Mauritius, officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean some 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) off the African continent’s south-east coast. The nation comprises the Mauritius, Rodrigues, Agaléga and St. Brandon Islands. The islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues, together with neighbouring Réunion, a French overseas district, are part of the Mascarene Islands.

Islands in Mauritius

1. The Mauritius island

This is the poster boy of The Nation of Mauritius, the embodiment of the riches and prestige of Mauritius gained through the years, of all the islands of Mauritius. Home to the nation’s capital-Port Louis and Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, Mauritius Island is where you’re going to take your first step on Mauritian land.

Flic en Flac, Mauritius — Source: Unsplash

2. The Rodrigues Island

One of the smaller islands in Mauritius can find space inside Mauritius about 14 Rodrigues Islands, that’s how minuscule it is. Don’t enable your size to trick you into discarding its reputation, however. It won’t be inappropriate to say Rodrigues is a playground amongst us for the adventurous. Scuba diver aficionados are in for a treat with an abundance of coral reefs in every hue imaginable. Those who have a fascination with windsurfing, kitesurfing, sailing and fishing will also not be disappointed. There’s ample opportunity for all!

Paradis Beachcomber Golf Resort & Spa, Black River, Mauritius — Source: Unsplash

The Mauritius Trochetia, a passenger-cum-cargo vessel operates bi-monthly between Mauritius and Rodrigues. This journey may take between 36 and 48 hours, subject to waters conditions. Alternatively, you may choose to fly to Rodrigues via Air Mauritius daily flights between the two islands which reduce the travel time to a paltry 90 minutes!

3. The Agalega and St. Brandon Island

These Islands are sparsely inhabited and impossible to access in Mauritius. The ferry to Agalega runs just twice a year and in Mauritius and Rodrigues, there is not anything on the other hand that you can not consider. These are raw and untouched islands-Man ‘s attempts at unchecked urbanization are yet to be reached here.

An association called Mauritius Tourism provides a special 8-day fishing trip to the St. Brandon Islands on a customized luxury catamaran. The environment around these virgin islands contains some of the best species you’ll find on this side of the globe. Once you’re on board the immaculate Catamaran 50 feet, you’ll go on a 36-hour sailing trip before you reach the islands.

Snorkel among sharks, tortoises and other big fish and explore the white sand flats and broken coral islands that are spotless. Tortoises nesting on these islands can also be found a once in a lifetime opportunity. This is a ride for those who learn their Sailfish Marlin. And rightly so, since this eight-day trip can cost MURs upwards. 8,00,000 depending on the number of people travelling!

4. Ile Aux Aigrettes Nature Reserve, Mauritius

Ile Aux Aigrettes is a 26-hectare nature reserve 800 meters southeast off the coast of the Bay of Mahebourg and has gained prominence as an ecotourism destination over the years. Unlike Mauritius, the majority of which were formed through volcanic rocks. Ile Aux Aigrettes was built mainly from calcareous coral and is very low-lying. It has a scientific research station that works to conserve the numerous rare and endangered species of plants and animals.

Many of its indigenous species have been lost to the nature reserve due to logging and invasive species. Dry Coastal Forest in Mauritius? The worlds are just the remaining kind of plants and are contained in Aigrettes. Once upon a time, the reserve was home to extinct species such as the Dodo bird and the endemic Giant Tortoise. The island reserve contains several reptile species, such as the non-indigenous Telfairs Skink, Coloured Day Gecko and Aldabra giant tortoises. Aigrettes also have rare species of ebony trees, such as the Diospyros egrettarum, which takes its name from the island.

Way back during World War II, the British cleared the forests of Ile Aux Aigrettes to be used as their military base. Remains of a few buildings that date back to that time can still be found in the premises on the island. The island was named after the enormous Egrets colony that dominated the island in the 1600s. It was proclaimed a Nature Reserve in 1965, and it was not until 1985 when the Mauritian Wildlife Appeal Fund (MWAF) took matters into their own hands and initiated an ambitious campaign to rehabilitate the island’s ecosystem and return it to its former glorious condition of flora and fauna abundance. MWAF has since managed the island’s restoration along with making it publicly accessible.

The island’s one and a half hour tour at Ile Aux Aigrettes is a famous tourist attraction. It begins with a boat trip from Point Jerome where visitors are getting on board and going to the island. From there, a designated guide takes you on to discover nature up close and plant and animal species found only in Mauritius. The tour is full of magnificent views of Mauritius ‘south-eastern scenery and a glimpse into Mauritius’ history. You can find amazing trees with rare names, such as Ox wood, Pipe wood, Rat wood, Bottle palm etc. A full blooming, uncommon orchid spotting may also be probable with any luck. Souvenirs may be brought from the Visitor Centre’s gift shop once the tour is over. All the revenue from the tours and the gift shifts goes into the nature reserve renovation and restoration.

Plan your trip to Islands in Mauritius

Explore the breathtaking elegance of this Mauritius nature reserve among the turquoise blue waters. Ile Aux Aigrettes’ peaceful atmosphere will definitely take you on a whole different experience. While putting together a trip to Mauritius is not an overall difficult task, having a reputed travel brand’s support is always an added benefit. Pickyourtrail is, in one place, the destination for all your travel needs. Please check out our Mauritius package from India. This offers a selection of choices for selecting personalized itineraries while still holding the cost-effectiveness at bay. Login to Pickyourtrail.com for more information, and start planning your entire trip to Mauritius online. For a trouble-free travel experience, find out more. Check out our Mauritius Honeymoon Packages from India.