Mauritius international airport name. International airports of Mauritius. Number of international airports
The Republic of Mauritius consists of several large islands, one archipelago and many small islands. The amazing maritime climate of the state allows the budget to be replenished from tourism revenues. Travelers are attracted by the clean and warm sea, abundance of tropical vegetation and beautiful coral reefs surrounding the main island of the same name.
Arriving in Mauritius, travelers arrive at the airport, which owes its name to Sir Seewoosagura Ramgoolam. Since the airport receives flights from other countries, its status is designated as international. The air complex is located 45 kilometers from the city of Port Louis, the capital of the island of Mauritius. The first prime minister of the state, after whom the airport is named, died in the 80s of the last century, but the respect for his work is so great that it was decided to perpetuate the name of a politician who did a lot for the founding and development of the nation.
Many years ago, the air hub was called Plaisance, as it was based in the corresponding area in the south-eastern part of the island. The construction was forced due to the need to carry out flights for military purposes, as the Second World War was going on. The construction was carried out by English specialists.
Immediately after the end of the war, the air terminal was transferred to the civilian category, starting to operate passenger flights. The flow of people wishing to visit Mauritius grew rapidly, so in 1987 it was necessary to complete the construction of Terminal B. After the expansion, the airport was renamed and at the same time given international status.
About 20 years ago, the air pier underwent a major renovation at a huge cost, almost reaching $20 million. The airport building has completely changed. The arrival hall remained on the first floor, and the hall for departing passengers was moved to the second; accordingly, all procedures related to departures are also carried out on the upper level. We opened several shops with things, products and souvenirs necessary for travelers. You can now while away the waiting time in a cafe with a cup of coffee.
For tourists who want to relax in more comfortable conditions, a VIP room was opened. Among the stores located on the territory of the airport is Duty Free. Passengers in need of cash can use several ATMs. You can park your car in the open parking lot near the terminals. In addition, if you need to rent a car, airport staff can provide this service. The service is at a high level and is able to satisfy any relevant requests of visitors.
Most recently, all the buildings and premises of the air complex were renovated again, after which another terminal with the letter D was opened. The territory it occupies is huge - 57 kilometers. The state leadership is confident that such an expansion, costing almost $300 million, is completely justified and will contribute to the further development of the republic’s economy, attracting more and more tourists and providing quality service to arriving and departing flights. Even giant A380 class airliners can land at Terminal D, which has two separate floors for economy class and VIP lounge seats, as well as two areas for jet bridges.
The uninterrupted operation of the Mauritius air harbor significantly raises the level of the economy of the island state. Therefore, the buildings are kept in perfect order, the level of service is strictly monitored, and new improvements are introduced.
Today, more than 15 airlines belonging to different countries of the world cooperate with the airport. Every day, employees carry out several hundred takeoff, landing and customs operations. The annual passenger traffic is more than 4 million people, with a tendency to increase.
International airport codes are: MRU according to IATA, FIMP according to ICAO. Air Mauritius, the official state carrier, is based here. The airline operates both domestic flights to nearby islands belonging to the republic, and international flights to many countries located in Europe and Asia, Africa and Australia.
The appearance of the buildings and terminals is quite modern - a lot of glass and stone were used for construction. Perhaps this style can be characterized as something between the styles of high-tech, modern and classicism. Particularly striking is the newest three-story terminal, marked D.
The first one is occupied by shops, including duty-free shops, a customs inspection point, and representative offices of various travel agencies. On the level above there are lounges and a check-in desk for departing passengers. The third floor is technical, reserved for office space and rest for airport personnel.
Among the modern developments that help conserve energy to protect the environment, the air complex has installed approximately 250 thousand panels that are recharged by sunlight. In addition, a thoughtful and verified system was built to provide the premises with natural light. The luxury lounges in this terminal are divided into three groups:
- the first is intended for passengers arriving on private aircraft, as well as in first and business class cabins;
- VIP lounge for those awaiting departure, where passengers are provided with comfortable comfortable furniture and a Wi-Fi hotspot;
- a room reserved for the reception of persons cooperating with the national airline Air Mauritius.
The parking complex, owned by the air complex, can accommodate up to 600 cars. Among the shops selling supplies necessary for tourists, there are also those that sell goods produced in the state itself. It is better to purchase such things in city stores, since at any airport all products usually have a higher price.
