RODRIGUES


Known locally as the ‘anti-stress’ island, Mauritius’ rustic and remote sister island, Rodrigues, is the place to chill out for a few days


BEYOND MAURITIUS J


ust 43 sq miles (109 sq km), which is about the size of Jersey – with a lagoon twice its size encircled


by a coral reef – this undeveloped tiny volcanic speck, a 90-minute fl ight hop from Mauritius, is likened to Mauritius of 30 years ago – only with a predominantly Creole culture. With soft springy grass clinging to rugged coastal cliffs, Rodrigues has also been described as a ‘Scottish island with sunshine’.


“Despite Prince William’s visit in 2001, Rodrigues is largely unknown. Like a Mauritius of 20 years ago, it offers sensational diving and snorkelling, glorious beaches and walking trails and cycle routes to explore coves, ravines and backwaters. It’s ideal


for those not fussed with frills and 5 star service.” ALISON HOLMAN, GENERAL MANAGER, W&O TRAVEL RAINBOW TOURS


Peak season on Rodrigues is October to April, but spring-like June to September is probably the best time to visit. The pace is as slow here as the


tortoises that once roamed the island. Women wearing wide straw hats and waders spear octopus in the early


Rodrigues has been likened to the way Mauritius was three decades ago


hours and fi shermen still set sail in romantic wooden pirogues. The island’s northern capital, Port Mathurin, is just seven streets wide. Beyond here, there’s barely a tourist, vehicle or hotel in sight.


Panoramic views of the lagoon can be seen from the island’s winding central road. The most visited tourist site is Caverne Patate, on the west coast, where an hour’s tour takes in the huge cave’s towering stalagmites and stalagtites. The Francois Leguat Giant Tortoise & Cave Reserve offers visitors the chance to meet the original island inhabitants. Walking trails criss-cross the island,


where 20 secluded beaches lay waiting to be explored, including the pirate cove, Trou d’Argent (‘money hole’), on the east coast. Robinson-Crusoe wannabes will love the day trip to the talcum sands of the bird sanctuary, Ile aux Cocos (Coconut Island), where noddy birds bob on palms in the wind and sooty terns call ‘yeh yeh’. Sports on Rodrigues include


mountain biking, diving (centres are closed in July and August) – with virgin dive sites, it was good enough for


www.mauritiustourism.co.uk 29


Prince William – windsurfi ng and kite-surfi ng (best during May to September) and big game fi shing (best October to April). Rodrigues is developing its eco-adventure offerings with a zip-line, added in the island’s centre in 2010. The most popular hotel, suitable for


mature couples, is the four-star Cotton Bay, on one of the island’s best beaches in the northeast. Other options include the three-star sporty family-run Marouk Hotel. More romantic options include the boutique hotel Les Cocotiers on a pirate cove near the capital and the Pointe Venus Hotel & Spa, the leading hotel and the only one with a spa. Find out more about the island at www.tourism-rodrigues.mu


PRESKIL


RODRIGUES TOURISM, OFICE


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32