Backpacking in Mauritius is a bit of a paradox: it’s famous for luxury resorts, but you can absolutely do it on a backpacker budget—with some smart choices.
It’s one of the easiest, safest, and most comfortable places to travel in Africa 👇
🌴 Why backpack Mauritius?
- Extremely safe and well-developed
- Beautiful beaches + mountains + waterfalls
- Easy transport and infrastructure
- Mix of African, Indian, and French culture
👉 Think: tropical island + European-level convenience
🗺️ Best places to explore
🌆 Grand Baie (backpacker base)
7
- Budget guesthouses + hostels
- Restaurants, nightlife, tours
- Good base for the north
🏝️ Flic en Flac (west coast beaches)
5
- Long sandy beaches + sunsets
- Snorkeling and dolphin tours
- More relaxed than Grand Baie
⛰️ Black River Gorges National Park
8
- Best hiking on the island
- Waterfalls and viewpoints
- Endemic birds and wildlife
🌈 Chamarel (nature + culture)
6
- Famous Seven Colored Earth
- Chamarel waterfall
- Rum distilleries
🏝️ Île aux Cerfs (day trip paradise)
7
- Crystal-clear lagoon
- Water sports and chill beaches
- Easy day trip from east coast
💰 Budget (surprisingly doable)
- $35–70/day (budget backpacking)
- Hostels/guesthouses: $15–30
- Street food/local meals: $3–8
- Bus transport: very cheap
👉 Way cheaper than resort prices suggest.
🚐 Getting around
- Excellent public buses (cheap, reliable)
- Car rental if you want flexibility
- Hitchhiking is possible but less common
👉 One of the easiest countries in Africa to navigate.
🦺 Safety
- One of the safest countries in Africa
- Very low crime
- Safe for solo travelers (including solo female travelers)
👉 Big advantage over many destinations.
🧳 Practical tips
🛂 Visa
- Visa-free for many nationalities
🗣 Language
- English (official)
- French + Mauritian Creole widely spoken
💳 Money
- ATMs widely available
- Cards accepted in most places
🗺️ Sample 7-day backpacking route
- Day 1–2: Grand Baie (north)
- Day 3–4: Flic en Flac (west)
- Day 5: Black River Gorges + Chamarel
- Day 6: Île aux Cerfs
- Day 7: Relax / explore more beaches
🤔 Is Mauritius worth it?
✔️ Go if you want:
- Easy, stress-free travel
- Tropical beaches + nature
- Good infrastructure
❌ Skip if you want:
- Ultra-cheap backpacking (like Malawi)
- Remote/off-grid adventure
- “Undiscovered” vibe
🆚 Quick comparison
- Mauritius: easiest + most comfortable
- Malawi: cheapest + most authentic
- São Tomé: most hidden gem
- Gabon: most adventurous
👉 Best for relaxed backpacking: Mauritius
✔️ Bottom line:
Mauritius is one of the best beginner-friendly tropical backpacking destinations—safe, beautiful, and easy, even if it’s not the absolute cheapest.
+Overlanding Mauritius: Coastal Roads, Mountains & Travel Guide