The easiest and fastest way to get to your final destination is by taxi, since tourists usually go to different points on the island. The cost of the trip ranges around 600 rupees, but the advantage of a private trip is that a driver who knows the way will take the traveler to the door of the desired location.
Another option is to order a transfer at the hotel or directly at the airport. As a rule, hotel cars and buses provide free delivery, including it in the room price. A transfer provided by the airport service will cost almost twice as much as a taxi service, that is, about 1200 rupees.
There is also public transport between the airport and resort areas. Bus number 9 runs on the route to Mahebourg bus station from 5 am to 20 pm. The waiting time is usually approximately 10 minutes. Bus number 10 has a final stop at Rivière des Gallets, the end of the journey is at 18:00, the trip duration is approximately an hour.
On the edge of the world. Mauritius
In Mauritius, the international airport named after the country's first Prime Minister Seewoosagar Ramgoolam is the only one in the country. Mauritius International Airport is located next to Mahebourg and 46 km away. from Port Louis, the capital of the state, in a southerly direction. The airport receives flights from European and Asian airlines and carries out domestic flights.
Tourist holidays has always been popular in this country, and the airport had only one terminal, but recently the flow of tourists has increased, and therefore a second terminal was opened with a capacity of up to 4 million passengers per year. The two-story terminal building is equipped with environmentally friendly high-tech systems, so energy is taken from the sun, and rainwater is included in the cooling system of the airport building using thermal protection panels.
Passengers arrive at the airport and disembark on the first floor of the terminal, while passengers departing from the country board on the second floor. There are only passengers in the building, which does not prevent the well-developed infrastructure from providing passengers with various types of services, where there are modern, luxurious VIP rooms containing boutiques located on both floors and a large selection of various press.
Guests Computer and Internet services, buffet, shower rooms, buffet, bar are also provided. From the first minutes of arrival, guests experience the highest level of service and a high level of security provided by reliable systems that make it possible to take care of the safety of passengers’ belongings.
Mauritius Seewoosagar Ramgoolam International Airport uses international codes. All countries use them, tags with such codes can be seen on passengers’ luggage, this is done to ensure that the luggage is not lost. Friendly attitude towards guests and unobtrusive service from the staff leave a good impression on tourists from different countries.
You can visit the country without visas, and a visitor visa will be issued to everyone directly at the airport within a few minutes, completely free of charge. At the airport you can use the service of ordering a car rental, order a taxi to get to your hotel, but if the tourist is tired after the flight, then there are hotels near the airport where you can relax in comfort and go further along your route.
Where to find cheap tours?
It’s better to look for profitable tours through a service that compares prices from more than 120 tour operators and allows you to find the cheapest offers. We do this ourselves and are extremely happy :)
A lot has been written about Mauritius: magazines write colorful articles, agencies publish bright videos of white sand, and eyewitnesses are divided into those who enthusiastically talk about their wonderful impressions and those whose expectations were not met. What is he really like? In this two-part review, we will tell you about our trip to Mauritius in December 2016.
The first part of the review will be devoted to general questions: car rental in Mauritius, traffic in Mauritius, capital Port Louis, shops and supermarkets, and in the next part we will make a tour of the beaches of Mauritius.
Mauritius Airport
From Madrid we flew with Emirates via Dubai, where we spent a very eventful day. Large Airbus 380s are being flown into Mauritius - there were a lot of people wanting to soak up the sun. At the end of the flight they give out migration cards and maps of visited countries, in which you indicate that you have not recently been to certain African countries. If you were, you will be sent to medical examination at the airport.
Border control did not take much time - there were many windows and we moved quickly. The luggage didn't have to wait long either. We exchanged money in Shibani at the airport at an acceptable rate. The airport is small, there is Wi-Fi, a couple of exchange offices and a cafe. At the exit there is an open air waiting room with a roof.
Rent a car in Mauritius
We lost time renting a car. Firstly, a representative of the Avenue car rental agency met not only us, but also a large family with three children, whom he took first to inspect the car, but we stayed wait for him at the airport for an hour! At that time, we had not yet bought a SIM card, and the Internet at the airport was just a name. Free parking is not very close to the airport, plus Mauritians are very slow, and when you haven’t slept for two days, waiting in the heat is the last thing you want to do.
