Rodrigues island with kids: Mauritius forty years ago

What Rodrigues actually is

It is a small volcanic island — around 18 km long — ringed by a lagoon roughly twice the area of the land itself. Administratively it belongs to Mauritius but has autonomy and a character entirely its own: a mainly Creole population, an economy built on fishing and agriculture, and a pace that bears no resemblance to the main island.

There are no five-star resorts. There are no international chains. There are family guesthouses, small hotels and tables d'hôtes serving fish and octopus landed that morning.

Who it suits with children

Yes, if:

• You already know Mauritius and want something more authentic.
• Your children are 8 or older and cope well without organised entertainment.
• You care about snorkelling, kayaking and nature more than comfort.
• You want to show your children somewhere tourism has not yet organised everything.

No, if:

• It is your first trip to Mauritius — you will not get the point of it.
• You want a luxury resort, a kids club or a private pool. Those do not exist here.
• You are travelling with very young children who depend on infrastructure.
• You have fewer than 12 nights in total. It will not fit.

Getting there and how long to stay

• Internal flight from Mauritius, roughly an hour and a half. Air Mauritius operates the route with limited frequency.
• Seats are scarce and sell out, particularly in high season and during Mauritian school holidays, when the island fills with locals.
• Three nights minimum, four ideally. The internal flight eats half a day in each direction, so a two-night hop amounts to almost nothing.

What to do with children

The lagoon

This is the whole argument for Rodrigues. Enormous, shallow and clear. At low tide sandbanks emerge out in the middle of the sea, where you can walk with the water at knee height — an image children do not forget.

Île aux Cocos, an islet within the lagoon, is a bird reserve with colonies of terns and noddies. The boat trip out is one of the best days of the holiday.

Giant tortoises

There is a nature reserve where Aldabra giant tortoises have been reintroduced among limestone caves. You can see them close up and roaming freely within the grounds. It works very well with children.

Kayaking, snorkelling and fishing

The protected lagoon is ideal for family kayaking and current-free snorkelling. Artisanal fishing with local fishermen can be arranged directly in the village.

Gentle walking

The island has coastal paths and a few short climbs with views across the whole lagoon. Nothing demanding, fine for children who walk well.

The markets

Port Mathurin market, especially on Saturday morning, is a genuine immersion: lemons, Rodriguan honey, chillies, crafts and local life without a tourist filter.

What to know before you go

• Accommodation is limited and mid-range at best. The better guesthouses fill months ahead.
• There are no large supermarkets or the logistics you get used to in a Mauritian resort.
• Internet is patchier. For some families that is precisely the appeal.
• The food is excellent within its register: fish, octopus curry, lemons and local honey. But there is no variety of speciality restaurants.
• Internal flights are occasionally cancelled for weather. Never plan your return from Rodrigues on the same day as your international flight home: always leave a night's margin in Mauritius.

That last point matters and is regularly overlooked. It is the most common cause of genuine problems on this extension.

How to fit it into the trip

The formula that works best with children, on a 14-night trip:

1. 5-6 nights on one coast of Mauritius.
2. 3-4 nights in Rodrigues.
3. 4-5 nights on another Mauritian coast, ending with resort comfort before the flight home.

Finishing in Rodrigues and flying to Europe the next day is tempting on paper and risky in practice.

Why it is worth arranging with help

Rodrigues has three real bottlenecks: limited internal flight capacity, scarce and uneven accommodation, and the need to leave margin before the international flight. It is a destination where booking blind from Europe goes wrong fairly easily.

Nextdestinium works Rodrigues as an extension within its Mauritius trips and knows which properties suit families and how to fit the internal flights without putting the journey home at risk.