Maldives or Mauritius: All You Must Know Before You Go

Maldives Vs Mauritius: Best Time to Visit

With warm tropical climate both Maldives and Mauritius are a beautiful destinations to visit all year round, but is it depends on what you want to get out of your holiday.

Being closer to the equator, the Maldives weather is more warm, with average highs at a consistent 27°C to 31°C year-round and average lows rarely falling below 24°C. The best time to visit the Maldives is between November and May, the dry season is from December to April with clear skies and calm waters perfect for water sports, diving and snorkelling. The wet season is from May to November, characterised by brief but heavy rain falls, choppy seas and occasional thunderstorms.

With a the average daily temperature between 21°C and 26°C all year-round there is no wrong time to visit Mauritius and that even in the rainy season the bursts of precipitation are often quickly followed by bright sunshine. October to April is Mauritian peak season - it is then that you will find the hottest days and warmest waters while January and February are the wettest and most humid months, with the occasional storm passing through.

Maldives vs Mauritius: Types of Vacations to Consider for Your Next Trip

Whether you’re all about relax and unwind, seeking epic adventures, or just need some family time, Mauritius and Maldives are fabulous getaways for all kind of travelers! Short or long travel, each destination welcomes you in a unique location with distinct style and character.

Both the places have crystal clear blue waters, powder-white sands, and thrilling adventure activities but Mauritius, as one big island with incredible landscapes, has more sightseeing options, land adventures and more vibrant nightlife. The Maldives, however, with blue lagoons and coral reefs can boast more exciting diving and snorkeling opportunities. Love birds or newly marrieds who want to spend quality time without fail, the Maldives is perfect for honeymooners.

Each of them is your personal invitation to explore for yourself an all-encompassing world of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, where every detail matters and every moment becomes a lasting memory.

Accessibility: Which airlines fly directly to Maldives and Mauritius

The Maldives is connected by non-stop flights to 23 countries. All of the Maldives top 10 travel markets, besides the US, fly directly from Asia, Europe and the Middle Eastern region to the Male Airport.

Further away from the main tourist markets, the most popular direct routes to Mauritius is from London, Paris, Zürich, Frankfurt, Dubai, Mumbai, Seychelles, Nairobi, Pert, Cape Town, Johannesburg and Kuala Lumpur.

Both the islands have well-developed transport facilities that tourists can use to commute from one destination to another. Mauritius has a rail network that connects its major cities. One can also use the bus or hire a local cab while sightseeing in Mauritius.

As the Maldives' islands and atolls are scattered over a vast area, the boats, ferries and domestic flights are popular transport service used to access the different locations.

Maldives Vs Mauritius: Scenery

If you’re in need vacations — you know, the ones that help you reconnect with natural beauty and your loved ones far from home — Maldives holidays will get the job done. With pristine beaches surrounded by a dazzling shade of turquoise crystal-clear waters, the incredible underwater world, and most luxurious, world-class accommodation gives the Maldives its wow factor. Consisting of atolls, coral reefs and idyllic islands the highest land point in the Maldives is 2.4 meters, making it the lowest country in the world. There's no better way to enjoy scenic, like a postcard image, beauty of the Maldives than from the board of a seaplane. But the real wonders of the Maldives are beneath the ocean: coral reefs teeming with colorful marine life. Whether you are a snorkeller or a diver, Maldives underwater worlda has a lot to offer.

The Mauritius natural landscape, while similar to Maldives with white sand beaches and clear blue waters has a higher topography with ranges of mountains with peaks, isolated mountains, hills, river valleys, waterfalls, plateaus and plains. And because no island in the Maldives can compare to the size of Mauritius, one can experience more natural and manmade attractions in its interior waiting to be explored. Outdoor activities are days out can mean bird-spotting in endemic wildlife-rich forests or winding past sugar cane fields to cascading waterfalls and temples on a car excursion. The island is rugged and dramatic; one of its gems is the iconic Le Morne Brabant, a UNESCO-listed mountain that serves as the poster child for Mauritius. 

