Mauritius, like the tropical island paradise that it is meant to be, offers beach resorts, long strips of beaches, unending ocean views, and diverse activities. Maldives with its promise of aqua waters, white sandy beaches and tropical vibes has always been a top destination for a beach holiday. If you had to choose between Mauritius vs Maldives for a perfect beach vacation, which island is better suited for you?
I have travelled to all the 4 islands in the Indian Ocean, Mauritius, Maldives, Seychelles and Reunion Island. While all these island destinations in the Indian Ocean provide the tropical island vacation, their vibe is quite different.
Mauritius and Maldives, while both being island getaways with fabulous beaches and stunning ocean, are quite different. Their differences in size, activities, vacation budget, accommodation and food options are several. I have done a comprehensive comparison across the main travel factors to help choose between the Maldives and Mauritius for your next vacation.
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Mauritius vs Maldives Landscape
Mauritius is one big island (plus Rodrigues) with a rugged interior of volcanic mountains and virgin forests. This volcanic island has diverse landscape to be enjoyed, it offers beaches, lagoons, sugarcane plains, mountains, and waterfalls.
The Maldives are a low-lying coral atoll nation of ~1,200 small islands. Hundreds of tiny islands with exceptional coral reefs surrounding them float in the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean. The focus here is on private‑island resorts with unparalleled seclusion and luxury.
How to get to and around Mauritius or Maldives
To get to Mauritius, the best way is by flying to Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport located on the island. We had taken a direct flight from Delhi, India to reach Mauritius. There are several major Indian cities like Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai with connecting flights to Mauritius. Major hubs like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, London, and several cities on the African mainland offer direct flights to Mauritius.
Mauritius offers smooth roads, it is easy to rent a car here and self-drive.
To get to the Maldives, you have to fly to Velana International Airport (MLE). This is the main gateway, located on Hulhule Island near the capital, Malé. Direct flights operate from cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Kochi in India. There are many carriers like Emirates, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines etc connecting through Dubai, Qatar, Singapore, or Colombo.
Upon arrival in Malé, you will need to take a transfer to your specific resort island. We had taken a pre-arranged speedboat to reach the Hard Rock Maldives and The Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, on different trips. A seaplane transfer is required for resorts located on islands at greater distances from Malé (daylight hours only).
You can also take a domestic flight to one of the other airports like Gan (GAN), Hanimaadhoo (HAQ), or Maafaru (NMF). Island-hopping in the Maldives requires a seaplane or boat transfer arranged by your resort.
Beaches & snorkelling / diving on Maldives vs Mauritius
The Maldives wins hands down in this respect. Maldives offers postcard-worthy powdery white sand beaches with bright turquoise, calm, lagoons. They make it to the world’s top beaches list like the beaches on Seychelles.
Most of the Maldives’ islands, especially the ones away from Malé, have world-class house reefs, and abundant reef fish. The water clarity and shallow lagoons make for excellent snorkelling directly from many resorts. Diving in the Maldives is focused on coral pinnacles, channels and drift dives. You can view manta rays and whale sharks in seasonal aggregation sites.
Mauritius has beautiful beaches, but generally with slightly coarser sand than the Maldives. The island has long stretches of beaches and calm lagoons which make them family-friendly. Flic en Flac is the popular west coast beach with calm, shallow waters, restaurants, and sunset views. Another popular beach is Trou aux Biches, with clear waters, coral reefs, and a relaxed vibe.
Snorkelling is good in Mauritius but reef health is more variable. Diving in Mauritius offers wrecks, reefs and basalt cliffs but there is less concentration of large animals like sharks, whales, dolphins, and sea turtles, than Maldives.
Activities on Mauritius and the Maldives
Mauritius wins as far as diverse activities go, it offers hiking, water sports, colonial mansions, local markets, and nightlife. There are so many things to do in Mauritius. The water activities and lovely beaches for the entire family is a given. But you will also find historical and cultural activities to do here. You can book a full-day tour of Port Louis. See the Central Market, China Town, Caudan Waterfront, experience Citadelle Fort, and Aapravasi Ghat. Mauritius also offers opportunities to visit to tea plantations and rum distilleries.
Did you know about the stunning national park, waterfalls and hiking options in Mauritius? We enjoyed a day trip to the Black River Gorges national park in Mauritius. There are popular spots like Seven Coloured Earth and Chamarel Falls to view here plus numerous hiking trails to enjoy. For serious hikers, there is even Le Morne Brabant to summit.
You can take a boat tour to explore some of the uninhabited pristine islands like Ile Aux Cerfs around Mauritius. There are unique water activities offered in Mauritius like a sub-scooter ride and the submarine.
