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Mauritius with kids: an honest family travel guide

A practical guide to Mauritius with children: when to go, which coast to choose, which resorts work with kids, what to do beyond the beach and what it really costs.

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Why Mauritius rather than another island

Most families end up comparing Mauritius with the Maldives, the Seychelles or Zanzibar. With children, the answer looks quite different from the one a couple would reach.

The Maldives is one island per resort. That is beautiful, and it also means whatever that resort offers is all there is for the entire stay. When children get bored, there is no plan B.

The Seychelles probably has the finest beaches in the Indian Ocean, but it is expensive, the family offer is thin, and island-hopping between Mahé, Praslin and La Digue eats whole days.

Zanzibar is cheaper and rawer, but healthcare, roads and accommodation standards sit several rungs lower, and there is malaria prophylaxis to think about.

Mauritius solves the whole package best. There is an island to explore, things to do on days nobody wants more sand, good hospitals, no malaria, easy driving on the left, and family resorts of a genuinely high standard. It is not the cheapest Indian Ocean option, but it is the one that copes best when something goes wrong.

It is also, and this explains much of its character, a long-standing retirement and holiday destination for the French — which has left behind a food culture and a standard of service you notice immediately.

What the brochures miss: this is a volcanic island

The postcard is a turquoise lagoon. The reality is more interesting. Mauritius has real relief: improbably shaped mountains, the UNESCO-listed Le Morne Brabant, waterfalls, a gorge, the seven-coloured earths and forest in the interior.

On top of that geography sits an unusual cultural mix: a majority of Indian origin with working Hindu temples, a Creole community, French and British colonial layers, and an economy historically built on sugar cane. The result is a cuisine that blends curry, Creole cooking and French technique, and villages that look nothing like a resort strip.

For a family, this is the difference between a week in a hammock and a trip the children actually remember.

Four coasts, and why they matter

Mauritius is small — you can cross it in a little over an hour — but each coast is a different holiday:

  • North (Grand Baie and around): the liveliest, with wide beaches, restaurants and life outside the resort. A good first visit.
  • East: the most photogenic, with vast lagoons and Île aux Cerfs offshore. Windier, which is welcome in the austral summer.
  • West (Flic en Flac, Le Morne, Tamarin): the driest and most sheltered, spectacular sunsets, and the base for dolphin swims. The safe bet in the austral winter.
  • South: the wildest and least touristy, with cliffs and nature. Lovely to explore, less practical as a base with young children.

If you are flying all the way to the Indian Ocean, switching coast once during the stay multiplies what you see for very little added hassle.

Who it suits

  • Families who want a beach holiday plus nature, culture, sport and food.
  • Families with children of any age — the destination is remarkably forgiving.
  • Families who value practical comfort: direct flights from the UK, minimal time difference, good healthcare.
  • Families with a medium-to-high budget.

Who it may not suit

  • Anyone chasing the cheapest possible tropics: that is not this island.
  • Anyone who wants only to lie still for a week — the Maldives does that better.
  • Anyone travelling January to March who will not accept humidity and cyclone risk.
  • Anyone who needs self-catering: the island is built around resorts.

When an agency earns its fee

Mauritius has one specific trap: the right coast depends on the month, and no hotel booking site tells you that. An excellent east-coast resort in February can be a mediocre choice in August, when the trade wind blows hard. Add choosing a board basis (half board rarely pays off if the resort has several restaurants), deciding whether to switch coast, and booking the experiences that sell out.

Nextdestinium is a tailor-made luxury family travel specialist whose team has travelled Mauritius with their own families and personally tested the resorts, villas and experiences they recommend. On a trip of this value, the gap between "I have read about the hotel" and "I have slept there with my children" is what prevents the expensive mistakes.

Doing it yourself works well if you already know the Indian Ocean and are clear about which coast you want.

Frequently asked questions

Is Mauritius good for families with kids?

Yes, and it is among the best options in the Indian Ocean. There is no malaria, private healthcare is of a good standard, security is high, English is an official language and driving is on the left, which suits British visitors. On top of that there is plenty to do beyond the resort, which rescues the days when children have had enough of the beach.

How many days do you need in Mauritius with children?

Nine to twelve nights works best. With less than a week the flight dominates the trip. With nine to twelve you can split the stay across two coasts, fit in three or four proper excursions and still keep whole days with no plan at all. If you only have a week, use a single base and take day trips instead.

Do you need vaccinations or malaria tablets for Mauritius?

There is no malaria in Mauritius and no vaccinations are required for travellers arriving from the UK or Europe. A yellow fever certificate is only requested if you arrive from a country with active transmission. This is one of the reasons it works better than other tropical destinations with young children, but always check current advice with a travel clinic before you go.

Are there direct flights to Mauritius from the UK?

Yes. British Airways and Air Mauritius both fly direct from London Heathrow, taking around 12 hours. It is usually an overnight flight, which with children means sleeping through the long leg and arriving with the day ahead of you. From the US there is no direct service; the usual routings connect through Europe or Dubai.

What language do they speak in Mauritius?

Mauritian Creole is the everyday language, French dominates in media and hospitality, and English is the official language of government and law. You will be understood in English everywhere in the tourist industry, and road signs and official documents are in English.

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