We visited the Alley of the Baobabs aka Avenue of the Baobabs on the 12th of December, 2022. Before that, we ate some baobab fruit we bought at the central market of Morondava, west Madagascar. Our First Encounter with Baobab Fruit (Back in Mauritius) In September 2022, we finally made a day trip to the Pamplemousses Botanic Gardens (aka the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanic Garden) from our home in Trou-aux-Biches, Mauritius. We saw a great many plants and one cute kitten there, but when I spotted the baobab section on the map, I knew that’s what I really wanted toContinue reading
Author: Iris Veldwijk
Arriving in Antananarivo (Madagascar) After One Year in Mauritius
We left Mauritius for Madagascar on the 15th of November, 2022. We flew to the Malagasy capital Antananarivo with Air Mauritius. Deciding on Madagascar Our one-year Mauritian premium visa was coming to an end in November. We had considered renewing this fantastic digital nomad visa for another year; the MV Trochetia was sailing again to Rodrigues instead of the MV Black Rhino. As you might know, we really love Rodrigues. But the only way we’d like to travel back there would be by boat. We had already imagined staying in Quatre Bornes, then taking the Metro Express to Port Louis,Continue reading
94 Things to Do in Rodrigues
We spent several months in Rodrigues checking out a lot of different corners of this compact island. Many Mauritians and Rodriguans asked us if we didn’t get bored here. The answer to that question is a resounding no—and there are even things we didn’t do yet but are saving for a return trip. Many Rodriguans we spoke to weren’t familiar with some of the places we’ve been to. So here’s a monster list of more than 90 things to do in Rodrigues. And a map! Learn kitesurfing in Mourouk. Ask for Drany – a local and national champion – ifContinue reading
The Best Maps of Rodrigues Island, Mauritius
Use the table of contents or scroll down to see which map app I recommend and other maps of Rodrigues island that you can find while in Rodrigues. Google Maps thinks nobody lives here If you’re looking to come to Rodrigues island in Mauritius, you might start your search on Google Maps. And you’ll be faced with this heinous crime of a map: What the fuck is this? Why is there no detail? I zoom in on the island capital Port Mathurin to see if things get better. No, the horror continues. Why do you do this to us, GoogleContinue reading
Dumped Kitten at Mont Limon + Limon Confit Rescue Story
Tuesday, 7th of June 2022. We decided to finish the unknown hiking trail at Mont Limon, the highest peak in Rodrigues. But our plans of having a casual little hike with no trouble were thwarted by the criminal who decided to dump their kitten next to the trail. This is the rescue story of a dumped kitten we (temporarily) named Limon Confit. Meows on the Alternative Ascent to Mont Limon Almost two months after our first visit to Mont Limon, we were staying in Mourouk on the south coast. I still wanted to check out the alternative ascent to MontContinue reading
Vegetarian-Friendly Restaurants in Port Mathurin and Beyond
Finding vegetarian food in ‘mainland’ Mauritius is incredibly easy. But is it also possible to maintain a vegetarian diet on the smaller island of Rodrigues? I found out there are quite some restaurants in Port Mathurin and the rest of the autonomous island that serve delicious meatless and fishless foods. Below you’ll find them with a description and a location on the map. These restaurants are in no particular order. All of them are in Port Mathurin unless indicated otherwise. What’s the Food Situation in Rodrigues? Vegetarian-Friendly Restaurants in Port Mathurin Now let’s talk about the best veg-friendly restaurants inContinue reading
Kayaking to Île aux Fous, Îlot Hollandais, and Île aux Diamant from Port Mathurin, Rodrigues
We did this paddling trip on Monday the 23rd of May, 2022. The route went from Pointe Monnier in Port Mathurin to the artificial Îlot des Hollandais, Île aux Fous, and Île aux Diamant. All these islands are located in the gigantic lagoon of Rodrigues, Mauritius. The Idea to Paddle to Île aux Fous The first time Jonas and I drove the northern coast of Rodrigues, I knew I wanted to visit Île aux Fous (Fool’s Island, English alternative name: Booby Island). The island is quite far from the mainland, but it’s still within the safety of the reef. TheContinue reading
Strolling up Mont Limon, the Highest Peak of Rodrigues
We hiked up the peak of Mont Limon on Friday the 15th of April and the 7th of June, 2022. It’s not an impressive feat, but I thought I’d share some pictures anyway. Rodrigues Island Highest Point I already knew for a long time that I wanted to travel to Rodrigues in Mauritius and visit the highest peak. On the only usable map of Rodrigues – OpenStreetMaps – it showed that there’s a big road next to the peak called ‘Mont Limon’ and some stairs up that later become a trail. No big deal. Close to the peak is aContinue reading
Arriving in Rodrigues by Plane from Mauritius
This article is about how we finally managed to travel to Rodrigues by plane on the 12th of April, 2022, despite some hurdles. Rodrigues is a smaller island in the Indian Ocean that’s part of Mauritius and much further east of it. It’s autonomous, which is why they’ve closed to international tourism and even domestic travel for about two years during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Idea of Visiting Rodrigues Booking the Flight + Rodrigues Entry Requirements Finally, in late March, we were ready to book the flight on the Air Mauritius website. Despite success in booking the flight, they chargedContinue reading