Credit: Ludovic Lubeigt

Mauritius is an amazing holiday destination! The perfect island to relax, swim, sunbathe, eat, relax some more and mastering the art of taking it easy. Beautiful beaches, mountain peaks, wildlife, tea and sugarcane plantations, sleepy villages and lively towns – there is a lot to explore! Mauritius is not an expensive holiday destination at all and here’s how to holiday on a budget on the island of Mauritius:

Getting there cheaply

First things firsts – book your tickets and make sure they are the cheapest around. This will save a whole lot on your holiday budget. With the help of Skyscanner.com, you can track down the cheapest tickets available in a particular month or even in the whole year. It gives you a great overview of airlines and their rates. Try several nearby airports. It can sometimes save you lots of money to take the flight from an airport that is not the closest to your home.

Eat like a local

Nothing wrong with getting some local food on the traditional market of Port Louis or any other market on the island of Mauritius. In fact, the street food is the best there is! Richly spiced curries, roti and flatbreads, yummy fried snacks, Indian rice, Chinese dumplings – the traditional markets are true foodie heavens, and the food is dirt cheap, too. So, eat local food and spend the money you are saving on some lovely sunset drinks at the beach instead of expensive meals at high-end restaurants.

Stay just outside the city centre

As soon as you move away from the most popular tourist towns around the island, prices or charming island accommodations and private villas with swimming pools drop massively. It isn’t expensive at all to rent a place for yourself with a garden and living room. It may even be cheaper than staying in a hotel room and the privacy, and the tranquility you get in a villa is priceless! Who wouldn’t love to stay somewhere close to the beach, away from the madding crowds in a private tropical home? Not only is it tranquil and beautiful, but staying outside of the centre also gets the prices of your holiday rental down. Try finding a villa in the west of Mauritius or in the east.

Enjoy the beach as much as you can

Beautiful beaches and clear waters, shaded by tropical coconut palm trees is what you came for, right? Why else would you fly hundreds of kilometers to a tiny tropical island in the mighty Indian Ocean? Well, beach days are free in Mauritius so get as much of those as you can! All you need is your bathers, a sarong, sunblock, sunglasses, anything that has to do with the sun will do. Mauritius is surrounded by gorgeous beaches, some desolate, some with beach clubs and water sports and others with dolphins and coral gardens hidden beneath the surface of the sea. Pure bliss!

Go hiking

The best way to soak up the stunning national environment that Mauritius Island has to offer is to go hiking. There are some amazing places to explore, and the best news is: hiking is completely free. The Black River National Park is one of the island’s highlights, home to beautiful forests, waterfalls, picnic areas, spring pools and wildlife. There are several trails leading you up to the Black River Peak, where the views of the island are breathtakingly beautiful. Another great hike up to the peak of Le Morne, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This mountain was a place of shelter for fugitive slaves and after the abolition of slavery in 1935, police officials climbed up the mountain to spread the good news, but sadly many slaves jumped to their death on this day of freedom as they thought they were to be captured once again. The hike up the mountain is 3.6 kilometers long and it is scenic!

Written By Stephanie from Villa-Finder.com