So, you've moved to Mauritius. You pictured blue skies, sandy beaches, cocktails in hand, feet in the water鈥� That was the brochure version. In reality, you're finding yourself striking up awkward small talk with the cashier at Winner's supermarket because making friends with Mauritians isn't turning out to be as simple as you hoped. You probably arrived thinking everything would just fall into place. Sunshine, turquoise lagoons, mangoes galore, smiles everywhere鈥� And yet, a month later, still no drinks with the neighbors. Still no WhatsApp message from Anjali at the supermarket, even though she smiled at you twice.
Building friendships with Mauritians isn't automatic. It takes time, the right approach, and鈥攎ost importantly鈥攁 little humility. If you're tired of spending your days caught between expat colleagues and your friendly fried noodles vendor, this article is for you. Here are some honest tips, a dash of self-mockery, and plenty of tried-and-tested tricks that actually work.
Don't blend into the background, but don't take over either
First trap: thinking that by keeping a low profile and just nodding along to a Sega song, you'll win people over.
Second trap: the opposite鈥攂arging in with, 鈥淲ell, back home we do it this way.鈥�
The balance? Be yourself, just in a tropical version. No one expects you to become a Creole copycat. What people do appreciate is what you have to share, without it sounding like a lecture or, worse, some 鈥渂enevolent鈥� neo-colonial attitude.
Take the time to learn. Ask questions sincerely, without hidden agendas. Be curious about the stories behind traditions.
Mauritians take their time
You may have heard: 鈥淢auritians are kind, but they keep to themselves.鈥� Translation? They're watching. They don't open up after the first handshake. And that's a good thing.
Here, real friendship is built slowly. It's something you earn. And once you're in, you're family.
鈥淲hen I first arrived, I bonded with the real estate agent who helped me find a house while I was still abroad. I asked her how I could meet people, and she simply invited me to her sister's birthday a few days later. Since then, I've been part of the family," shares C茅cile, 42.
Forget rooftops and look for real moments
Want to meet Mauritians? Spoiler: they're not at the Sunday brunch in a five-star hotel. You'll find them:
- Playing barefoot football on a patch of grass.
- Singing sega around a beach bonfire on weekends.
- Bargain-hunting at the market at dawn.
Here, connections happen around a curry, a campfire, or a domino game. Forget the trendy spots. Go where life is happening鈥攚here people play, sing, and fish.
St茅phane, 46, relates: 鈥淚 started jogging on Sundays with a small group in Triolet. One run turned into tea, then lunch, then a baptism by fire with chili peppers. I gained friends and lost my taste buds.鈥�
Social etiquette is non-negotiable
Forgot to say bonzour? You're already off on the wrong foot. In Mauritius, you greet everyone. The stranger passing you on the street, the security guard you see ten times a day鈥攊t's part of the ritual. And there are other rules too:
- Don't interrupt.
- Don't debate politics like you're on a talk show.
- Definitely avoid jokes about communities or ethnicity鈥擬auritius is multicultural, and cheap humor won't fly.
鈥淎t first, my humor was a bit too 鈥榙irect.' One colleague quietly told me, 鈥楬ere, we don't really like that.' I got the message. Now we laugh plenty, but in a different way," shares Bastien, 34.
Give without expecting, and you'll receive more than you imagine
Waiting for an invitation just because you were nice? Wrong strategy. But get involved in a local project, and you'll see what happens.
Join an association, an NGO, or a community group. Show up. Help. Share. Not to be thanked, but simply to be part of something genuine.
Emile, 41, tells us about her experience: 鈥淪ince I had some free time and wanted to meet locals, I started volunteering at the charity center in Tamarin. I made some truly beautiful connections there.鈥�
Creole is the key, even if you speak it badly
You'll never sound like your neighbor from Grand Gaube? Doesn't matter. What counts is the effort. Just a couple of clumsy phrases, spoken with a smile, earn you instant goodwill. Creole is a language of the heart, not of perfection.
Try these:
- Mo pe aprann (I'm learning)
- To korek? (How are you?)
- Mo kontan Moris (I love Mauritius)
鈥淚t took me a while to start speaking, and I still make plenty of mistakes, but my Mauritian friends always appreciate the effort. My accent makes them laugh鈥攊t sets the mood at gatherings," says Julie, 36.
You won't understand everything. References, holidays, proverbs, the silences that mean something鈥� Some things will slip past you. And that's fine.
Music speaks louder than words
Music in Mauritius is like a shared breath. Often, that's where the first genuine laughter and bonds are born.
Louis, 35, tells us about it: 鈥淚'm a musician. I took my guitar to the beach in Flic en Flac. One guy came over. Then another. Then someone brought a caj贸n. Now we have regular jam sessions together.鈥�
The fire is in the pot
Food is sacred here, and it's the fastest way into the Mauritian heart. Cook. Ask for recipes. Taste everything. Even the strange stuff. Even the fiery chilies. Even Auntie Suzanne's sweet potato cakes.
Most importantly: share. A dish spread out on a cloth, laughter bouncing around, hands reaching in... Bonds form naturally, without needing too many words.
鈥淚 learned how to make satini coco with an elderly woman in a back alley. I still don't know why she took me under her wing, but now I'm invited to every family celebration," says Charlotte, 31.
Join the celebrations, skip the stereotypes
Mauritius is a kaleidoscope of festivals鈥攔eligious, cultural, and family-based. Each one is a chance to meet people, but only if you participate, not just observe.
Don't show up at Cavadee or Holi just to snap photos. The secret? Get involved. Carry a flower. Iron some clothes. Help decorate a table.
鈥淢y neighbor told me to come and 鈥榮ee the celebration.' I left wearing a glittery sari, and with two more invitations. That was the start of some wonderful friendships," shares Isabelle, 32
Share about yourself when asked
Expats often arrive wanting to tell their story鈥攚hy they came, what they're working on, and their vision of the world. But in Mauritius, people don't open up about themselves right away, and they don't expect you to either.
First, they want to see if you're genuine, steady, and respectful. It's not so much who you are that matters, but what you radiate. And remember: many expats come and go. Mauritians know this.
What makes the difference is consistency. Being there week after week, month after month. Saying hello again. Coming back.
And then one day, without warning, someone will tell you, 鈥淭o聽enn dimoune korek.鈥� (鈥淵ou're a good, trustworthy person.鈥�)
That's when you'll know you've found your place.
