Rodrigues Island

An autonomous island of Mauritius located some 560 kilometres to the northeast, Rodrigues is a small volcanic island encircled by a shallow lagoon larger in area than the island itself. The island's population maintains a largely subsistence fishing and agricultural economy, and its relative isolation has preserved a traditional Creole culture distinct from Mauritius proper. The lagoon's extensive seagrass beds shelter endemic fish and the island is a base for fishing, snorkeling, and kite-surfing.