The most popular car rental in Mauritius is Hyundai i10, most often red. It is produced both manually and automatically. Since Mauritius drives on the left side of the road and I can't handle a manual transmission, we decided to take an automatic and in advance, they indicated several times that we would only have an automatic machine. Imagine the surprise when they let us fill out documents for a mechanic, claiming that they had never heard of any automatic machine and we had not asked for anything. As it turned out later, our car was given to someone by mistake, and they brought us this one. It'll kind of give you a ride. It didn't work. We called the agency through which we booked, they promised to pick us up and take us to the villa, and sort out the replacement car on the spot. The rental office representative ran after us for a long time, trying to squeeze 50 euros out of us for bringing us the car.
Conclusion: Local rental companies are cheaper than international ones, but you should be careful. The price quoted to you in advance may not include delivery fee(“meeting at the airport”) cars, gasoline (we were left with 4 bars) and, of course, no zero deductible. We were charging 400 euros, but when we accepted the car, 400 suddenly became 500. Check your documents carefully. The debate about the car took another hour and a half. Of course, this agency should be avoided.
The sun in Mauritius is crazy. In about 20 minutes my face turned red, and the cream was lying somewhere in the depths of my suitcase. Prepare the essentials in advance.
Roads in a residential area
Rent a villa in Mauritius
Our villa was located near La Preneuse beach in a complex of three cottages with a shared pool. We booked through Airbnb - it turned out to be much cheaper and more comfortable than expensive hotels in tourist areas. The ratio is approximately 50 euros per night versus 200. These are the privileges of vacation rentals. It may be difficult to choose the beach where you rent, but I’ll tell you about the beaches later - we’ve covered them all.
The advantage of our villa is that it was located five minutes from a quiet deserted beach and 20 minutes from the spruce Le Morne. Nearby London supermarket- looks like Soviet stores with these large glass display cases with sausages and cheeses. Among the products there are many that were sold in Vladivostok many, many years ago - powdered milk, Anchor butter, the same TipTop ice cream, and rice is also sold here in packages of 5, 10, 20 and 30 kg.
While we were shopping at the store, our new car arrived. The same red one. The same Hyundai i10. Having received the keys, we went to Le Morne beach for a little snorkeling. It gets dark early in Mauritius - sunset begins at 6, so we arrived when there was almost no sun left.
In general, Le Morne is a very beautiful place, the spruce trees smell delicious, crabs hide in the sand right near the shore. The snork is very weak, there is almost nothing, only hedgehogs.
Capital Port Louis
The next day we had to get to capital of Mauritius - Port Louis. Despite the fact that according to the map the distance is only 30 km, it will not be possible to get there with the wind. The road has two lanes, that is, one in each direction, the traffic is very dense, 10 km from the city a crimson traffic jam begins. The journey took us 1.40 hours. Locals ignore traffic rules. It becomes clear why there is no zero deductible. They don’t care whether it’s a “brick” or a double solid road – they will turn or drive into oncoming traffic simply because it’s convenient for them. So, on one of the turns we tore off the headlight and ended up with 400 euros. They will never give you the difference; the locals will agree with the car service how to distribute your money. The only advice is reduce your deductible and try to drive carefully, although it’s not easy with this crazy traffic.
In the capital Port Louis (Port Louis) paid parking, is carried out by puncturing the start time of parking on cardboard cards that are sold pack of 10 pieces. The denomination of one card is 10 or 20 rupees. For one time in the city I had to buy a whole stack. We did not want to return to this hell.
The capital of Mauritius is very dusty, the traffic of cars and pedestrians is chaotic, in the very center there is a large bus station, from where you can quickly get to any point. There are small shops and many cafes.
Western part of Mauritius
I will not dwell in detail on the beaches, which we will discuss in the next review, but I will describe briefly.
Flic en Flac Beach
A tourist mecca, very shallow, wide, with diving centers and boatmen, fruit on the shore and chickens near the road. There are a lot of hotels, villas and restaurants. Not far from the beach there is a shopping center and a Super U supermarket - the only echo of France, besides the language. People often go to dive at Aquarium, a very popular place at 15-30 meters, located five minutes from the shore.
By the way, beware of the bright fish that will circle around you - one of these attacked without warning and bit me on the finger, and then Vanya on the hand. She is small but aggressive.
Tamaran Beach
Just as crowded as Flic en Flac, smaller in size, surrounded by trees and a small parking lot. Excursions to dolphins leave from here, which I will talk about in the next review.
Again, at the entrance there is the Padi Diving Center. The pleasure of diving will cost 40-60 euros depending on the location. The said diving center promised us a dive on Thursday with an appointment on Wednesday, but on Wednesday there was no appointment left. You need to book in advance— they will take a deposit from you and write it on the board.
