Good news first: Mauritius is malaria-free, no vaccine is required on entry (unless arriving from yellow fever zones), and tap water is officially drinkable — although everyone, Mauritians included, switches to bottled water after a cyclone or heavy rain. The healthcare system is the region's best: public hospitals FREE for everyone, tourists included, and private clinics of international standard.
Public enemy number one is the tropical sun: the UV index reaches 11+ in summer and burns fair skin in fifteen minutes, even under clouds. The local protocol: SPF 50 renewed every two hours, a rash guard for snorkelling (the back roasting face-down in the lagoon is THE Mauritian holiday injury), a hat and hydration — two litres of water a day minimum. Special care between 10 am and 3 pm, and beware windy days: the breeze masks the burn.
Mosquitoes don't carry malaria here but can transmit dengue and chikungunya during localised outbreaks, mostly in the austral summer. They attack at dawn and dusk: tropical repellent (local pharmacy brands are effective and cheaper, Rs 150 – 300), light-coloured long clothes in the evening, and air-con or a mosquito net at night. Report any high fever with aching joints in the days after a bite — the dengue reflex is well drilled in local health centres.
Pharmacies are everywhere, generally open 8:30 am to 8 pm, and each region has its duty pharmacy on Sundays and at night (list posted on every pharmacy window and in the newspapers). Many common medicines are sold without prescription, and the Mauritian pharmacist happily acts as a first diagnosis. To see a doctor: private GP consultation Rs 800 – 1,500, private clinics Darné (Floréal), Wellkin (Moka) or C-Care with 24/7 emergency rooms. The ambulance service answers on 114.
In the lagoon, three precautions avoid 99% of trouble: water shoes against sea urchins and sharp coral, watching where you put your feet — stonefish are very rare but real in rocky areas — and no swimming in the passes. For a marine sting, apply very hot water to the area (the venom is heat-sensitive) and head to the nearest health centre. Local tip: supermarket aloe vera gel (Rs 150) is sunburn's best friend — Mauritian grandmothers use the fresh pulp from the garden.