Welcome to Affordable taxi Mauritius. Look, I’m gonna be straight with you. I got scammed hard on my first two trips to Mauritius. Like, embarrassingly hard.

So there I was at the airport, dead tired from a 12-hour flight, and this taxi guy comes up to me. Seemed nice enough. Halfway to my hotel he goes “Oh sorry, meter broken. You pay Rs 4,500 now.” That’s $100. For a 30-minute ride.

I paid it. Yeah, I know. Stupid.

But after three trips and getting burned twice, I figured out how to not get ripped off. Thought I’d share what I learned.

What I Actually Paid (Real Numbers)

First Trip – Total Tourist:

• Airport to Grand Baie: Rs 4,200 ($93)
• Day around the island: Rs 6,500 ($144)
• Short city rides: Rs 2,800 each ($62)

Second Trip – Still Dumb:

• Airport run: Rs 3,100 ($69)
• Island tour: Rs 5,800 ($129)

Third Trip – Finally Smart:

• Airport to hotel: Rs 1,950 ($43)
• Full day south tour: Rs 4,200 ($93)
• Emergency late night ride: Rs 850 ($19)

Difference between trip one and three? I actually looked stuff up instead of just winging it.

What Taxi Rides Actually Cost

After talking to a bunch of companies (and other tourists who got burned), here’s the real deal:

Airport Runs:

• To Grand Baie: Rs 1,800-2,200 ($40-49)
• To Port Louis: Rs 1,200-1,600 ($27-36)
• To Belle Mare: Rs 2,000-2,400 ($44-53)
• To Le Morne: Rs 2,600-3,200 ($58-71)

Day Tours:

• South island (waterfalls, rum, etc): Rs 3,800-5,500 ($84-122)
• North coast (beaches, temples): Rs 3,200-4,800 ($71-107)
• East side (Ile aux Cerfs): Rs 3,500-5,200 ($78-116)

Night rates are usually 20-30% more expensive.

My Three Screwups

Screwup 1: Trusted the first taxi guy I saw at the airport. No license showing, sketchy car, “broken meter” story. Paid through the nose.

Screwup 2: Some random person in a Facebook group recommended this “cheap” taxi service. Driver showed up hours late in a car that looked like it might not make it up a hill. Spent the whole day trying to sell me tours to his buddy’s overpriced souvenir shop.

What Finally Worked: Spent time reading actual reviews on TripAdvisor and Google. Found companies with good ratings that had been around a while. Got quotes in writing. Made all the difference.

What Other People Told Me

Met some other tourists who shared their experiences:

This couple from Texas used GoMauritius Taxi. Paid Rs 2,150 ($48) from airport to Grand Baie. Driver was on time, car was clean, price was exactly what they quoted. No surprises.

A woman from California did a honeymoon package with Island Taxi Services. Her driver Marcus knew all the good photo spots, recommended a great local restaurant, even stopped when she wanted to buy fruit from roadside vendors. Full day tour cost Rs 4,800 ($107).

Some guy from Florida had a decent experience with Affordable taxi Mauritius. Only complaint was the driver played the same Bollywood playlist for four hours straight. But the price was fair – Rs 3,400 ($76) for a half-day tour.

How I Book Taxis Now

After getting burned twice, here’s what works:

Start looking 2 weeks before my trip. Check reviews on TripAdvisor and Google – not just the star rating, but what people actually wrote. Look for recent reviews, not stuff from 2019.

Message 4-5 companies on WhatsApp with my exact itinerary. Get detailed quotes. Always ask for the driver’s direct number.

Get everything in writing. Screenshot the conversation. Book 2-3 days ahead.

This saved me when my flight got delayed 4 hours. Had my driver’s WhatsApp, he tracked the flight and adjusted pickup time automatically.

Ways to Save Money

Book on weekdays instead of weekends. Same route from Grand Baie to Chamarel cost me Rs 2,800 ($62) on Wednesday vs Rs 3,400 ($76) on Saturday.

Book a few days ahead instead of last minute. Advanced booking for airport transfer: Rs 2,100 ($47). Last minute: Rs 3,200 ($71).

Get package deals if you need multiple rides. My 4-day package cost Rs 11,500 ($256) instead of Rs 15,200 ($338) if I booked each ride separately.

