PARTNER CONTENT FOR RODRIGUES ISLAND
Rodrigues Island INDIAN OCEAN
The complete opposite of its more built-up sister island Mauritius, relaxed Rodrigues Island offers immaculate and largely deserted beaches and the chance to immerse yourself in local life, staying at charming little guesthouses and tucking into outstanding Creole cuisine
Located about 370 miles off the northeast coast of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, of which Rodrigues is a dependent, Rodrigues Island prides itself as the most authentic of the Mascarene Island. Completely surrounded by a coral barrier, the island is mostly visited as a hiking, kitesurfing, snorkelling and big game fishing among other activities. Rodrigues Island is renowned for its
authenticity, which makes the island a unique anti-stress destination. The vitality of an authentically Creole local culture is embodied through the music, dance and cuisine of the people of Rodrigues. The population lives mainly from fishing, local products, handicrafts and more recently, tourism.
A WELL-KEPT SECRET Rodrigues is a well-kept secret among travellers and the island is strewed upon miles of pristine, uncrowded, sandy beaches found mainly on the eastern part of the island. One of these beaches,
Trou D’argent has been named among the five most beautiful beaches in the Indian Ocean by TripAdvisor. Accessible only by foot as part of trekking and hiking experience, legends and folklores have it that pirate treasure was once buried here and still waits to be discovered. As part of Rodrigues Island’s effort to
promote its credentials as an eco-friendly destination, more that 80% of the activities offered are nature-based. There’s plenty to do on the island, from visiting nature parks to going on tours to indulging in watersports. The island is well known for its hiking
possibilities in a safe and secure environment. Professional guides are on hand to help hikers discover the best areas of the island and the climax of the experience is to have some memorable time with the locals. The island offers various different kinds of hiking experience, some of which can be done with a qualified guide or some straightforward walks that can be discovered alone.
DISCOVER CAVES AND LAGOONS Caves are also part of the most famous tourist activities of the island. Among the most popular are the Caverne Patate and the Francois Leguat Giant Tortoises and Cave Reserve. Nature reserves such as the Grande Montagne Nature Reserve and Ile aux Cocos offers a glimpse of the island before the arrival of mankind. Surrounded by a lagoon as twice the size of
the island itself, it is an immense playground for marine based activities from diving, snorkelling, kitesurfing or traditional fishing. The amazing part of it is that all is done in respect with nature. Clear turquoise water of the lagoon also serves as a healing geothermal spa, which is the perfect hideaway form the day to day stress. Snorkel this natural aquarium and enjoy a
colourful show of fish and corals. Dive deeper to explore the dazzling fauna and flora. The diving spots are unpolluted as they as they have been protected from excessive tourism and fishing
activities. Divers will be delighted with this undersea world, home of more than 280 species of coral and dizzying array of marine life; among the regularly sighted animals are graceful rays, fast moving jack and charming turtles.
FISHING DELIGHTS Keen anglers will enjoy fishing in the lagoon as well as the waters beyond the islands protective reef. Locals can arrange trips using traditional line fishing techniques. Another event is the traditional net fishing which last from March to September and is marked by celebration which attracts more and more tourists over the year. Festivities get underway in anticipation of the first big catch of the year. Another activity is the big game fishing. The
island holds the world record for the biggest black marlin ever caught. Amateurs like professional will enjoy the thrilling sensation of catching one of those big monsters. Excursions are another of the popular
activities organised around the island. These
range from a fishing tour on a traditional boat on the southern islets of Ile aux Chats concluding with a barbecue of your catch.
FOOD AND ENTERTAINMENT Local food is also amazing and must be discovered by those lucky enough to venture onto Rodrigues Island’s sunny shores. The traditional dishes include a meal of curried octopus and red kidney beans served with rice or maize. Visitors are also invited to help prepare the meal as part of the experience. Furthermore, there are also beach barbecues, which serve up freshly caught lobster as well as a wide variety of other seafood. Music is an important part of the island,
which has a subtle mix of melodies from Europe and African rhythms. Typical music of the island, the Sega Tambour of Rodrigues Island is a vibrant rhythmic performance of music, songs and dances originating from slave communities. Since 2017, the Sega Tambour is part of the intangible heritage of UNESCO.
Don’t miss A trip to Ile aux Cocos or the Southern Islets where barbecue, fishing on the lagoon mixed with beautiful and pristine beaches awaits
This content is brought to you by our sponsor. It does not necessarily reflect the views of National Geographic or its editorial staff. Need to know
KEY FACILITIES • Beaches • Wildlife • Lagoon • Caves • Nature parks
KEY ACTIVITIES • Hiking • Kitesurfing • Snorkelling • Big game fishing
Get in touch
tourism-rodrigues.mu
T: +230 83 20 866/7 / +230 83 20 174 E:
discoveryrodrigues@intnet.mu
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 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138