Beaches

With pristine white sands, crystal clear turquoise waters and gracefully swaying palm trees, the Maldives is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. While all the beaches are the real superstar here, the quality of the sand differs from island to island and there are a few resorts that utilise sea walls to preserve the state of their idyllic beaches.

While Mauritius has some beautiful beaches, they don’t quite compare to the natural beauty of Maldives beaches. A sparkling white and supremely clear these beaches aren’t the dream-worthy beaches with powder-soft sand instead they feature rougher sands and lack of the lush vegetation as that in the Maldives.

Hotels: The epitome of privacy and luxury

Both the Maldives and Mauritius is home to some of the best world-class hotels. But when it comes to special accommodation with a greater focus on luxury and total privacy, the five-star Maldives resorts are the perfect choice.

As the world’s ultimate luxury holiday destination, each luxury resort in Maldives sits on its own private, reef-ringed island to ensures serenity, exclusivity and complete privacy, and whether you opt for a beach or an overwater villa, the rooms are a perfect hideaway for the Maldives experience. Expect unmatched butler service, fine dining options, impressive wine cellars and luxury spas, during your stay. Many have amazing features like private pools, Jacuzzis and bathtubs with a view – the Ocean Pool Suites with Slide at OZEN Reserve Bolifushi are top of our wish list. Local islands of the Maldives are home to affordable hotels and guest houses which cater to travelers on a budget.

Mauritius may not have the private island exclusivity of the Maldives, but the bar is still set high with a mix of luxury resorts, boutique hotels, and charming guesthouses, catering to various preferences and budgets for all shapes and sizes. On the smaller scale, you have the likes of Attitude hotels, a charming collection of Constance resorts is a great pick to vacay in style, then you have island icons like Beachcomber, retro-chic tropical LUX* resort in Grand Gaube, and Maradiva Villas Resort and Spa for unparalleled luxury and fantastic family facilities.

Cuisine

In the Maldives the local culinary scene stands on three whales - delicious fresh seafood, rice and coconut - which together or separately form the basis components of the Maldivian food. However, a luxury resorts in the Maldives elevate dining experience with underwater restaurants, international buffets and gourmet a la carte options – Kuramathi Maldives is excellent for foodies with twelve restaurants to choose from. If you have your heart set on Michelin-starred meal a celebrity chefs visit the Maldives every year on regular basis to create an uniqiue dining experiences.

In Mauritius, the local food is a delicately spiced dishes, French classics, exotic fruits, rich curries, and mouth-watering street food influenced by the islands’ heritage which has Creole, European, Indian and Chinese influences. A luxury hotels have fantastic dining options to suit everyone’s preferred tastes, like Constance Belle Mare Plage and Constance Prince Maurice. Expect everything on a menu with a light Mauritian twist: from beautifully handcrafted Creole street food delights to colourful Japanese and classic Chinese dishes, and Italian home cooking paired with fine wines.

Culture & attractions

Diverse and colorful, the culture of the Maldives should charm you with a pleasant colored fog of different national traditions have formed thanks to the proximity of the islands to Sri Lanka and South India. The capital of the Maldives, Malé and visiting local islands offer the best chance to see the real Maldives away from a reasort buffet and an infinity pool. This gives a chance to truly feel in the Maldives, to assess how well the human machinery works, and also to meet with the islands nation on an equal footing. The Maldives is a Muslim country and so if you travel solo good to know that care must be taken to respect the dress code on local islands, and alcohol is banned except on private island resorts..

Mauritius is a fusion of French, Indian, Creole and Chinese influences blend to create the unique Mauritian heritage. Here, you're spoiled for choice with highlights to discover and soak up the local culture. Delve into its fascinating history at places like Aapravasi Ghat, spend some time in the island’s vibrant capital Port-Louis, pay a visit to the open-air central market to taste local fruits and spices and hike wild trails in the Black River Gorges. The spirit of discovery will accompany you throughout your stay – from local flavors to activities and sightseeing experiences. There is no shortage of things to do in Mauritius, so make the most of your time in this tropical paradise.

