Mauritius - Geography

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Like many reputable holiday companies we are ABTA registered, our ABTA membership number is 65310.

We also use ATOL protected tour operators. However if you wish to use a tour operator who is not ATOL protected then we will take our supplier failure insurance on your behalf.

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Like the other Mascarenes, Rodrigues is of volcanic origin. Its landscapes of steep hills, plunging valleys and scattered rocks create the impression that it is much larger than it is. The two highest points are Mont Limon, a mere 398m, and Mont Malartic at 386m.

There are no impressive mountains and no imposing rock formations. Large rivers and lakes are also absent, and there are only a few really attractive beaches. But where Rodrigues wins hands down is in the quality of its marine environment. The island is entirely surrounded by reefs, which offer some of the best underwater experiences available in the Indian Ocean. A vast lagoon (200km²) shelters some of the best beach and reef areas. Among its many coral caves is the often-visited, 795m-long Caverne Patate, near Plaine Corail, and those within the François Leguat Giant Tortoise and Cave Reserve.

Much of the island features grass or scrub-covered slopes, some of which are rocky with black cliffs. At Plaine Corail, in the southwest, the landscape is especially harsh and barren. The remaining woodlands are severely degraded and cover only certain hillsides around the Solitude–Citronelle–Cascade Pigeon area. The higher reaches of the hilly interior are often covered by mist, at which time the surrounds take on a dreamy, sultry ambience.

The tumbling Cascade Pigeon River offers some of the island’s more attractive scenery. While much of the coast features rocky shores, there are also some pleasant, sandy beaches on the east coast, like St François and Trou d’Argent.

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