Why rent a car in Mauritius?

The island of Mauritius checks all the boxes when it comes to choosing a destination for your next holiday. The island has got an array of things to do, amazing sights and a parade of over 100 public beaches scattered all over the four coasts of the island. How do you make the most of all that? Simple, rent a car.

10 reasons to hire a car

More and more tourists are choosing to rent a car in Mauritius. There are many reasons for it and that is what we are going to look at in this article. No one rents a car just to burn tyres. Renting a car especially in the context of Mauritius comes with several advantages. Here are 10 of them:

1. Friendly Car Rental Destination

The mainland has a fully developed road network of more than 2,500 kilometres which leads to every nook and cranny you can possibly imagine. Whether it is starting your day on the top of a volcano, eating in a creole restaurant in the middle of a valley or enjoying a sunset on a deserted beach, your rental car will take you anywhere you want to be.

2. You actually save money

With a taxi or private transfers, your holiday can become real expensive real quick. With a rental car, you actually save money. At mauhire.com, prices start at €29 per day, which is less than what a one-way airport transfer would cost you!

Our cars are well maintained and economic in terms of fuel consumption. Add to it the low cost of petroleum of around €1 per litre, you have the perfect way to move around while staying in budget.

3. Make the most of your holiday time

If you don’t want to wait for public transport or be at the mercy of pigeonhole hotel tours, you’ve got to rent a car. You take the road when you like and reach your hotel or villa at your convenience.

The thing is, Mauritius is an island that has to be explored all year round. Some people prefer to stay at the hotel pool or hotel-front beach for the whole holiday time, but that’s not you. With a rental car, you can explore so much more in just one day. Stay tuned to our blog, we share some of the best road trips in Mauritius in our upcoming articles.

4. Privacy

It matters! Having your own vehicle is a real advantage in that sense. It is not that public transport can have unexpected sellers or the taxi driver’s moot music taste, but a little privacy is important, especially if you are a couple travelling or on honeymoon.

Mauritius is made up of simple pleasures, new scents, new flavors. Walking barefoot on the beach, basking in the sun, discovering local gastronomy… All this can be experienced in complete privacy thanks to a rental car.

5. Little Paperwork

Oh papers! Often this is a real one stumbling point on holidays. Thankfully, in Mauritius, you don’t need a lot of paperwork to get your rental car. You just need to have a valid national or international license to rent a car. Most car rental companies on the island require a minimum driving experience of two years or more.

That’s about it. Everything else is included. You get all-risk vehicle insurance and other legal documents in the glove compartment when you book with us. So very light paperwork.

6. Tour at night

Taxi prices tend to go very high at night. Well, fear not, because you have your own car and you can enjoy your evenings touring around the coast. Mauritius has some fabulous places to visit at night like Grand Baie and Flic en Flac.

You can choose to visit a casino, dine at a beach restaurant or maybe enjoy the nightlife in Mauritius. It’s up to you!

7. Flexible options

The car rental industry in Mauritius has changed a lot in the last ten years and much to your advantage. At mauhire.com, we give you flexibility and a lot of options for your reservation. We pick up and deliver your car to any location on the island.

8. Unparalleled Support

With a car you will be lucky enough to move more easily, feeling the comfort of space, in which you can carry your bags and go shopping. At Mauhire1, we have a range of vehicle models to better suit your needs. See all our cars here.

Whether you are driving alone, with friends or the whole family, we make it a must to provide you with the comfort you need. All of our cars are spacious with five seats and air-conditioning so that everyone can be comfortable during the journey.

9. Book from home or anywhere

Choosing car rental in Mauritius also forces you into some advance planning. At Mauhire, you can book your vehicle weeks or even months in advance. This saves you the rental constraints once you arrive here. Once you are here, you just need the keys and your travel diary.

Whether you are driving alone, with friends or the whole family, we make it a must to provide you with the comfort you need. All of our cars are spacious with five seats and air-conditioning so that everyone can be comfortable during the journey.

10. 24/7 Roadside Assistance

At Mauhire, we provide roadside assistance to all our customers 24/7. No need to worry in case of breakdown or accident. It is good to know that with us, you are just a phone call away from support and any other information or help you might need during your holidays in Mauritius.

Book your car rental 

There you go. We hope you enjoyed our article and found the content of it helpful. Feel free to leave your comments below. (We read and reply to all comments)

Arrival & Departure in Mauritius: Airport Transfer, Taxi or Car Rental?

