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#1
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Mauritius's Road/Bus Map
Hi, I am intending on renting a car out for our upcoming trip to
Mauritius. Would appreciate it if someone can suggest a website with a detailed road map. If its not avaialble online, can someone suggest a detailed map that can bought either online or once we get there. And would be also grateful for comments as to whether renting a car (instead of hiring a taxi/catching a bus) is a better option? Have heard some skepticism from the ones who've had a bit of a bitter experience struggling with no-so-well-marked roads !!! Also any websites that I can get my hands on the Bus Timetable? Regards |
#2
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In article ,
says... Hi, I am intending on renting a car out for our upcoming trip to Mauritius. Would appreciate it if someone can suggest a website with a detailed road map. If its not avaialble online, can someone suggest a detailed map that can bought either online or once we get there. And would be also grateful for comments as to whether renting a car (instead of hiring a taxi/catching a bus) is a better option? Have heard some skepticism from the ones who've had a bit of a bitter experience struggling with no-so-well-marked roads !!! Also any websites that I can get my hands on the Bus Timetable? Regards Try: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...93475472/sr=1- 6/ref=sr_1_8_6/026-8424942-9390006 And the Royston ellis guide with good maps: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...93475472/sr=1- 9/ref=sr_1_8_9/026-8424942-9390006 Buses don't even think about it! Rent a car for your holiday. It MUST have A/C. Use one of the nationals on the net before you go. It's cheaper. Take two copies of your agreement with you showing the exact amount you will pay inc. CDW, Insurance etc. Give one to the desk when you collect your car and keep one to show when you drop off. Otherwise things have a habit of being "added on" at the last minute !!!! Some companies will deliver & collect from your hotel/resort. Check the charge for this! Driving in Mauritius is easy just avoid Port Louis in the rush hour. Park your car in proper car parks (with attendants) in major towns as otherwise your radio might disappear! Pip pip -- Chris Notton Replace "nospam" with my surname to reply by email Sostituisca il "nospam" con il mio cognome per rispondere }////(* |
#3
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In article ,
says... Hi, I am intending on renting a car out for our upcoming trip to Mauritius. Would appreciate it if someone can suggest a website with a detailed road map. If its not avaialble online, can someone suggest a detailed map that can bought either online or once we get there. And would be also grateful for comments as to whether renting a car (instead of hiring a taxi/catching a bus) is a better option? Have heard some skepticism from the ones who've had a bit of a bitter experience struggling with no-so-well-marked roads !!! Also any websites that I can get my hands on the Bus Timetable? Regards Try: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...93475472/sr=1- 6/ref=sr_1_8_6/026-8424942-9390006 And the Royston ellis guide with good maps: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...93475472/sr=1- 9/ref=sr_1_8_9/026-8424942-9390006 Buses don't even think about it! Rent a car for your holiday. It MUST have A/C. Use one of the nationals on the net before you go. It's cheaper. Take two copies of your agreement with you showing the exact amount you will pay inc. CDW, Insurance etc. Give one to the desk when you collect your car and keep one to show when you drop off. Otherwise things have a habit of being "added on" at the last minute !!!! Some companies will deliver & collect from your hotel/resort. Check the charge for this! Driving in Mauritius is easy just avoid Port Louis in the rush hour. Park your car in proper car parks (with attendants) in major towns as otherwise your radio might disappear! Pip pip -- Chris Notton Replace "nospam" with my surname to reply by email Sostituisca il "nospam" con il mio cognome per rispondere }////(* |
#4
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BUS
I have been traveling to and within Mauritius since 1996 one or two times per year. My first visit was during September - October in 1965. For various reasons Mauritius is my favorite! TIMETABLES Timetables are not used by anybody. Buses depart and arrive frequently enough for any practical purpose. At bus terminals timetables give you a hint when buses depart. However, those times are only approximate, all depending on the traffic situation. In order to get to and from Port Louis in reasonable time and cost I would use a bus. NOT a rented car! There is rush hour almost all the time (06:30 - 18:00) and parking is not easy to find. From the center of Grand Baie in the north, there are Express buses that depart every 30 minutes and go non-stop to Port Louis. From there, buses go anywhere. Just ask around. You will be surprised how cheap it is and you will reach tour destination within reasonable time (compared to London buses anyway). ROADS Roads are of good quality in comparison with any other African country. So driving by your own will not be a road problem. However, roads are not marked well enough, so a good map is always needed. TAXI & DRIVER Usually the price of a rented car equals the price for TAXI & DRIVER. I would never rent a car and drive around the island by my self. I rent a taxi with a driver for a week or two. I try to find a driver that speaks English reasonable well and then I negotiate the price. Normally they pick you up at 08:30 - 09:00 and you are free to go anywhere you want. Don't forget that you'll get your own guide too with a driver. Maybe you don't want to go anywhere one day? So give the driver a day off and just lay on a beach for a day. One does not have to be "active" every day. What is the holiday for anyway? 