Sports

With some of the clearest waters, vast coral gardens and diverse sea life, Maldives provides the best conditions for water sports, snorkelling and diving adventures. For an adrenaline high, you can try out sports like a surfing, skydiving, wakeboarding and even carting! The Maldives will please even the most avid tennis and padel player: Raise your game in the Maldives best luxury hotels with tennis courts.

Mauritius has multitude options for sports and activities for all ages. From going on underwater sea walks to parasailing to jet skiing and windsurfing, the island provides plenty of opportunities for thrills and spills (in the water, of course).

With a breathtaking vistas and stunning landscapes be ready to explore Mauritius with your golf club in hand! Amateur and seasoned golfers will be spoilt with greens and fairways on specially crafted world-class golf courses.

Underwater thrills

Underwater explorers will have a fun in Mauritius as it’s completely circled in by coral reefs. However, the scuba diving and snorkelling aren’t comparable to the Maldives.

Scuba diving in the Maldives means diving at one of the worlds best scuba diving destinations, and even house reef snorkeling can catch superb vistas only a short swim from the beach. The dive sites are abundant with magnificent fish life. It's common to see whale sharks, turtles, manta rays, and a kaleidoscopic range of tropical sea creatures.

Over in Mauritius, there are various operators that organize snorkeling tours. The package includes sightseeing, packed meals, dolphin spotting, trips in glass bottom boats, scuba diving and snorkeling.

Action-packed adventure

Both the Maldives and Mauritius offer incredible ways for an outdoor activities to get the most out of your stay with most memorable travel experiences.

Maldives it's not only private romantic dinners, luxurious beach suites with pools and days infused with a delicious sense of timelessness, where whims rather than itineraries are the things to follow. There’s another side to Maldives you may not know yet — an adventurous side — and it’s just as easily tapped into as the destination’s mellow alter ego. This reefs formed paradise teems with opportunities to get out of the ordinary, from dolphin watching, to water sports, to dives into otherworldly marine ecosystems. And there are adventures of the sensuous kind as well, like salt chamber experience, aromatheraphy baths and culinary escapades.

Although Mauritius is one large island, getting around and exploring is easy. You can take a taxi, rent a car or bicycle. From trekking to Le Morne Brabant mountain, to Tamarind Falls, to hunting to birdwatching to exploring UNESCO sites, Mauritius offers a lots of attractions and things to see and do. It’s the place to go if you are on the lookout for an action-packed, fun holiday.

Multi-centres

For even more magic packed into a holiday combine your Maldives escape with a cultural tour of India, a some days full of unique experiences and adventure in Sri Lanka or discover the architectural masterpiece of Dubai or Abu Dhabi.

In the Mauritius, the possibilities are equally exciting when it comes to accentuating the fun holiday with multi-centre vacation. Pair a Mauritian beach escape with an exhilarating Kenya safari, spend a few days enjoying the museums and wineries of Cape Town, soak up Arabian glamour in Dubai or find thrills on Seychelles to sample the best of the Indian Ocean.

The best value

Both destinations are expensive. To make a choice you need to know three main things in the budget – flights, accommodation, and food.

In short, Mauritius has cheaper accommodations but expensive flights. If you are planning a long stay, then Mauritius will be less expensive. For an authentic yet affordable stay, take Attitude Hotels for their generous inclusions and ‘live like a local' vibe. If you want to save some cash on food, Mauritius makes a better holiday destination.

You can get to the Maldives more cheaply but extremely expensive transfers and accommodations, from family-friendly havens to luxurious pool villas at private island resorts, although the local islands offer affordable luxury at low prices. Food and experiences at luxury resorts is very expensive so if you are foodie we recommend All Inclusive.

Maldives vs Mauritius: Our recommendations

If you dream about the ultimate blend of luxury and nature surrounded by crystal clear turquoise waters choose the Maldives. The world-class hotels in the Maldives offer hedonic escapism as a luxury experience just best of the best. The island nation is the dream destination for those seeking privacy, tranquillity, relaxation and bit of adventure.

Choose Mauritius if - You want an affordable luxury beach vacation along with the outdoor activities, night outs and visit different places and do a little exploring. Mauritius is perfect for honeymooners, family-friendly, and events.

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