Islets of Mauritius

Mauritius itself is some 1865km2 in size yet it is also surrounded by a number of smaller islets each one different and unique in its own way. There are 49 islets surrounding the larger mainland many of which have been able to retain some of the pristine environment Mauritius once had but lost due to settlement. Because of their remoteness from the island, the fauna and flora have remained almost unchanged with time though introduced predators have done a lot of damage when humans visited the island. Extending all over the Mauritian waters, many of the islets have become tourist attractions and nature reserves.

Round Island
Declared a nature reserve under the Forest and Nature Act 1983, Round Island is a beautiful little place in the north of Mauritius with a number of endangered species such as the round island gecko, skink and boa; access is denied to the public since it is a protected area.

Ilot Gabriel
Some kilometres off Round Island is ilot Gabriel, a 42 ha flat piece of land that is also home to a number of endemic species and a common lunch point for catamaran cruises.

Pigeon rock
This is a massive rock that juts out of the sea and where seabirds can be seen resting and nesting; because of the topography of the islet and rough waters, it is quite difficult to get there.

Coin de mire
Covering 65ha, this small islet is also a nature reserve as it harbours endemic species of skink and geckos and endemic birds like the Wedged tail shearwater, the Red tailed tropic bird and the White tailed tropic bird can be seen flying around.

Serpent Island
With a surface area of 19ha, this islet is also a nature reserve that houses a very rich fauna and flora amongst which are the lesser night gecko, Bojer’s skink, giant tarantula spiders and some rare birds like the Red Tailed Tropic bird, Brown noddy, Sooty tern, Masked booby and the Lesser noddy.

Dead Man Island
Found in the north of the island, this is a place where numerous shipwrecks have taken place.

Ile d’Ambre
Found off the east coast of Mauritius, ile d’Ambre is quite a large islet of 137ha covered mostly with degraded forest and sparse mangrove trees; it also has some native palm species that are unfortunately not regenerating.

Ile Bernache
Closely associated with ile d’Ambre is ile Bernache which is taken into consideration in the management plan of ile d’Ambre in terms of linking the two islets by a bridge to facilitate access and management.

Ilot Fournaise
Named after the famous volcano of La Reunion, the islet is also considered as one with ile d’Ambre.

Ile aux cerfs
East to Mauritius, the islet has no deer population but a gorgeous golf course and bar; it is a very quiet place with calm surrounding waters for swimming and diving and a common leisure area both for locals and tourists.

Ile de L’est and Ilot Chats
These islets are closely related merging at low tides to form one bigger island.

Ilot Lubines
It is very close to ilot chats and is a natural reserve because of its rich ecosystem.

Ile des deux cocos
The islet was used in the past as a coconut plantation estate by the French but however due to bad harvest because of a cylone, it was abandoned later on.

Ile de la Passe
Located off the south east coast of Mauritius, this is a very important islet to the history of Mauritius as it is the place where numerous fights took place over possession of the island by the French and the British. The islet still has remains of degrading forts built by ancient colonies.

Ile aux Aigrettes
Covering an area of 65ha, ile aux Aigrettes is one of the most important nature reserves of the island as it harbours some very important flora and fauna such as the ebony tree once found all over the island and the ornate day gecko; it is currently managed by the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation.

Grand port islets
A number of small islets exist in that region such as ilot Flamants, ilot Vacoas, ilot Fouquet, ilot Fous, ilot Oiseaux, Rocher des Oiseaux, ilot Roches, ilot Marianne, ilot Chats, ilot Singes and Mouchoir Rouge.

Ilot sancho
Located in the south of the island, this coralline islet is quite young and covered with some vegetation.

Ilot Albatross
This is a nature reserve found in the south of the island as it is a common destination for a number of migratory birds.

Ile aux Benitiers
Found on the south west coast of Mauritius, this bean shaped coralline islet covers some 65ha. The northern part of the islet is a common place for migratory birds to rest while the surrounding water is rich in coral species making it a good place for diving.

Benitiers rock
Close to ile aux Benitiers is this massive rock with its rugged structures that harbours some filao trees.