Discover Rodrigues: Nature, Limestone and Culture

Rodrigues is 18 km long and 8 km wide. On this island, the experiences described range from a limestone landscape and its flora and fauna to a distinctive dance tradition. These dimensions provide a concrete sense of the island’s scale, while the nature and culture themes can help you decide what you would like to focus on during your trip.

Nature and natural history at the François Leguat Reserve

In the southwest of Rodrigues, the François Leguat Reserve is set in a limestone landscape with nine caves and sinkholes. The reserve offers guided tours through a valley home to hundreds of giant tortoises, tropical birds and tens of thousands of native trees. If you are interested in flora and fauna, this is a clear focus for your trip.

The reserve’s geological and cultural features are also distinct from one another. The Grande Caverne has impressive limestone formations. In the museum, four galleries offer insight into the natural history of Rodrigues. The landscape, flora and fauna, and their place in the island’s natural history are thus presented as separate themes at the reserve.

Views, marine conservation and birdwatching

From Mont Limon, you can enjoy views of Rodrigues’ geological relief, agricultural terraces and the ocean. This offers a different perspective from the cave formations at the François Leguat Reserve: here, the wide-open views and the landscape’s varied forms shape the experience. The Rodrigues region also has ten marine protected areas.

Nearby is Ile aux Cocos, an offshore island with white-sand beaches and filaos. It is ideal for birdwatching and can be reached by a short boat trip. For details about the trip, check with the operator before you travel. This makes birdwatching a distinct part of your itinerary, alongside the landscape and nature experiences on Rodrigues itself.

Sega Tambour: a Rodrigues tradition

Nature is not the only possible focus. Sega Tambour is a traditional dance from Rodrigues and was added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2017. For travellers who want to discover the island’s culture as well as its landscape and wildlife, this tradition adds a distinct cultural dimension to the nature experiences.

Choose a holiday apartment to suit your travel interests

When looking for a holiday apartment in Rodrigues, it may help to decide first what you would like to focus on: are you mainly interested in natural history and guided tours at the François Leguat Reserve, the views from Mont Limon, or birdwatching on Ile aux Cocos? Sega Tambour offers another, cultural perspective on the island. These differences can help guide your search without limiting your trip to just one theme.

The experiences also differ in scale: at the reserve, the focus is on the valley, flora and fauna, and limestone formations; from Mont Limon, the view stretches across the relief, agricultural terraces and ocean. Birdwatching on Ile aux Cocos, by contrast, involves a short boat trip. If you consider these interests in advance, you can choose accommodation that suits what you most want to experience in Rodrigues.

Mauritius in the wider context

Within the wider destination of Mauritius, the cultural landscape of Le Morne offers its own historical perspective. It lies at the southwestern tip of Mauritius and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List on 10 July 2008. Le Morne illustrates the history of slavery and the quest for freedom in the 17th and 18th centuries. The mountain served as a fortress and refuge for escaped enslaved people; physical and oral evidence documents this use.

Other historical sites in Mauritius include Vieux Grand Port, considered the site of the island’s first human settlement. The Frederik Hendrik Museum opened on 27 May 1999. These historical connections broaden the picture of the wider destination without replacing Rodrigues’ own nature and dance traditions.

Mauritius also offers a wide variety of nature experiences. Bras d’Eau National Park covers 497.2 hectares and is predominantly planted with mahogany, araucarias, tecoma and eucalyptus. Mare Sarcelle is part of the park and is home to mangroves, native plant species and some migratory bird species. The Coq des Bois Trail runs through the forest and ends at Mares Chevrettes. These examples add parkland, flora and birdlife to the regional context.

Explore subregions and other destinations

Explore more subregions of Rodrigues: Port Mathurin, Grande Montagne, Petit Gabriel, Terre Rouge, Port Sud-Est, La Ferme and Saint Gabriel. Explore more destinations: Grand Port.

Go to the overview of the wider destination: Mauritius.