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I’d been dreaming of turquoise lagoons and vanilla-scented breezes for years.
When I finally booked my trip to Mauritius, I promised myself one thing: I’d travel with only cash.
No back-up card hidden in my suitcase, no contactless tap. Just a neat stack of Mauritian rupees and the adventure of finding out what it really means to rely on them.
Landing with nothing but rupees
As soon as I landed in Port Louis, I felt the difference. While other passengers queued at ATMs, I walked straight out of the airport with a small wad of rupees I’d ordered online before travelling.
(If you’re curious, I ordered my Mauritian rupees from Manor FX – their door-to-door delivery meant I started my trip with local currency already in my wallet.)
The taxi driver raised his eyebrows when I paid exact change. “Most tourists want to swipe a card,” he said. “But in the markets? Cash is king.”
Meeting Mauritius in cash-only moments
That taxi ride set the tone for the whole trip. Every day, cash nudged me into richer, more local experiences:
- Street food feasts – From dholl puri (a soft, warm flatbread filled with spicy split peas) to sweet gateaux piment, I paid in coins and notes while chatting with the stall owners.
- Village bus journeys – Conductors on the rickety, brightly painted buses don’t take cards. The click of coins on the metal tray became part of the soundtrack to my trip.
- Hidden beach cafés – Tiny seaside spots often have no card machine and no Wi-Fi. Ordering a fresh coconut and handing over rupees felt wonderfully old-school.
Each small cash exchange felt like an introduction, proof that the simplest interactions create the biggest memories.
The unexpected perks of travelling cash-first
Going cash-only might sound limiting, but it came with surprising upsides:
- Better budgeting – Each morning, I set a daily cash allowance. No sneaky overspending.
- No bank card stress – I didn’t waste a minute on ATM fees or waiting for text authorisations.
- Stronger local connections – Paying in cash made me pause, talk, and practise my French and Creole phrases.
Instead of hunting for card-friendly cafés, I followed the smells of fresh bread and sizzling fish. It was a tiny shift that changed the entire rhythm of my holiday.
Tips if you want to try it
If you’re tempted to travel cash-only in Mauritius, here’s what worked for me:
1. Order rupees in advance – Airport exchange desks can run out of smaller notes. Ordering ahead meant I arrived with a good mix of denominations.
2. Carry a coin purse – Buses and street stalls appreciate exact change.
3. Split your stash – Keep a small day wallet and leave the rest locked in your accommodation.
It’s not about carrying a fortune – it’s about having enough to cover your daily adventures with zero stress.
Why it still matters in a digital world
Mauritius is modern, with resorts that accept cards and contactless payments.
But step off the main tourist routes, wander through Flacq Market or catch a boat to a quiet snorkelling spot, and you’ll quickly see that cash remains the language of trust.
For me, the beauty of this approach was psychological as much as practical.
Travelling with cash slowed me down. I noticed the weight of coins in my pocket, the feel of each colourful note.
Money stopped being an invisible tap on a screen and became something tactile and memorable.
Coming home with stories, not receipts
On my last day, I treated myself to a sunset cruise along the west coast. As the sky turned deep coral, I handed over the final notes of my trip.
No receipts, no pinging phone notifications, just a simple exchange and a memory to last.
When I emptied my wallet back home, I found a single ten-rupee note.
I kept it as a souvenir, a tiny reminder that sometimes the best journeys happen when we keep things simple.