Mauritius Gem

Île aux Aigrettes

A coral islet off Mahébourg where the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation has rebuilt the island's ebony forest and returned pink pigeons, giant tortoises and skinks to it.

Île aux Aigrettes, Mauritius
Photo: Esculapio, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Why go

Mauritius lost most of its native species to rats, monkeys and sugar. On this islet they have been put back. You walk through ebony forest that no longer exists on the mainland, past Aldabra tortoises doing the job the extinct Mauritian ones did, and if you are lucky a pink pigeon, of which there were once nine left in the world.

How to do it

Guided visits only, booked through the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation from Pointe Jérôme, south of Mahébourg. About two hours including the boat. Closed shoes, no food. Book a day or two ahead in high season.

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