‘Change is coming to this Indian Ocean island, making now the time to go’

Rodrigues, Mauritius

Rodrigues is often portrayed as “how Mauritius used to be decades ago”. A 90-minute flight east, it is only 11 miles long by five wide and is ringed by a bewitching, and much larger, turquoise lagoon. This ensures a bountiful supply of fresh fish and octopus at reasonable prices. A plate of perfectly grilled tuna at Le Marlin Bleu in the capital, Port Mathurin, costs £9. And it is not just the seafood that is affordable; a car for the day starts at £27.

The Indian Ocean island is extremely safe and has good hiking, particularly on the east coast (where, incidentally, the best beaches are). A growing commitment to sustainability has seen plastic bags banned while the island’s two stellar sights – the Grande Montagne Nature Reserve and François Leguat Reserve – are committed to rewilding. An hour’s boat ride west, Île aux Cocos is a sanctuary for some 45,000 seabirds, principally noddies and terns.

Change is coming, of course, making now the time to go. Last month, the first cruise ships in over a decade called in and the runway is being extended to accommodate aircraft larger than the Air Mauritius ATR 72s that currently shuttle back and forth across the Indian Ocean.

A 71-room designer resort, PLAY Mourouk, recently opened, offering top-class kitesurfing. Its smaller sister property, Tekoma Boutik Hotel, has a more relaxed vibe.

How to do it

Seven nights at PLAY Mourouk with Travel Counsellors (01892 882 750; travelcounsellors.com) costs from £2,387pp half board including international flights and transfers; departs March 2 .

Nigel Tisdall first visited Rodrigues for Telegraph Travel in 2000, savouring a remote island “startlingly free of mass tourism”. Returning in November, he found a modern airport and better roads but the island remains a place for peace, warmth and solitude.