Mauritius Film & Photography Production Services & Camera Crews

Are you a media company, brand, ad agency or production company looking for film / photography production support or shooting crew in Mauritius? Contact us for trusted fixers, producers, directors, DoPs, videographers, photographers, and full shooting crews tailored for the specific needs of your project.

Filming in Mauritius

For an introduction to shooting in Mauritius see below notes on film locations, permits, when to shoot, unique local stories, costs, tax incentives, crews, talent, equipment, communications, art department, studios, post facilities, visas and work permits for filming, transport, film-friendly accommodation, and safety advice.

Mauritius Film Locations

The Republic of Mauritius is spread over a vast area of the Indian Ocean. It includes Mauritius Island and several outlying islands including Rodrigues, Agaléga and St Brandon. Film locations of note include mountains, forests, waterfalls, rivers, islands, beaches, turquoise waters, surf spots, and coral reefs.

Sugarcane and tea plantations are the main agricultural film locations. Fishing boats are available for filming. Textile factories are the main industrial locations.

Mauritius has hosted productions including Resort to Love (2021), Serenity (2019), and The Amazing Race 10 (2006). The country is a favourite location for Bollywood productions.

Film locations can be divided into the following regions:

Mauritius Island

The main island of Mauritius includes the districts of Black River, Flacq, Grand Port, Moka, Pamplemousses, Plaines-Wilhems, Port-Louis, Rivière du Rempart, and Savanne.

Mauritius is a volcanic island known for its palm-fringed beaches and lagoons with coral reefs surrounding much of the coast.

Port Louis is the capital and largest city. It is known for its run-down French colonial architecture, which makes for interesting backdrops. Port Louis film locations of note include the Central Market, Citadelle, Government House, Blue Penny Museum, Le Pouce mountain, Pieter Both mountain, and Champ de Mars horse-racing track. Pamplemousses Botanic Garden is famous for its long pond of giant water lilies.

Inland Mauritius has many beautiful forests, national parks, tree-lined avenues, mountains, waterfalls and rivers. Locations of particular interest include the Black River Gorges National Park, Casela Nature Park, and Chamarel Seven Colored Earth. Piton de la Petite Rivière Noire is the highest peak. Chameral Falls, Rochester Falls, and Tamarind Falls are beautiful film locations. L’Aventure du Sucre is a former sugar factory. Eureka House is a mansion location. Flacq Market in an interesting inland film location. Ganga Talao crater lake is a sacred Hindu site.

The coast has some beautiful beaches although many of the better ones belong to resorts or private islands such as Iles des Deux Cocos and Île aux Cerfs. Very few beaches are public property. Mauritius offers some great underwater photography options, particularly on the more protected west coast. Tamarin Bay has good surf breaks. Flic-en-Flac beach has excellent sunset photography options. Le Morne Brabant is a large basaltic monolith surrounded by a beautiful lagoon. Other islands of note include Île Plate and Ile aux Aigrettes. Maheswarnath Mandir is a Hindu temple located in the town of Triolet.

Rodrigues

Rodrigues Island is an autonomous outer island, located east of Mauritius. It is a volcanic island surrounded by a coral reef. The capital of the island is Port Mathurin. Just off its coast lie some tiny uninhabited islands.

Agaléga

A dependency of Mauritius, Agaléga consists of two outer islands located north of Mauritius Island. The islands are known for their coconut production.

St Brandon

Also a dependency of Mauritius, St Brandon is an archipelago located northeast of Mauritius Island. It consists of five island groups numbering around 50 islands and islets. The remote white sand beaches and turquoise-coloured waters are a great location for kiteboarding and underwater photography.

Mauritius Film Location Permits

Applications need to be made well in advance of shoot days. Please contact us for location specific information.

When To Shoot?

Mauritius has a tropical climate which remains warm and relatively dry throughout the year. Mauritius tends to get more rain inland than on the coast. November to April is the warmer, wet season. June to September is the cooler, dry season and best time to film for weather. Best surf conditions occur from June to September. The best months for underwater photography with an abundance of big marine life are November to March, which is also the cyclone season. For monthly weather statistics please see here.

Events of interest to filmmakers and photographers include:

• Chinese New Year in January / February.
• Thaipoosum Cavadee in January / February.
• Maha Shivaratree in February / March.
• Holi in February.
• Ougadi in March.
• Ramadan according to the Islamic calendar.
• Diwali in November.
• Christmas in December.

