Port Louis - Post Report Question and Answers

Better for families than couples, and better for couples than singles. Take this with a grain of salt, since I'm a thirtysomething married guy who arrived with a kid and one on the way, BUT... families have schools, sports/social clubs, hiking, beaches, shopping malls, restaurants, etc. Plenty for families, plus it's safe and the housing is good for diplomats with kids. Couples without children have pretty much all the same options; a lot of Mauritians with means go abroad to study and come back with spouses or partners, so there would seem to be plenty of people to meet as well. For singles, I imagine this post can be more difficult but not impossible to enjoy. Public transport after dark is non-existent, so nightlife depends on planning ahead and booking a taxi. Mauritians are friendly and co-exist peacefully (most of the time), but due to their history they have segregated along ethnic and religious lines and the "communities" can be hard to break into or move between. While there is no outright discrimination that I've seen, there isn't much dating across communities (yet), although we do know an American who married a Mauritian Tamil and I know that one of our previous officers was dating a Kreol (Mauritian of African descent). Kreols, whites, and Sino-Mauritians seem to be a lot more open to dating and socializing outside their "community" than their Indo-Mauritian peers (both Hindus and Muslims). I would think the best bet for singles here is to live in the north of the island and get out with other singles from the expat community; like I said, there are plenty of bars, restaurants, and clubs. - Jun 2014

Great for families. Tougher for singles because the culture is so focused on family-related events and activities. Lots of outdoor activities, water sports, horse riding, seasonal horse racing (which is a big social event here), hiking, and climbing is great. - Feb 2009