The Maldives is more focussed on a relaxed beach vacation. The overwater villas with unending ocean views are meant to be enjoyed. Each of the resort offers water sports like snorkelling, kayaking, paddle surfing and even diving. And luxurious spa treatments! On our vacation to the Maldives, we have enjoyed excursions from the resort like dolphin cruise, windsurfing class, and sandbank picnic.
Choice of accommodation in Maldives and Mauritius
The Maldives is all about private resort-centricity. Everyone dreams about lounging in an overwater bungalow or a beach bungalow in the Maldives. Plenty of choice amongst resorts in Maldives for couples as well as for families.
There are many private‑island luxury villas on offer with high degree of seclusion. Maldives has fewer budget options as compared to Mauritius but some budget hotels and guesthouses are now available on local islands.
Mauritius is one large island with well developed tourism infrastructure. So you will find hotels, guesthouses and airbnbs suited for all budgets. Even in hotels, Mauritius has wide range of options from luxury beach resorts, boutique hotels, mid-range and budget hotels. It is easier to combine a beach resort with inland stays.
Food and Culture in Mauritius vs Maldives
The colonial history and heritage in Mauritius is evident. Aparvasi Ghat is a good place to know more about the culture and history is the island. It is an UNESCO World Heritage site. It is a 19th century Immigratioin Depot site located in Port Luois.
Mauritius has the edge with greater choice of food dishes available. The local cuisine here is a mash-up of Indian, Chinese, French and African influences. Besides fresh seafood and international cuisines, you an enjoy typical Mauritian street food.
Maldives features Islamic culture with simple island life. But most guests only experience private resort vacation with no local culture. Though you can take excursions to local islands that showcase traditional crafts and cuisine. Food in the Maldives is all about resort dining. It tends toward international cuisines and fresh seafood.
When to visit Mauritius or Maldives
Mauritius has a warm tropical climate year round. But the rains distinguish 2 main seasons here. The best time to visit Mauritius is generally May to December for cool, dry, sunny weather, ideal for beaches and other activities. We went for a memorable family vacation to Mauritius in July. The weather was pleasant with daytime temperature at an average of 23ºC and cool nights.
The summer season (from November to April) is hot, humid and rainy. Shoulder months (April, May and Oct, Nov) are ideal as they balance good weather with fewer crowds and potentially better prices.
The dry season, which runs from November to April, is the peak time to visit the Maldives. The opposite of peak season for Mauritius. The dry season offers sunny skies, warm temperatures [25 – 30ºC], and excellent diving visibility. This is ideal for sun-seekers, with minimal rain and low humidity.
May to October (wet season) brings lower prices on resorts and flights, and fewer crowds to the Maldives. Shoulder months [April and November] are good transitional months with a mix of good weather and lower prices.
FAQs on Mauritius vs Maldives
Which is better? Mauritius or Maldives?
Neither of these tropical islands is ‘better’ in all respects. Choosing between Mauritius or Maldives for a vacation depends on your priorities. Mauritius offers developed infrastructure, wider set of activities, and greater choice in accommodation and dining. Maldives is great if you desire secluded beaches, luxury overwater villa experiences, and world-class snorkelling / diving.
Is Mauritius cheaper than the Maldives?
Mauritius can be cheaper than the Maldives. Though Mauritius has luxury resorts and fine-dining restaurants, it offers a greater choice in mid-range and budget accommodation and dining options. It has more developed tourism infrastructure, than making it more budget-friendly than the Maldives. It also has easier logistics in terms of more direct flights and one single compact island layout.
Maldives generally has higher per-night cost, especially for overwater villas. There are many other add-ons including transfers to resorts, meals, and activities arranged by your resort.
Which island is better for families?
Mauritius is more child-friendly with extensive entertainment and safer infrastructure. The island is more developed with shopping malls, diverse restaurants, and offers a diverse set of activities. Also, large families may prefer its wider offering of budget accommodation.
Which island is great for honeymooners?
The Maldives features ultra-relaxing luxury, privacy, and the overwater villas are completely geared towards honeymoon / romantic seclusion. So if you can afford the higher costs, Maldives is the preferred getaway for a honeymoon over Mauritius.
Final Verdict: Mauritius vs Maldives
Choose Mauritius if you enjoy a diverse set of activities from water sports and beaches to national parks and hiking trails, and cultural excursions. Choose Mauritius if you are travelling with your family and want a more developed infrastructure and wider options for shopping, local food. If you are a budget-conscious traveler, Mauritius will definitely give more bang for your buck! Choose Mauritius if you prefer a lively vibe with more options for nightlife.
Choose the Maldives if you want a more serene, relaxed vacation to get away from it all. With fewer visitors, private resorts and more islands to disperse those visitors, there’s a great sense of seclusion on the Maldives. Choose Maldives if your focus is fabulous snorkelling or diving, and pristine beaches. Choose Maldives if you are a luxury traveller, as it is more expensive for flights, accommodation, and food than Mauritius.
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