Mauritius
Mauritius in January
🌦️ Shoulder (showers)Hot, humid and often rainy. Watch for tropical cyclone risk.
🎒 Pack: light, breathable clothes & sunscreen · compact umbrella or rain jacket · quick-dry fabrics
Why January scores 7.9What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort6.9
- ✓Hot (32°C highs / 24°C lows)
- !Very humid/sticky (dew point 23.4°C)
- !Wet: ~131 mm rain, ~4 heavy-rain days
- Air quality9.9
- ✓Good (within WHO guideline) (PM2.5 ~6 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards8.5
- !Tropical cyclone: Peak of the South Indian Ocean cyclone season
- Safety baseline7.5
- ·Increased caution
| Jan | Jul | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 7.9 Very good | 9.4 Excellent |
| Season | 🌦️ Shoulder (showers) | ☀️ Dry season |
| High / low | 32° / 24° | 27° / 19° |
| Rain | 131 mm | 18 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 23° | dew pt 18° |
| PM2.5 | 6 µg/m³ | 6 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Port Louis weather-station normals. Rainfall: Port Louis weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsJanuary 2027
Long weekendThere's at least one long weekend. Domestic travel picks up and popular spots get busier over those days.
- New Year 1–3 Jan · 3 days off in a row
- Thaipusam 22–24 Jan · 3 days off in a row
- Abolition of Slavery 30 Jan – 1 Feb · 3 days off in a row
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Explore MauritiusEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyAn Indian Ocean island nation known for lagoon beaches ringed by coral reef, volcanic mountains, and a mix of Indian, African, French and Chinese cultures.
Thaipoosam CavadeeDate variesTamil calendar — usually late January or February
A Tamil Hindu festival where devotees carry decorated cavadees in procession, some with body piercings.
Why go: Visitors can watch processions respectfully; it is a public holiday.
Where: Tamil temples across the island
Coming up later
Maha ShivaratriDate variesHindu lunar calendar — usually February or March
Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims walk to the sacred crater lake to honour Shiva.
Why go: Roads to Grand Bassin are very busy in the days before.
Where: Grand Bassin (Ganga Talao)
Independence and Republic DayEvery year12 March every year
National day with flag-raising ceremonies and celebrations.
Why go: Public holiday; some offices and shops close.
Where: Port Louis and nationwide
DiwaliDate variesHindu lunar calendar — usually October or November
The festival of lights, with oil lamps on homes and sweets shared between neighbours.
Why go: Villages are lit up in the evening; it is a public holiday.
Where: Nationwide
Le Morne Brabant
A UNESCO-listed basalt mountain on the southwest tip, a symbol of resistance to slavery, with a steep hike to the top.
💡 Start early to avoid midday heat.
Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth
Sand dunes in multiple colours, close to Chamarel Waterfall.
Black River Gorges National Park
The island's main protected forest, with hiking trails, viewpoints and endemic birds.
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden
Historic botanical garden at Pamplemousses, known for giant water lilies and palms.
Port Louis
The capital, with its Central Market, Caudan Waterfront and the UNESCO-listed Aapravasi Ghat immigration depot.
Île aux Cerfs
An island off the east coast with white-sand beaches and a shallow lagoon, reached by boat.
Dholl puri
Thin flatbread stuffed with ground split peas, served with curry and chutney.
💡 Street vendors, especially in Port Louis
Rougaille
A Creole tomato-based sauce cooked with sausage, fish or meat.
Gâteaux piments
Small fried split-pea fritters with chilli, a common snack.
Mine frite
Fried noodles from the island's Sino-Mauritian tradition.
Alouda
A sweet milk drink with basil seeds and agar jelly.
💡 Port Louis Central Market
Model ships
Handcrafted wooden replicas of historic sailing ships, a local speciality.
💡 Workshops around Curepipe
Mauritian rum
Rum distilled from local sugar cane, including flavoured rhum arrangé.
Vanilla tea
Black tea flavoured with vanilla, grown in the island's south.
💡 Supermarkets and tea estate shops