Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
d'Esny is also the jumping-off point for those interested in visiting the nature reserve on
Île aux Aigrettes.
Sights
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Blue Bay Marine Park
In an effort to protect the area's rich underwater forest of rare corals from encroaching de-
velopment, the government has given Blue Bay 'marine park' status. Besides a mandate
barring high-speed watercrafts it seems that conservation plans are a bit laissez-faire and
local environmentalists fear that irreversible coral bleaching is inevitable, which is a
shame as this is the best snorkelling spot on the island.
There are no 'official' tours of the marine park like on Île aux Aigrettes - the protected
patches of coral can be easily explored on a snorkelling outing or on an excursion aboard
a glass-bottom boat (figure on around Rs 200 per person for one hour).
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Île aux Aigrettes
This popular ecotourism destination is a 26-hectare nature reserve on an island roughly
800m off the coast. It preserves very rare remnants of the coastal forests of Mauritius and
provides a sanctuary for a range of endemic and endangered wildlife species. Visits are
only possible as part of a guided tour.
As the guides to Île aux Aigrettes rightly point out, this is the last place in Mauritius
where you can see it as the first explorers did almost five centuries before - everywhere
else, the land has been tamed. Many of the animals and plants are unique to the area, like
Aldabra giant tortoises, ebony trees, wild orchids and the endangered pink pigeon. The
Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (
Click here
)
manages the reserve and conducts tours.
