A curfew across most of the island: the Mauritius advice travellers need
What happened
On 13 October 2026, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office updated its travel advice for Mauritius. The update note is brief: "Further information about local demonstrations and community unrest." Behind it is a serious few days. Protests began after a police shooting on 9 October 2026, in which a 27-year-old woman was shot while travelling home from work. She underwent surgery to remove the bullet. A police sergeant has since been provisionally charged in connection with the incident, according to local media. On the Monday night, demonstrators burned tyres and blocked roads. There was looting, reported at two supermarkets, and police stations were attacked, with several officers injured. The Mauritian government responded with a curfew. Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam announced it, running from the evening of 13 October until 6am on 14 October. Reports of its exact scope differ: Reuters described it as covering the capital, Port Louis, and other major population centres, while another account put it at around a third of the island across ten administrative regions. The FCDO described it as covering most of the main island. Most schools were closed on 14 October. The FCDO's advice to British travellers is direct. Keep away from protests and large crowds. Stay indoors during the curfew. Follow the instructions of local authorities. It warns that demonstrations may continue and can cause road closures, transport disruption and interruptions to public services. The Prime Minister's office later said the situation had returned to normal and the public sector would operate as usual, with the cabinet due to reassess on the Wednesday afternoon.
Why this matters
Mauritius is a popular destination for British holidaymakers, and it has a reputation for being calm and easy. That reputation is largely deserved, which is exactly why this situation catches people out. Most people booking Mauritius are not in the habit of checking travel advice every day. Many will be flying out over half term. And the practical risks here are not the dramatic ones - they are the ordinary ones. A curfew means you cannot move between the evening and 6am. If your flight lands at 10pm, or your transfer is scheduled for 5am, that is a problem you need to solve before you leave home, not at the airport. Road closures and transport disruption are the second issue. Mauritius is a small island, but a blocked road between your hotel and the airport is still a missed flight. And there is a point about insurance that people consistently get wrong. Travel insurance generally covers you when you follow official advice. If the FCDO tells you to stay indoors during a curfew or avoid demonstrations and you do the opposite, a claim arising from that becomes much harder to argue. Reading the advice is not just prudent - it is part of what keeps your policy working. The wider context is that this appears to be a specific, fast-moving incident rather than a long-running instability. But "fast-moving" cuts both ways. It can calm down in days. It can also change again before you land.
What the evidence actually says
It is worth separating what is officially stated from what is being reported. The FCDO advice is the official position and the one that matters for insurance and for entry. As of its 13 October update, it does not advise against travel to Mauritius. It adds warnings about demonstrations, the curfew and disruption. That distinction is important: this is a safety update, not a do-not-travel warning. The details of the shooting come from local media and international agencies, and they are consistent on the main points: a shooting on 9 October, a woman in her twenties injured and operated on, and a police sergeant provisionally charged. What has not been established publicly is what led to the shooting. Some accounts offer witness characterisations; those are not corroborated by the agency reporting, so we are not repeating them. On the curfew's geography, the sources genuinely disagree - the capital and major population centres, or around a third of the island across ten regions. Either way, the practical advice is the same, and the FCDO's wording of "most of the main island" is the safest assumption for a traveller. On whether it is over, be careful. The Prime Minister's office said the situation had returned to normal, and the cabinet was to reassess. A government statement that things are normal is a statement of intent as much as a measurement. The FCDO's own note says demonstrations may continue. The honest summary: a contained but unresolved situation, with official advice that stops short of discouraging travel and asks you to be sensible.
Practical advice
Check the FCDO advice page for Mauritius on the day you travel, and again the day before. It is updated as things change, and a page you read a fortnight ago is not current. Sign up for email alerts on that page. It takes one minute and means updates come to you rather than relying on you remembering. Check your flight and transfer times against curfew hours. If a curfew is in force when you land or when you need to leave for the airport, contact your airline, hotel or tour operator before you travel and get the arrangement in writing. Contact your tour operator if you booked a package. Package holiday rules give you more protection than an independent booking, and the operator has a duty to keep you informed. Ask them directly what they are doing. Avoid protests and large gatherings entirely, including as a spectator. Filming or watching from the edge of a crowd is how most tourists get caught up in trouble. Keep your phone charged and keep cash on you. Interruptions to public services can include card systems and cash machines. Tell someone at home your plans, and keep in touch. Standard advice, consistently useful. If you are already in Mauritius, stay indoors during curfew hours and follow local instructions. Do not test whether a curfew is being enforced. And check your travel insurance covers civil unrest and disruption. Many policies do, with conditions. Read the conditions.
What to know
The FCDO updated its Mauritius travel advice on 13 October 2026 with information about demonstrations and community unrest. It does not advise against travel. Protests followed a police shooting on 9 October, in which a 27-year-old woman was injured; a police sergeant has been provisionally charged. There was looting and attacks on police stations, and several officers were injured. A curfew ran from the evening of 13 October to 6am on 14 October, covering most of the main island, and most schools closed on 14 October. The advice is to avoid protests and large crowds, stay indoors during any curfew, and follow local authorities. Demonstrations may continue, with road closures and transport disruption possible. Check the FCDO page on the day you fly, sign up for its alerts, and check your flight and transfer times against curfew hours. Sources: GOV.UK / Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, "Mauritius travel advice", updated 13 October 2026, https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/mauritius; Al Jazeera, "Mauritius imposes curfew after night of unrest over police shooting", 13 October 2026, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/13/mauritius-imposes-curfew-after-night-of-unrest-over-police-shooting; News24 / Reuters, "Mauritius imposes curfew after unrest over police shooting", 13 October 2026, https://www.news24.com/world/mauritius-imposes-curfew-after-unrest-over-police-shooting-20261013-1016 This article is for general information and does not replace official travel advice, advice from your tour operator or insurer, or advice from a doctor, pharmacist or travel health clinic. Always check GOV.UK travel advice before you travel.
Related articles
Ten of fourteen: the two rail dates worth putting in your diary
On 13 October 2026, the Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander MP, published a written statement to Parliament confirming the transfer of Chiltern Ra…
Three confirmed cases, all fatal: Ghana declares a yellow fever outbreak
Ghana's Ministry of Health declared a yellow fever outbreak in the Upper West Region on 9 October 2026. Three cases have been confirmed, and all three people d…
Twenty separate flare-ups: the French mosquito season nobody expected
France has had an unusual mosquito season, and the figures are now in. Santé publique France, the country's public health agency, published its enhanced survei…