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I'm surprised that no one made a comment on this topic. I didn't comment earlier because there is a chance I will get banned by the moderator after sharing my experience. But I guess what the hell, if speaking the facts out will be banned, then why create such a topic, right?!

Anything related to construction is likely scam. 1st contractor made me pay 3x more of the material price. 2nd contractor was not even a real contractor; he didn't even know how to read the construction plan. 3rd contractor still hasn't finished the job. And I was told that I'm not the only one who got scammed on this island, even many locals got scammed as well.

Taxi, especially in PL is absolutely crazy! Traveling from PL to Tribeca asked for Rs2,000. Then they lowered to 1,500 then 1,000, then 800. I didn't go in the end. It's so discouraging to travel on my own when I cannot drive.

Fresh seafood, I came from Hong Kong. I used to buy fresh fish from the market. But when the locals ask 4x 5x than what I can get from HK. No thank you. That is a scam! I would rather eat frozen ones.

Fresh fruit, I was told not to buy from wandering hawkers. As they are likely to steal fruits from people's yards and then sell them to you. I never bought from them. Just something I can tell that is stolen fruits when they are carrying fishing rod and fruits the same time.

@Pandora At Dodoland

It's good to have your say and I don't see anything offensive about what you have said.

The changing prices is what annoys me. Non-locals may be charged 2 to 4 times more. Even my Mauritian family have warned me & stood up for me about this. Apparently the locals ASSUME we have money & therefore rip us off. I tend to buy things from shops with marked prices or order things online now - unless I am with a local. If I ask how much something is I am given a different price to what they give to my uncle. Eg, I was paying 300r per kg for meat & my uncle was paying 180 kg for meat. I was asked for 800r for a basket & they sold it to my uncle for 300r.

I am lucky that I look local. I shop in the local markets for fresh veggies etc, and try not to ask questions but observe what others are paying.

In addition, I try to speak creole at times, to ask prices and know the numbers anyway. If I have to speak English, I use an Indian accent -- don't know if it helps.

Unfortunately, I can see that people who do not look local or behave like locals are often quoted higher prices and that is a real shame. My only advice would be to learn french or creole and use the same cadence and idioms. That might shame some vendors into behaving better.

Supermarkets are easier obviously where prices are clearly marked.

Perhaps the EDB could sign-post to proper classes.

Best wishes.

@Tookays

LOL, I am actually Mauritian born of Mauritian parents & I speak creole. I spent most of my life in Australia & apparently speak creole with an Aussie accent. I just taken a relative if I go to the markets & keep my mouth shut. I have learned to be more careful with tradies as well. I make a point of naming my relatives that have surnames that most locals know. Sometimes just asking why the price is different for me & others helps. But sometimes they get really rude in which case I can swear like a trooper in creole.

@AussieInMauritius

Creole with an Aussie accent? Wow.

Have to hear you talking sometime!!

Best wishes.

The Port Louis market fruit vendors charge ridiculous prices when they see you are a foreigner. Like 100 rupees for 1 banana. We only buy fruit in the supermarket where the price is clearly marked.

"Overcharging Tourists – A Harmful Trend in Mauritius"

I’m Mauritian, married to a South African, and sadly, I’ve witnessed this exploitation firsthand. Recently at Flic-en-Flac, my wife wanted to try local beach food. When I joined her, she was arguing with a vendor who was charging an outrageous Rs 1,100 for 2 veg rotis and 2 boiled chicken noodles (no egg). This isn’t an isolated case—it’s a nationwide scam targeting foreigners, and it’s damaging our tourism industry.

The Port Louis market is just as bad (Rs 100 for a banana?!), forcing many expats/tourists to rely on supermarkets. What’s worse? The government does nothing. They recycle 100-year-old policies instead of enforcing fair pricing laws or cracking down on predatory vendors.

Until authorities step in, I’ll keep calling out these scams—politeness won’t stop them. Tourists aren’t stupid, but greed is hurting Mauritius’ reputation.

Every vendor MUST have a price list displayed. No price list - no sale. The authorities have to do surprise checks to ensure this and take action when needed. I know many vendors do so but not all, and those are the ones trying to take advantage of tourists. Obviously it is different in the local markets.

Every restaurant in the UK has to display a menu and prices outside for people to read before they enter the premises.

Best wishes.

@Tookays

Same in SA No Display They Closed you down immediately

I think the locals rely on their old barter system. They even use it in reverse to try & get a cheaper price where there are set prices. Eg, I have my fees clearly marked & advertised. I had a client who wanted to pay me for 1 hour instead of the 2 hours I spent with him, When I said my consultation fees were not negotiable & their value did not change, he refused to pay. He got angry & started to shout & swear at me. I snatched the consultation notes I prepared for him out of his hand & asked him to leave. He kept shouting so I told him I was going to release my security dog, gave my dog the command to bark & took hold of the door to where my dog was. He left out the front door swearing. So, he scammed me out of 2 hours work.   

Here's another scam done by the govt themselves.

Keep changing the criteria for PR and renewal of permits. In the past the requirement was a 150k salary per month for 3 years. Let's say someone is done with 2 years and has only a year left. Now suddenly they change it to 400k per month and a time to qualify for 5 years instead.

And then the classic bait and switch where they advertise already overpriced property and lure you with things like zero capital gains tax and now they introduce a new rule that will tax property retroactively when sold.

Other than that most local contractors are not reliable, obviously the taxi mafia is strong and scammy as how Pandora At Dodoland said. You can not take anyone's word for anything.

Mechanics will try and scam you, they'll say a week to fix something and they take multiple months and not respond.

Vendors don't know how to price things, the quote random outrageous prices and expect you to negotiate down.