Mauritius to Reopen Its Borders in July
But tourists can only stay within the grounds of their chosen hotel for the first two weeks.
A view of the “Underwater Waterfall” at Le Morne, Mauritius. (Photo: Xavier Coiffic/Unsplash)
Exactly a year after the Maldives opened back up for leisure travel, another Indian Ocean destination is following suit. This July 15, Mauritius will begin welcoming international visitors who have been fully vaccinated for Covid-19. Here’s what you need to know before planning a trip to the East African island country.
Under the first phase of its tourism reopening plan, Mauritius will let in visitors aged 18 and above who have received their second dose of a Covid-19 vaccine at least three weeks before arrival. (Children do not have to be inoculated but should go through pre-departure testing.) All vaccines authorized by the World Health Organization are accepted; these include those made by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Jansen/Johnson&Johnson, Sinovac, and Sinopharm. Travelers must also hold valid travel insurance that covers medical treatment for coronavirus. They will only be able to board a plane to Mauritius after showing proof of a negative result in a PCR test taken between five and seven days before departure.
Upon arrival, visitors must take a PCR test and wait between six to 12 hours for the result in a hotel certified as “Covid-19 safe” by the Mauritian government, which will be releasing a full list on June 20 via mauritiusnow.com. According to the website, international visitors will be able to enjoy “a hotel holiday” with access to their chosen property’s various leisure facilities, including swimming pools, golf courses, and adjacent beaches. Spas will not be open for the time being.
Travelers must then take another PCR test on their fifth, sixth, or seventh day in Mauritius, with a third Covid-19 test conducted on the 14th day. Only after testing negative in this final test can hotel guests leave the grounds and freely explore the island nation.
On October 1, Mauritius will embark on the second phase of its tourism reopening. This stage will not be as restrictive, with fully vaccinated tourists granted unfettered access to the island’s attractions after showing proof of a negative result in a PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure. Those who are partially vaccinated or unvaccinated must quarantine for 14 days in their hotel rooms upon arrival.
Initially, getting to Mauritius from East or Southeast Asia may require a transit in the Gulf. Emirates will be restarting regular services from Dubai on July 17, while the country’s flag carrier Air Mauritius plans to resume twice-weekly nonstop flights from both Hong Kong and Singapore on August 3.
More information here.
Find the original article on DestinAsian’s website here.