After several hours of sitting in place in one of the most complex human inventions, cruising at about a 1000 kilometres per hour in the air, at a height of about 30 000 feets, you can finally start to see the outline of your paradisiac holiday destination start to form over the horizon.

Although you are understandably unable to control your excitement, there are yet several minutes filled with tedious tasks such as immigration control, mandatory health check, baggage retrieval and such, which you need to go through. Once at the other end of all of this, you still have one final obstacle separating you from the chalk white beaches and azure shaded lagoons, transport.

For those having already spent some of the most memorable moments of their lives and with the unfortunate end of their holidays finally dawning upon them, the decision of how to get to the airport arises.

Coming to Mauritius as tourists generally means you probably have no family or friend here, which could help you move from the airport to your place of stay or from the latter to the airport for departure. Hence, you are faced with only 3 options – airport transfer, ordering a taxi or car rental. To help you to make this decision in your best interest, we present some of the features of each option, so that you can make an informed choice.

Airport Transfer

For the arrival, our driver will be waiting for you in the arrival zone of the airport, a sign in hand with your name written on it. He will help with everything necessary, such as handling of bagages and will provide any information you need.  Your transfer from the airport to your location of stay will be made comfortable with the air conditioned car provided and informative, as the driver will explain anything interesting you will chance upon on the road. Your only responsibility is to sit back and enjoy the journey!

For departure, the driver will arrive in the vehicle at your hotel or other place of stay. Similar to the services offered during arrival, he will carry and place your luggages in the trunk of the vehicle so you need not worry about anything. We will advise you the best pick up time depending on your boarding time and distance from the airport. Furthermore, we can totally guarantee that our driver will be there on the time arranged, if not earlier. Hence, you can arrive at the airport carefree and well in advance.

You are free to choose the type of vehicle you want to travel in from the range of ones we have to offer, according to the number of passengers and the level of comfort you desire.

Our airport transfer service is extremely professional, effective and genuinely geared towards the satisfaction of our customers. Book your Mauritius Airport Transfer here.

Taxi

Another possible alternative to travel from the airport to your accommodation or the other way round is to order a taxi. Many taxi services are available throughout all key places on the island, including the airport. As you make your way through the arrival hall, any airport personnel can direct you to the closest taxi stand. Most of the taxis operated in Mauritius are by self employed individuals. Hence, they do not strictly follow a layed out code of conduct. So maybe not every driver will be necessarily friendly, helpful or chatty. However, they do get the job done and you are sure to reach your destination safely.

In the case of departure, you will need to search for a taxi driver a few days before and make the necessary arrangements with him, such as the time he has to be here.

Taxi fares are generally high in Mauritius, especially when travelling over a long distance. So be sure to inform yourself about such information from a local.

Car Hire

Last but not least is the option of renting a car at the SSR international airport. This choice is by far the most economical one. Since you will be needing a car to travel throughout the island, why not choose to take it at the very beginning itself. We will provide you with the car at the airport and you can simply pack your luggages and be off to wherever you want, at whatever pace you want. You can stop where you wish, adventure on different roads as you wish and many more things.

The car remains with you for the time you have booked it. Once your vacation is over, there is no need to depend on anyone to get you to the airport. Just hop into your rented vehicle and be off at the time you desire. Our person will be there to pick up the keys from you as you get ready to board your flight home.

Car rental is cheaper and more enjoyable than the other two options above by a considerable margin.

Now that you know what the 3 choices hold in store for you, we hope that we have been able to help you make your decision.

Here at Mauhire, we provide some of the most comfortable cars at the most competitive price on the market. Our unflinching dedication to satisfying all the transport needs of our customers is reflected in the satisfaction expressed by them at the end of their stay.

For more information, contact us:
Shivala lane, L’ESCALIER

Phone: (+230) 5860 5241 – 23058605241

Email: info@mauhire.com

10 questions to ask your car rental company in Mauritius

You have been told that Mauritius is a beautiful island that is best explored in a rental car? While that is true, it can also be overwhelming with all the policies, and car rental terms & conditions out there. Every company is a little different in the way they operate.

