Mauritius is a volcanic island of turquoise lagoons, green mountains and sugarcane fields, with a multicultural population speaking Creole, French and English. It is stable, safe and well connected to Europe, Africa and Asia, and the free Premium Visa lets remote workers and retirees stay a year at a time. Grand Baie in the north is the most lively base, Tamarin on the west coast the most laid-back. Island life means higher prices for imported goods, a car is almost essential, and cyclone season runs from November to April.

• A free Premium Visa for a year at a time, renewable

• English and French widely spoken, and a stable, safe country

• Lagoons, mountains and hiking on a compact island

Mauritius is not cheap: imported goods, cars and holiday-area rents are expensive, while local markets and street food are affordable.

Fibre is widely available, with Mauritius Telecom (my.t) and Emtel offering fast plans and good mobile coverage. Storms can cause brief outages.

Mauritians are friendly and multilingual: Creole is the everyday language, with French and English widely used.

Mauritius is safe, with low crime. Watch out for petty theft from cars and beaches, strong currents outside the lagoons and cyclone warnings.

The Metro Express links Port Louis and Curepipe, buses cover the island but are slow, and most residents drive, on the left.

Tropical

Warm all year, with a hot, humid summer from November to April, when cyclones can occur, and a cooler, drier winter from May to October.

Most Western and many African and Asian passports enter visa-free for 90 days per visit, up to 180 days a year; all travellers file the All-in-One Travel Digital Form. Remote workers and retirees with USD 1,500 a month can apply free of charge for the Premium Visa.

• Cyclone season, high import prices and the need for a car

• National destination informationNational tourism board2026-10-07

Last reviewed 2026-10-07