1. Read couple of good guide books with maps (Your local book store might have maps too) 2. Decide what you want to do 3. Make a travel plan including staying over night in some other part of the island. 4. Don't make too strict plans. Mauritius has a lot too see and experience. Happy holidays! Kalevi Nyman --- kaka_uet wrote: Hi, I am intending on renting a car out for our upcoming trip to Mauritius. Would appreciate it if someone can suggest a website with a detailed road map. If its not avaialble online, can someone suggest a detailed map that can bought either online or once we get there. And would be also grateful for comments as to whether renting a car (instead of hiring a taxi/catching a bus) is a better option? Have heard some skepticism from the ones who've had a bit of a bitter experience struggling with no-so-well-marked roads !!! Also any websites that I can get my hands on the Bus Timetable? Regards -- Regards: Kalevi Nyman - Linux IS userfriendly! It makes friends with anybody willing to learn! ================================================= |
#5
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BUS
I have been traveling to and within Mauritius since 1996 one or two times per year. My first visit was during September - October in 1965. For various reasons Mauritius is my favorite! TIMETABLES Timetables are not used by anybody. Buses depart and arrive frequently enough for any practical purpose. At bus terminals timetables give you a hint when buses depart. However, those times are only approximate, all depending on the traffic situation. In order to get to and from Port Louis in reasonable time and cost I would use a bus. NOT a rented car! There is rush hour almost all the time (06:30 - 18:00) and parking is not easy to find. From the center of Grand Baie in the north, there are Express buses that depart every 30 minutes and go non-stop to Port Louis. From there, buses go anywhere. Just ask around. You will be surprised how cheap it is and you will reach tour destination within reasonable time (compared to London buses anyway). ROADS Roads are of good quality in comparison with any other African country. So driving by your own will not be a road problem. However, roads are not marked well enough, so a good map is always needed. TAXI & DRIVER Usually the price of a rented car equals the price for TAXI & DRIVER. I would never rent a car and drive around the island by my self. I rent a taxi with a driver for a week or two. I try to find a driver that speaks English reasonable well and then I negotiate the price. Normally they pick you up at 08:30 - 09:00 and you are free to go anywhere you want. Don't forget that you'll get your own guide too with a driver. Maybe you don't want to go anywhere one day? So give the driver a day off and just lay on a beach for a day. One does not have to be "active" every day. What is the holiday for anyway? 1. Read couple of good guide books with maps (Your local book store might have maps too) 2. Decide what you want to do 3. Make a travel plan including staying over night in some other part of the island. 4. Don't make too strict plans. Mauritius has a lot too see and experience. Happy holidays! Kalevi Nyman --- kaka_uet wrote: Hi, I am intending on renting a car out for our upcoming trip to Mauritius. Would appreciate it if someone can suggest a website with a detailed road map. If its not avaialble online, can someone suggest a detailed map that can bought either online or once we get there. And would be also grateful for comments as to whether renting a car (instead of hiring a taxi/catching a bus) is a better option? Have heard some skepticism from the ones who've had a bit of a bitter experience struggling with no-so-well-marked roads !!! Also any websites that I can get my hands on the Bus Timetable? Regards -- Regards: Kalevi Nyman - Linux IS userfriendly! It makes friends with anybody willing to learn! ================================================= |
#6
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Thanks Chris, much appreciated.
Regards Chris wrote in message e... Try: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...93475472/sr=1- 6/ref=sr_1_8_6/026-8424942-9390006 And the Royston ellis guide with good maps: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...93475472/sr=1- 9/ref=sr_1_8_9/026-8424942-9390006 Buses don't even think about it! Rent a car for your holiday. It MUST have A/C. Use one of the nationals on the net before you go. It's cheaper. Take two copies of your agreement with you showing the exact amount you will pay inc. CDW, Insurance etc. Give one to the desk when you collect your car and keep one to show when you drop off. Otherwise things have a habit of being "added on" at the last minute !!!! Some companies will deliver & collect from your hotel/resort. Check the charge for this! Driving in Mauritius is easy just avoid Port Louis in the rush hour. Park your car in proper car parks (with attendants) in major towns as otherwise your radio might disappear! Pip pip |
#7
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Thanks Chris, much appreciated.