There is a common problem with beaches: those that are beautiful are crowded, and those that are deserted are ugly.
La Preneuse
No one at all. A couple of villas and silence.
By the way, there is no snorkel, but my comrades from Tamarin talked about unprecedented fish in the area. We examined the bottom very carefully - there was nothing.
This beach is not particularly beautiful, but it is quiet.
Supermarkets in Mauritius
There are several large Super U supermarkets throughout the island where you can stock up for the week. We bought a large fish, which they cleaned and cut for us the way I wanted, fruits, vegetables and ice cream instead of a cake - all for my birthday.
There are not many supermarkets, but in any case you will need a car to get there. Supermarkets are always located in a clothing shopping center. I can't imagine how it's possible get around Mauritius without a car— the island is large and everything is located quite far from each other. Of course, hotels offer excursions, but you will have to pay 10-20 times more depending on the hotel’s appetites.
Baking in Mauritius is simply disgusting, no connection with France, forget about it. Although I understand that the cakes will not survive in such heat, but it is quite possible to replace the cake with fruit. Every two kilometers there are tents where you can buy pineapples, bananas, papaya, watermelons, lychees and much more.
They sell small orange ones and larger ones. In Spain I always take Del Monte - they are very sweet, but not as aromatic as in Mauritius. If I had a choice, I would still choose the small Mauritian ones - they smells tropical and is very, very aromatic, and the center is crispy and edible.
Food in Mauritius
We always prefer to rent a villa so that we can use the grill and so that no one comes into our house. Hotels will not provide you with a kitchen, and they will charge you extra money for the grill. Also in the cottages you can ask the locals if they have familiar fisherman who will bring you whatever you want.
I consider All Inclusive meals in Mauritius completely unnecessary. Breakfast is healthy, but for lunch you can overeat with fruit or all sorts of unusual things from the supermarket, such as the New Zealand ice cream of my childhood TipTop. For dinner like this hotels often offer a la carte menus with limited choices- for 70% of the dishes you will have to pay extra, which in the end is more expensive than taking accommodation and going to dinner on your own in different places, and not in the same hotel with the same set of dishes, where you will ultimately have to diversify the menu and pay for an upgraded dish.
We had dinner at the restaurant The Beach at the Lux Le Morne hotel and witnessed a disgruntled couple complaining about the limited menu and that you had to pay extra for everything. They say it. Therefore, renting a cottage is better :)
Beach of the hotel-restaurant Lux
The restaurant, by the way, is not bad. For important events they will set up a table right on the beach. The cuisine is original, delicious, the restaurant fully deserves its stars on Tripadvisor.
One day for lunch we stopped at the wonderful Creole restaurant Escale Créole, where we tried all the delights of the local cuisine, surrounded by a green garden and a light breeze.
What is included in Creole cuisine? Rice, lentils, solyanka, green beans, fish in lemon, venison, sausages with spices and a variety of cucumbers, salads and hot sauce.
You should arrive only at lunchtime and it is better to make a reservation in advance. The area of the restaurant is simply amazing: there are flowers, fruits, and huge snails all around.
Casela Nature Park in Mauritius
On the morning of the third day, Casela Park was planned, where tickets had been purchased the day before. More precisely, we tried tickets buy online with 10% discount, but at the payment stage the site gave an error, and the park did not respond to emails.
However, we insisted on the right to this discount by presenting our online order. Successfully.
The park was not very impressive; roughly speaking, it is a zoo. Animals are in enclosures, some in an open pen, where a safari bus takes them. What we will meet: antelopes, rhinoceroses, turtles.
Peacocks walk freely, sometimes spreading their tails, flamingos jump on one leg in the shade of the swamp, and a hippopotamus hides from the scorching sun in the reed bushes.
The highly publicized interaction with cats is simply funny, an attraction for tourists. The person who wishes is taken into a cage and placed behind the lioness, who must be stroked and looked into the camera.
No one asked me whether I wanted to sit and take these stupid photos with a forced smile or whether I wanted to photograph the lionesses myself at arm’s length. It's supposed to be ironed. You're supposed to take photos. Everyone does it. And you're not supposed to take pictures. It is forbidden.
On safari, an ostrich comes up to the bus and gnaws on the crossbars.
I was pleased with the good composition of birds, but again in small enclosures.
