Mauritius - Health And Safety

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Like many reputable holiday companies we are ABTA registered, our ABTA membership number is 65310.

We also use ATOL protected tour operators. However if you wish to use a tour operator who is not ATOL protected then we will take our supplier failure insurance on your behalf.

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Although there are mosquitoes on Réunion, they are not malarial so you don’t need prophylaxis. However, watch out for malarial symptoms developing if you’ve just arrived from a malarial area such as Madagascar.

No inoculations are compulsory but medical practitioners may recommend those for hepatitis A, typhoid, tetanus, diphtheria and polio.

Medical care is excellent, conforming to French standards throughout the island. For hospital treatment you need to be referred by a doctor – ask at your hotel or look in the Yellow Pages (Pages Jaunes). You can usually turn up at a doctor’s surgery and be seen fairly promptly without an appointment. Medical care is expensive and European visitors should carry a European Health Insurance Card in order to take advantage of reciprocal agreements and to claim refunds of fees. The form can be obtained from post offices in your home country or online (ehic.ie).

Water is officially safe to drink throughout the island but can cause minor upsets. It’s best to stick to mineral water, which costs around €1.20 per two-litre bottle, and avoid ice in drinks. You should be particularly careful to avoid tap water after heavy rains or cyclones, as the supply can be contaminated. As with any tropical country, try to peel or wash fruit before eating it.

As in Mauritius, there is an uncomplicated attitude to sex, and AIDS has arrived on the island.

Violent crime is rare. However, there are some nasty tales of hikers disappearing in the cirques, particularly Mafate. If you plan to hike it is best to go in a group and make sure that you tell someone what route you are taking and how long you expect to be away. Be wary in bars and nightclubs as a large number of both locals and visitors tend to drink excessively, which can lead to tension. As in Mauritius, stray dogs can be a problem, particularly as they tend to hang around in packs. As well as being a potential danger to pedestrians, they can cause traffic accidents, so be wary whether on foot or in a vehicle. There are usually one or two shark attacks off the coast of Réunion each year and the number is on the rise, so avoid swimming alone or at the mouths of rivers. Lagoons are the safest places.

WOMEN TRAVELLERS

Women attract a lot of unwanted attention in Réunion. A pair of sunglasses can be very helpful as it enables you to avoid eye contact. Women should not walk alone at night. Knowledge of French or Creole helps in such situations and a few firm but polite words are usually sufficient. There have been incidences of women being attacked on quiet stretches of beach (even during the day), so try to remain within sight of other people.

DISABLED TRAVELLERS

Réunion is better equipped than neighbouring Mauritius for disabled travellers. By law, all hotels of a certain size and classified three star or above must have some rooms equipped for the disabled. However, some hotels with fewer than three stars also have rooms for the disabled.

GAY/LESBIAN TRAVELLERS

In recent years the island’s tourism board has instigated a big push for Réunion to become more gay friendly. Many tourism companies, in particular hotels, have signed Réunion’s Gay Friendly Charter and carry a gay-friendly certification, which can assist gay and lesbian travellers in choosing their accommodation. There are plenty of gay-friendly bars and nightclubs, particularly in St-Denis, St-Pierre and St-Gilles-les-Bains. In the broader community, however, homophobia exists and travellers should avoid public displays of affection.

TRAVELLING WITH KIDS

Unlike Mauritius, only a handful of hotels have kids’ clubs but most of the hotels are child friendly and some offer a baby-sitting service. Accommodation designed for hikers is less likely to be kitted out for children. Being part of France, the infrastructure is good, and there are large supermarkets stocking baby paraphernalia. The main car-hire companies can supply car seats at additional cost.

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Mauritius - Health And Safety

Reunion

Mauritius - Health And Safety