is a risk of cyclones (tropical storms).
The rather dry winter in Mauritius is very pleasant with a daytime temperature of around 24 to 27 degrees, the humidity is now significantly lower and the climate is no longer felt as humid. However, it can be very windy, especially in the south and east, and on some days it can also be very cloudy. In addition, the sun sets in winter around 5:30 p.m., so the days are quite short. Experienced Mauritius holidaymakers appreciate the island in the Indian Ocean as a real year-round destination with small restrictions.
When to go to Mauritius
You can be lucky with the weather in the Indian Ocean even in summer on Mauritius (December to April), but this period is generally considered the rainy season and is not necessarily the best time to travel to the island. Nevertheless, the time between Christmas and Easter in Mauritius is considered the absolute high season and is the most popular travel time.
The official winter from May to mid- November is the driest time and is therefore recommended by us as the best time to travel to Mauritius. This avoids the risk of hurricanes, which hit the island every 5 years on average. The west coast and north-west coast of Mauritius are particularly recommended for holidays in the African winter – it is also the side with the least rainfall, the most beautiful sunsets and the mildest climate. Overall, the month with the strongest cyclones in Mauritius is February in particular.
If you are looking for picture-book panoramas and tropical bathing weather, the months of June, July and August will probably be feel too fresh. A good compromise for cheap offers with a still very pleasant climate is the quieter travel time from September to early December. If we had to commit to a specific recommendation, the choice would fall from mid-September to mid-November.
Temperatures, precipitation, sunshine in Mahebourg (Mauritius)
| Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Daytime temperature | 29 ° C | 29 ° C | 29 ° C | 28 ° C | 27 ° C | 25 ° C | 24 ° C | 24 ° C | 25 ° C | 26 ° C | 28 ° C | 29 ° C |
| Night temperature | 23 ° C | 23 ° C | 23 ° C | 22 ° C | 20 ° C | 18 ° C | 18 ° C | 18 ° C | 18 ° C | 19 ° C | 20 ° C | 22 ° C |
| Water temperature | 27 ° C | 27 ° C | 27 ° C | 27 ° C | 25 ° C | 24 ° C | 23 ° C | 22 ° C | 23 ° C | 23 ° C | 24 ° C | 25 ° C |
| Precipitation in mm | 251 | 246 | 217 | 221 | 148 | 101 | 113 | 89 | 61 | 67 | 89 | 190 |
| Rainy days | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 14 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 13 |
| Hours of sunshine | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Sunrise | 5:40 | 6:00 | 6:10 | 6:20 | 6:30 | 6:45 | 6:45 | 6:30 | 6:05 | 5:40 | 5:20 | 5:25 |
| Sunset | 18:55 | 18:45 | 18:25 | 18:00 | 17:40 | 17:35 | 17:45 | 17:55 | 18:05 | 18:10 | 18:25 | 18:45 |
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Mahebourg is 23.5 ° C. For comparison: Munich reaches an average of 8.6 ° C, in Berlin it is 9.6 ° C. The warmest month is January (26.1 ° C), coldest month of August, with mean values of 20.8 ° C. The maximum water temperature in Mahebourg is 27 ° C. Comfortable bathing is possible at these temperatures. All months have a water temperature of at least 21 ° C and are therefore suitable for a beach holiday.
Precipitation
The annual precipitation is 1793 mm on 169 days with precipitation. For comparison: In Munich, 967 mm, in Berlin 570 mm, precipitation is measured annually. The months of January, February, March, April and December are considered the rainy season, as more than 175 mm of precipitation can be expected per month. Overall, about 1125 mm of precipitation can be expected in the rainy season. You cannot expect snow in any month in Mahebourg.
Sunshine
As our climate table shows, November is the sunniest month with an average of 8.1 hours of sunshine per day. On average over the year the sun shines 6.9 hours per day. For comparison: In Munich and Berlin, the sun shines an average of 4.7 hours per day throughout the year.
Cities nearby
The following major towns are nearby and have similar climates: Port Louis, Beau Bassin-Rose Hill and Vacoas.
Highlights and attractions
In Mauritius you can rent a cheap rental car and explore this wonderful island on your own. The use of public transport is usually not a problem either. A ticket from Grand Baie to Port Louis, for example, costs just 35 rupees, which is the equivalent of 80 cents. Taking a taxi is also quite cheap, so it is advisable to negotiate a fixed price before starting your journey.
A trip to Rochester Falls should not be missing on any Mauritius trip. Here pleasant hikes with unique panoramic views are possible. Another natural highlight is the Trou au Cerf crater. A visit at dusk is recommended to enjoy the wonderful sunset. South of the capital Port Louis is the eight kilometer long and white dream beach Flic en Flac.
