Short answer: no, you do not need to rent a car in Mauritius if you are staying somewhere walkable on the coast. Buses get you around cheaply by day, taxis fill the gaps at night and in the interior, and a hire car only pays off if you want full evening flexibility or plan to explore inland.
You can see most of coastal Mauritius on public transport for the price of a coffee a day. What you cannot do is eat dinner somewhere and get home. That single fact should shape how you plan a car-free trip.
The buses
Fares run roughly 17 to 47 rupees for most journeys, depending on distance. Longer intercity routes reach a little higher. Payment is cash to the conductor, who comes down the aisle after you sit down, so keep small notes to hand.
The network connects the main towns and the coastal villages well. Port Louis, Curepipe, Quatre Bornes, Rose Hill, Mahébourg, Grand Baie and Flic en Flac are all straightforward. The interior is much thinner, and the places most worth seeing up there - Chamarel, Black River Gorges, the waterfalls - are effectively unreachable by bus.
The 6.30pm problem
Most routes wind down between six and seven in the evening. In practice that means your day ends when the light does. Plan evenings within walking distance of where you sleep, or budget for taxis.
This is the strongest argument for staying somewhere walkable. Grand Baie and Pereybere in the north, and Flic en Flac on the west coast, all let you eat and drink without transport. Remote resorts on the east and south are lovely and will cost you a taxi every single evening.
Drive times are longer than they look
The motorway between the airport, Port Louis and the north is quick. Everything else is not. Coastal roads are single carriageway, pass through villages with speed bumps, and carry buses and lorries. Once you are off the motorway, assume roughly double whatever the map suggests.
The island is small, but a north-to-south trip is a real half day, not a hop.
Taxis
Taxis do not use meters. Agree the fare before you get in, every time, including the return leg if you are asking a driver to wait. Hotel desks will arrange a car and charge a premium for it; a street taxi negotiated directly is usually cheaper for the same journey.
For a full day of sightseeing, hiring a taxi by the day is common and often works out reasonable split between three or four people, particularly for the interior where buses do not go. A full day with a driver typically runs somewhere around 2,500 to 4,000 rupees, which is easy to split across a small group.
Ride-hailing
Coverage exists but is patchier than in Europe, and thinnest exactly where you need it most: late at night and away from the main tourist areas. Treat it as a bonus rather than a plan.
So should you rent a car?
If you are staying in the north or on the west coast and mostly want beaches and food, no. Buses and the occasional taxi will do it, and parking in Grand Baie is its own irritation.
If you want the interior, the south, the waterfalls, or any flexibility about dinner, yes. Driving is on the left, roads are decent, and the main hazards are unlit pedestrians after dark and stray dogs.