The park will be interesting for children, but inquisitive adults will be very bored. Be sure to have cream no matter what time of day you come.
Sands of Chamarel
Seven Sands (Seven Colored Earths) of different colors are a natural formation that attracts a cloud of tourists. On the way, you will come across an exit to the lookout - be sure to stop, the views are unforgettable.
Entrance to the park costs 5 dollars, a quite reasonable price, because there is nothing special to see here - a waterfall, sand and 6 turtles in a pen.
The “sands” are open until sunset, that is, until 17.00, but the entrance will be closed earlier.
In the photo they seem very majestic, but in fact it is a very small piece of land, enclosed by a fence.
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The island of Mauritius is a great place to relax. It is quite popular and, despite the rather high cost of flights, food and accommodation, this island attracts the attention of many tourists who fly here from different parts of the world. Flights from other countries are carried out upon arrival at the airport named after Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam. Only this air hub has international status. It is located 45 km from the capital of the island state. The name of Mauritius Airport was given in honor of the Prime Minister, who died in 1985. This person on the island is considered the progenitor and founder of the nation. Sir S. Ramgoolam is highly respected by the local people and treats him with respect.
Mauritius Island
The international airport in Mauritius used to have a different name. It was called Plaisance because it is located in the area of the same name. This air hub was built and opened for military needs during the Second World War. It was built by the British. It is now a commercial airport serving international flights. It began serving passenger air travel in 1946.
Until 1987, there was only 1 terminal. In 1987, the second one, Terminal B, was opened. The need for another building of the air complex arose due to the intensification and increase in the number of flights. After the opening of this building, the name of the airport changed.
Large-scale modernization and expansion work was carried out here 18 years ago. Overall, the work cost approximately twenty million dollars. Now arriving and departing flights are serviced on different floors. Departures are carried out from the second level, and arriving flights are serviced on the 1st. Shops and cafes appeared here. A VIP area was equipped for comfortable relaxation while waiting for the flight. There is also Duty Free on the territory of the airport. There is open parking next to the terminal buildings. There are ATMs and waiting rooms at the airport. They provide a full range of standard services, including car rental for passengers arriving on the island.
Two years ago, another building was opened here - Terminal D. Before the opening, renovation work was carried out in all buildings of the air hub. According to the current Prime Minister, the opening and construction of the new airport building has become the most important project for the island in the last few years, since this building will serve as a platform for the subsequent development of the island state. The new terminal has an area of 57 thousand square meters. Its construction and interior design cost approximately $300 million. This terminal can even accommodate flights operated by A380 class aircraft.
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport
Airport terminal today
This international airport accepts flights organized by more than 15 global air carriers from different countries.
Hundreds of passengers fly in and out here every day. Every year this air hub serves more than four million people. Flight services and a fairly large shopping area make a significant contribution to the economy of the island state. Mauritius airport codesIATA -MRU, ICAO - FIMP
This air complex is designed in a modern architectural style. It consists of glass and stone buildings. The new terminal has three floors. On the first level there are offices of tourist operators, customs, and a duty-free shop. The departure area is located on the second floor. The third level is occupied by various services that operate at this airport terminal. The new building has more than 250,000 solar panels. A natural lighting system is also organized.
There are three VIP rooms on the territory of the airport complex:
- Arrivals hall for passengers flying private or commercial flights.
- Departure hall. There is internet and a equipped seating area.
- Hall for partners and clients of Air Mauritius.
The parking lot, which is located near the terminals, is designed for 600 cars. Passengers have the opportunity to rent a car right in the airport buildings. The offices of companies providing this service are located in the terminal building itself. Banking services are provided in the airport buildings. Duty Free offers a wide range of different products. Also in the terminal buildings you can purchase locally produced goods that are produced on the island. After arriving on the island, do not rush to purchase local goods at the airport. On the island, in regular stores, such goods will most likely cost much less.
Mauritius airport from the street
How to get to the city?
Once you know which international airports in Mauritius have flights from other countries, you should also find out how to get from the airport terminal to your destination. You can get to popular resorts by taxi or bus. As practice shows, the best way to quickly and comfortably get to the desired address is to order a taxi. If you use a transfer, such a trip will cost about 2 times more. A taxi fare costs approximately 600 rupees. If you book a transfer, expect to pay around 1,200 rupees. When ordering a taxi in advance, you should check with the operator how much you will have to pay extra if the driver has to wait for you due to a flight delay.