Resort regulars skip MRU for beachwear and buy in town
At Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International (Terminal T1), the Beachwear Shop fills the predictable gap: swimsuits, flip‑flops, cover‑ups and sunhats for people heading straight to Flic‑en‑Flac or Grand Baie. It sits airside in T1, so you only see it after security, usually on the walk toward the main international gates used by Air Mauritius and Emirates. Stock leans touristy rather than technical: bright prints, logo tees, basic sandals.
Pricing is the catch. A Facebook group comparing MRU shops with Mauritian supermarkets calls airport retail “very expensive,” and that lines up with the general advice in Mauritius travel forums: buy swim shorts and beach dresses in coastal towns or markets, where a basic swimsuit can run several hundred rupees less than airport racks. Expect full tourist markup here on impulse buys like flip‑flops and beach bags.
Regular visitors in those Mauritius communities say they treat MRU almost entirely as a duty‑free liquor stop and avoid paying for non‑duty‑free goods, including beachwear. In practice, they replace gear at places like Grand Baie La Croisette or local market stalls and only touch airport clothing if a suitcase goes missing or a strap snaps the morning of departure.
Tip: use the Beachwear Shop only as a backup; if you have even a 30‑minute window in a resort area before hitting the airport, buy your swimsuit or sandals there and save the rupees for duty‑free in T1 instead.