From Port Sud-Est, you can take a small boat to the islands of Hermitage and Cat Island off the south coast of Rodrigues. A sailboat lets you explore the coves of the southern lagoon. This offers two different ways to enjoy the water: a trip to the named island destinations or an exploration of lagoon coves. If you are looking for hotels in Port Sud-Est, you can first decide which of these options better suits your travel plans.
Port Sud-Est and the wider context of Rodrigues
Rodrigues is 18 km long and 8 km wide. These dimensions provide a geographical framework for the broader destination. The two water activities from Port Sud-Est are specific to this location within that wider context; other themes relating to nature, landscapes and culture concern Rodrigues as a whole. This makes it possible to distinguish the search for a place to stay from the question of which other aspects of the destination interest you. Rodrigues is slightly more than twice as long as it is wide, which gives a clear sense of the island’s elongated shape.
In the southwest of Rodrigues, the François Leguat Reserve lies in a limestone landscape with nine caves and sinkholes. The reserve offers guided tours through a valley with hundreds of giant tortoises, tropical birds and tens of thousands of native trees. Four galleries in the reserve’s museum give visitors an insight into the natural history of Rodrigues. The tour and museum focus on different things: the guided tour takes you through the valley, while the galleries present the island’s natural history.
The Grande Caverne in the François Leguat Reserve also features impressive limestone formations. At Mont Limon, there are views of Rodrigues’ geological relief, agricultural terraces and the ocean. These offer two different landscape perspectives: the cave foregrounds its limestone formations, while the view from Mont Limon takes in the relief, terraces and ocean.
The Rodrigues region has ten marine protected areas. This figure places marine conservation in the context of the region and adds a broader maritime perspective to the specific water activities from Port Sud-Est.
Sega Tambour adds culture to the themes of nature and landscape. The traditional dance of Rodrigues was added to UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2017. This offers a different perspective for planning a trip than the boat trips and the François Leguat Reserve: here, the focus is on a cultural tradition and its recognition as intangible cultural heritage.
Start with the focus that guides your choice of where to stay, then incorporate other regional interests into your travel plans.
Discover more destinations: Grande Montagne, Terre Rouge, La Ferme, Petit Gabriel, Saint Gabriel
Back to the main travel overview: Rodrigues.
