Rodrigues

Rodrigues is an autonomous region in the nation of Mauritius. It is the easternmost part of Africa and the closest island in Africa to Australia. Of the major Mascarene Islands, it is the most remote and off the beaten path. The people are of African and Creole (mixed African and French) descent. Catholicism plays a big role in the lives of the islanders.

The climate of Rodrigues is warmer and drier than the mainland.

Often described as "Mauritius 25 years ago", the secluded and relaxing nature of Rodrigues makes it an ideal destination for honeymooners and other types of romantic getaways.

Rental car services are available. Taxis also crisscross the island. Having said that, because of its relatively small size, much of the island can be experienced by foot.

Like its bigger Madagascan and Mauritian neighbours, Rodrigues is known for its endemic yet vulnerable wildlife. The Rodrigues solitaire was the bird most closely related to the dodo, but suffered the same fate in the late 18th century and was hunted to extinction. The two endemic birds that remain on the island are the Rodrigues warbler and Rodrigues fody.

The Rodrigues fruit bat was on the verge of disappearing too; in the 1970s there were under 100 remaining in the wild. Since then, its population has grown to more than a thousand though it is still critically endangered.

• Hebergement Fatehmamode, Port Mathurin, ☏ +230 831 1551, mahmood@intnet.mu. Every person on the island knows this establishment. It is as local as it can get and Mauritius residents themselves stay here. A huge room is Rs 600 per night, with access to big balcony, kitchenette, private bathroom, all spotlessly clean. The price can hardly be beaten on the island. Possibility to rent a car and scooter through the hotel at Rs 1,200 and Rs 600 per day, respectively. Hands down the best bargain in Port Mathurin. (updated Dec 2017)

All of Rodrigues is surrounded by coral reefs, offering opportunities for diving and snorkelling. It has the particularity of having a lagoon that is twice the size of its land by area. There are plenty of activities on the island including the 4th longest zipline in the world, a rope-bridge with a jump and watersports of all kinds.

Food in Rodrigues is a fusion of African, French, Indian and Chinese, with the ingredients adapted to living on a tropical island. Seafood and rice are the staples of Rodriguan cuisine. The octopus curry is a must-try, as is the coco-cono (shellfish) salad.

Nightlife in Rodrigues is not extravagant by any means with its small, mainly rural population. The discotheques are confined to Port Mathurin and a few islets.

The risk of getting malaria is considered to be low. However, there have previously been outbreaks of another mosquito-borne illness, chikungunya.

Being a very remote island, there is nowhere to go except for boating or flying back to the main island in Mauritius. Thousands of kilometres northeast of Rodrigues is the British Indian Ocean Territory, which adventurous yachters can visit with advance permission on their way north across the Indian Ocean.