Regards Chris wrote in message e... Try: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...93475472/sr=1- 6/ref=sr_1_8_6/026-8424942-9390006 And the Royston ellis guide with good maps: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...93475472/sr=1- 9/ref=sr_1_8_9/026-8424942-9390006 Buses don't even think about it! Rent a car for your holiday. It MUST have A/C. Use one of the nationals on the net before you go. It's cheaper. Take two copies of your agreement with you showing the exact amount you will pay inc. CDW, Insurance etc. Give one to the desk when you collect your car and keep one to show when you drop off. Otherwise things have a habit of being "added on" at the last minute !!!! Some companies will deliver & collect from your hotel/resort. Check the charge for this! Driving in Mauritius is easy just avoid Port Louis in the rush hour. Park your car in proper car parks (with attendants) in major towns as otherwise your radio might disappear! Pip pip |
#9
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In article ,
says... Thanks Chris, much appreciated. Regards Chris wrote in message e... Try: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...93475472/sr=1- 6/ref=sr_1_8_6/026-8424942-9390006 And the Royston ellis guide with good maps: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...93475472/sr=1- 9/ref=sr_1_8_9/026-8424942-9390006 Buses don't even think about it! Rent a car for your holiday. It MUST have A/C. Use one of the nationals on the net before you go. It's cheaper. Take two copies of your agreement with you showing the exact amount you will pay inc. CDW, Insurance etc. Give one to the desk when you collect your car and keep one to show when you drop off. Otherwise things have a habit of being "added on" at the last minute !!!! Some companies will deliver & collect from your hotel/resort. Check the charge for this! Driving in Mauritius is easy just avoid Port Louis in the rush hour. Park your car in proper car parks (with attendants) in major towns as otherwise your radio might disappear! Pip pip Kalevi Nyman Has obviously had better luck with the buses than I have! You can get to Gran Baie & Port Louis o.k. by bus but it get really tricky if you need to get around smaller areas (in the south & east) with lots of changes at local bus stations. Renting a taxi for a day or two is also a possibility but get away from the hotel taxi-rank to do it as they are astonishingly expensive. Go to the nearest town and find a taxi driver you like and check him (and car) out with a small trip, say back to your hotel/bungalow from the supermarket for example. If he thinks he is Michael Shumaker............ I must admit we just rent a car on the "black-market" for the whole time we are there. We do tend to stay off the beaten track though. Have a nice time exploring the island! Pip pip -- Chris Notton Replace "nospam" with my surname to reply by email Sostituisca il "nospam" con il mio cognome per rispondere }////(* |
#10
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Chris wrote:
In article , says... Thanks Chris, much appreciated. Regards Chris wrote in message e... Try: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...93475472/sr=1- 6/ref=sr_1_8_6/026-8424942-9390006 And the Royston ellis guide with good maps: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...93475472/sr=1- 9/ref=sr_1_8_9/026-8424942-9390006 Buses don't even think about it! Rent a car for your holiday. It MUST have A/C. Use one of the nationals on the net before you go. It's cheaper. Take two copies of your agreement with you showing the exact amount you will pay inc. CDW, Insurance etc. Give one to the desk when you collect your car and keep one to show when you drop off. Otherwise things have a habit of being "added on" at the last minute !!!! Some companies will deliver & collect from your hotel/resort. Check the charge for this! Driving in Mauritius is easy just avoid Port Louis in the rush hour. Park your car in proper car parks (with attendants) in major towns as otherwise your radio might disappear! Pip pip Kalevi Nyman Has obviously had better luck with the buses than I have! You can get to Gran Baie & Port Louis o.k. by bus but it get really tricky if you need to get around smaller areas (in the south & east) with lots of changes at local bus stations. The very existance of Express-bus to and from Port Louis from Grand Baie is rarely known by the average tourists. To sit a half an hour in an airconditioned bus, planning your purchases or talking to locals asking about good sites visite, is very good invested time. You get to know places that are never mentioned in any tourist guide. Tip Hire a scooter. Drive to the closest village of Pieter Botha, a local mountain that is part of the chain that surrounds Port Louis. There is an incredible place where you can climb up close to the top and take exclusive pictures of that amzing scenery or just enjoy the view and have a picknic! During my visite in 2003 to Mauritius I was 3 weeks in Mahébourg and 2 weeks in the south west. I travelled by bus all-over the south, south-east and of course to Port Louis. Me and my wife met the most interesting people on the buses. We never had any problems getting anywhere. How do you think Maurtians travel? I don't have to go anywhere in order to find a trustworthy driver. I call couple of numbers and I have a car and a driver. Of course you can negotiate the price and get a very good deal when you rent a driver and a car for couple of weeks. He is yours during your stay. But, don't under estimate bus traffic. It is efficient and as fast as in any western country. Best way to find your way is to talk to the drivers, cachiers, local people and so on. We got invaluable information by just asking! One day, we wanted to go to Bellmare Beach from Mahébourg. In the afternoon I spoke to couple of busdrivers and it all came clear. We got up about 05:30 the next morning and entered the bus 06:10. We arrived at about 06:45. Many taxi drivers offered their services at the beach but we returned by bus. We returned at 17:10 to Mahébourg. All with no assitance of "good luck". What is the problem? /K --- Renting a taxi for a day or two is also a possibility but get away from the hotel taxi-rank to do it as they are astonishingly expensive. Go to the nearest town and find a taxi driver you like and check him (and car) out with a small trip, say back to your hotel/bungalow from the supermarket for example. If he thinks he is Michael Shumaker............ I must admit we just rent a car on the "black-market" for the whole time we are there. We do tend to stay off the beaten track though. Have a nice time exploring the island! Pip pip -- Regards: Kalevi Nyman - Linux IS userfriendly! It makes friends with anybody willing to learn! ================================================= |
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