Mauritius is a predominately Hindu country. There is also a large Christian community, and a smaller Muslim community.

Public holidays may affect timing, availability and costs. See here for public holiday dates in Mauritius.

Unique Local Stories

Brands are looking for local stories that match their brand narrative. Our local teams are a great lead for sourcing those unique stories and characters.

Of interest, the now extinct dodo bird, was native to Mauritius.

If you are looking for stories for your next shoot, send us your brief and we will pitch you ideas.

If you have a unique story you would like to pitch to a brand anywhere in the world, pitch us your idea. We have well-established processes to ensure that your ideas are properly seen and protected.

Costs & Tax Incentives

Costs. Locations, local talent and support crew are inexpensive but since little to no filming infrastructure exists all key crew and equipment must be brought in from abroad. Johannesburg is the closest major production centre. Our Mauritian fixer / service producer will negotiate local deals and provide the appropriate level of production support to match every budget.

Tax Incentives. Mauritius offers a rebate of up to 40% on eligible production spend for TV commercials, films, TV shows and documentaries. There is no custom duty on equipment brought in to be used on qualifying productions.

Film Crew & Talent

Crews. Mauritius has a small pool or local directors, videographers and stills photographers. Key crew should be brought in from abroad.

Contact us if you are looking for a director, DP, photographer, videographer (cameraman / camera operator), camera assistant (focus puller), sound operator, grip, gaffer, stylist, hair and makeup, PA / runner, production driver, or any other film crew for your shoot in Mauritius.

Talent day rates and buyouts are negotiable. Mauritius only has basic casting facilities so street casting is common.

English, French, and Mauritian Creole are widely spoken.

Mauritius is a multiethnic society. Most Mauritians are of Indian and Creole descent. Some Caucasian and Chinese looks also exist.

Mauritius Film Equipment

Equipment. Some basic grip, lighting and camera gear can be found locally. Johannesburg is the closest major film production centre should you need to fly in gear. For productions looking to bring in film equipment Mauritius is an ATA carnet country.

Communications. Communication is key. Our agility and global experience allows us to customise the right communications systems for every shoot.

Web posted casting, scouting, and videoconferencing.

For clients that are unable to attend set we offer a virtual video village solution. This dedicated and secure high-resolution video streaming platform allows clients from one or multiple timezones to view setups without compromise and to participate in real-time with the team on set. Separate systems can be set up for the discrete conversations that are required to make a job run right. Working remotely with our local teams reduces your content production costs, turnaround times, carbon footprint, and risks associated with unpredictable global events.

Art Department, Studios, Backlots, & Post Production

Art department and set construction is very basic. Anything specific needs to be brought in from abroad.

Studios. None exist at present.

Post Production. Post abroad.

Visas & Work Permits

Visiting crews travelling on Western passports are allowed visa-free entry to Mauritius. Most other passport holders can get visas on arrival. Film crews do not require work permits but must have a letter of authorisation from the relevant authorities.

Transport & Accommodation

Transportation Infrastructure. Main roads are up to international standards. One major highway runs north to south. The traffic in Mauritius can be quite congested. It takes at least 2.5 hours from the top to the bottom of the island and about 1 hour across if traffic is good. Several international airlines service flights to Mauritius.

Accommodation. Recommended film friendly hotels in Mauritius include:

Maradiva Villas Resort and Spa
Les Pavillons Hotel
The Oberoi Mauritius
Le Tousserok Hotel

Please contact us for corporate rates.

Final Notes

Safety. See here for up to date travel advice.

Down Time. Mauritian cuisine is a blend of African, Chinese, European and Indian influences. Try local dishes such as Bol Renversé, Boulettes, Dholl Puri & Roti, Gateau Piment, Mine Frite, Sept Cari, Rougaille and Vindaye.

Projects. For an example of TV commercials, stills campaigns, online content, corporate videos, virtual reality 360 content, feature films, TV series and documentaries shot in Mauritius, please see below:

Hire Mauritius Production Support & Shooting Crew

If you are looking for a film or photographic production service company, line producer or fixer for your shoot in Mauritius, please contact us.

If you are looking for a shooting crew for your shoot in Mauritius, such as a director, DoP, photographer, videographer (cameraman / camera operator), camera assistant (focus puller), sound operator, grip, gaffer, stylist, hair and makeup, PA / runner, production driver, please contact us.

We are able to provide you with answers, references and bids quickly.