To avoid any hidden charges, you have to pay attention to all details, it’s like that in all travel destinations. But don’t worry if you don’t get it all at once. We have teamed up with Easycab, a local company offering the cheapest car rental prices in Mauritius to bring you the top 10 questions to ask before booking your car. Here we go:

1. What documents are needed to book & drive a car?

Yes, it is always a good idea to ask for any paperwork that will be needed to book and drive a rental car in Mauritius. It is probably best to ask this and the other questions below, a few weeks before your arrival on the island to have the time to adjust.

But generally speaking, to book or reserve your rental car in Mauritius, you will need a domestic or international driving license valid for the period you intend to reserve. Most car rental companies in Mauritius only accept drivers aged more than 21 years. Some agencies might also require a driving experience of at least two years.

If you are reserving online, you will only need your contact information and credit card if a deposit is required. Although most agencies require this, it can be a good idea to communicate your flight number when booking online.

If you don’t have a reservation and are booking a car at the airport, for example, you will need to have your passport and credit card on you.

Note: At Mauhire, we have a 0 deposit policy when you book online with us.

2. What if my flight gets delayed?

The reasons are many for flights to get delayed. Figures show that around 15 – 20 of all flights get delayed. Although we wish you the best travel experience without delays, it is a really good idea to speak to your car rental representative about this.

If you booked with us and sent us your flight number, you should not worry at all, because we will wait for your arrival for free. On the other hand, we really appreciate it when clients let us know of any flight delays at the earliest. You can contact us by email or write to us on WhatsApp at any time.

3. Do you offer delivery and pickup service?

Ask your chosen car rental company if they can deliver your car to your preferred location or accommodation. Like us, most reputable car hire agencies will deliver and pick up your car for free at the SSR International Airport, but some don’t.

At Mauhire, we can also deliver your vehicle at any location on the island against a small fee. Just so that you know, we can deliver to all hotels, villas and other places of interest in Mauritius.

4. Do you offer unlimited mileage?

We believe that all rental car companies should be offering unlimited mileage to their clients. Because what’s the point of driving on such an amazing island as Mauritius, if you always have to keep an eye on the odometer? Some companies including international car rental agencies offer limited mileage. If you are unsure about this or it is not listed on their website, you should always ask.

5. Is the car in a safe condition and in good standing?

Most agencies will provide an orientation before handling the car keys to you. But in situations, like when you are in a hurry or did not get the exact car model you reserved or need a replacement vehicle, it is always good to check with the representative if everything is in proper condition. Also do check if all paperwork is in good standing and easily accessible.

Tip: If you can, take pictures or shoot a video of the car before it was lent to you. This will help you later on to detect any scratches.

6. What is your fuel policy?

Even if it is rare, never accept a car delivered to you with an empty tank. We are on a tropical island and sometimes you have to drive a few kilometres to find a fuel station. Also, having the car delivered to you with an empty tank means that you will have to return it empty. That is probably a bad idea as you will have a plane to catch and a nearly empty fuel tank. Very risky.

Go for a full tank policy. That’s what we do at Mauhire. It simply means that we deliver and pick up your rental car with the tank full.

7. Are there any hidden charges or penalties?

This one is really important. Several car rental agents might not reveal all charges to you. Here, your best bet is to carefully read the terms and conditions before signing or accepting anything.

It is not just here in Mauritius. It is a worldwide problem with some car rental companies. Some say it is marketing, but for us, it is not fair and even less in the spirit of entrepreneurship we have at Mauhire.

8. Who is allowed to drive the car? Any additional drivers?

Some local companies don’t even mention this in their contract or insurance policy. But, if you are not traveling alone, you have to ask if you can have additional drivers. And, if yes, at what costs.

At Mauhire, you can register an additional driver for free. This can be handy on long road trips or in case you decide to taste the authentic rums and spirits of Mauritius (which you should)!

9. What are the extras I can get with the car?

You might need baby seats or a GPS to navigate around the island. That is why it is recommended to reserve a rental car that can accommodate all this. At Mauhire, we will display the available extras for the selected car during the booking process. But you can also view all our extras here.

10. Do you provide roadside assistance?

That is the number 1 reason we recommend you hire a car with a local car rental agency. You never know when you will be in a situation of emergency or if the car breaks down while you are parked near a waterfall somewhere in a rainforest. At Mauhire, we provide 24/7 roadside assistance to all our car rental clients. If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to call us on (+230) 58226475.

If you have any questions or suggestions, we would be very happy to read them in the comments section below. Until next time, we wish you a wonderful driving experience in Mauritius.