Avoid rush hours. Early morning or late afternoon pickups are cheaper and faster.

Routes I’ve Actually Done

Airport to Grand Baie – 45-60 minutes, cost me Rs 1,950 ($43)
Easy highway drive. Most common route so every driver knows it. Ask to stop at the big Super U supermarket if you need groceries.

Airport to Belle Mare – About an hour, Rs 2,350 ($52)
Nice coastal drive but traffic can be crazy during busy times.

Airport to Le Morne – 60-80 minutes, worth every rupee for those mountain views
Longest drive but beautiful scenery. If you’re staying at Le Morne peninsula, it’s worth it.

Day Tours I’ve Done:

South Island tour – Rs 4,200 ($93) for 9 hours. Hit Chamarel colored earths, waterfalls, rum distillery. Driver Raj took us to his family’s restaurant for lunch. Best curry I had in Mauritius for Rs 350 ($8) per person.

North coast day – Rs 3,600 ($80) for 7 hours. More relaxed pace, good if you have kids. Driver knew exactly when to avoid crowds at each spot.

East coast with Ile aux Cerfs – Rs 3,900 ($87) for 8 hours. Boat to the island costs extra Rs 1,800 ($40) but driver helped me negotiate a better price.

Red Flags I Learned to Spot

No taxi license visible in the car. Big red flag.

Drivers who won’t agree to fixed prices upfront. They’ll hit you with surprise fees.

Cars with no AC or broken AC. You’ll melt in that heat.

No company name or contact info visible. Probably not legit.

Prices that seem way too good to be true. There’s always hidden costs.

Drivers who speak zero English. Makes everything way harder than it needs to be.

What Good Service Looks Like

Best ride I ever had was with this driver Kevin. Booked through Island Safe Taxi. Here’s why it was great:

Showed up early. Car was spotless inside and out. Had cold water bottles waiting. When I mentioned I liked the local music, he played more of it and told me about the artists.

Knew shortcuts I’d never seen on GPS. Shared stories about Mauritius history without being pushy about it. Stopped for photos when he saw good spots without me even asking.

Price was exactly what was quoted. No surprises, no “broken meter” stories.

Kevin’s my go-to guy now whenever I’m back in Mauritius.

When Prices Go Up and Down

December and January are peak season. Everything costs 25-35% more. That airport transfer that normally costs Rs 2,100 ($47)? Jumps to Rs 2,850 ($63).

July and August are also busy (winter season for locals). About 15-20% higher prices but the weather is perfect.

Best deals are April-May and September-November. Normal prices, great weather, easy to book.

June and October are cheapest but weather can be hit or miss. Got caught in a downpour near Black River in June, but saved Rs 800 ($18) on that day’s transport.

How to Pay

Cash in Mauritian Rupees works everywhere. Sometimes drivers give small discounts for cash.

Credit cards work about 60% of the time. Some add 3-4% processing fees.

Don’t count on mobile payments like Apple Pay. Hit or miss.

US dollars are accepted in tourist areas but the exchange rate sucks.

Always carry at least Rs 5,000 ($111) in cash as backup. Saved my butt twice when card readers weren’t working.

Stuff I Picked Up About Local Culture

Mauritians are friendly people. Most taxi drivers genuinely love talking about their island if you show some interest.

Simple “Bonjour” or “Namaste” goes a long way depending on your driver’s background.

Ask about local food recommendations. Led to some of my best meals.

Don’t stress if things run a bit behind schedule. Island time is real here.

Tip 10-15% if you had a great experience.

How I Handle Different Types of Trips Now

Airport transfers: Book 2-3 days ahead, always get driver’s direct contact.

Day tours: Book a week early, ask about lunch spots and photo opportunities.

Quick city runs: WhatsApp usually gets the fastest response.

Late night rides: Always book with established companies for safety.

What I’d Tell Someone Going for the First Time

Don’t make my mistakes of trying to wing everything or always going for the absolute cheapest price.

Spend 30 minutes reading recent reviews online. Book with companies that have been around a while and have good ratings.

Get quotes in writing. Get your driver’s contact info.

Mauritius is an amazing place once you get the transport thing figured out. Just don’t let the taxi situation ruin your trip like it almost did for me the first two times.

My next trip is already booked for October. Kevin’s handling my airport pickup because when you find someone reliable, you stick with them.