A tiny island renowned for its beauty, is accessible by boat from Port Sud-Est (about 25 minutes) or Petite Butte (about 90minutes). No permits are required to visit ÎIe aux Crabes and IIe Hermitage. It's also possible to hire local boats at Rivière Cocos for trips to Île Gombrani or Île Paille-en-Queue.
Île aux Crabes is about 20 minutes by boat from Pointe Corail, the island is being used for a sheep-farming project.
Ilot Cocos is an island sanctuary and breeding ground, barely 1km in length, for huge populations of sea birds: common noddies and lesser noddies are present in their thousands. Bridled tern and
Ile Aux Sables is a recognised nature reserve islet for a few pairs of fairy terns and setting foot on the island is forbidden. The permits required to visit ÎIe Cocos and its even smaller neighbour
Description
Mahebourg named after the famous french Governor Mahe La Bourdonnais but pronounced may burg, was once a busy port. Now it is a run down commercial centre with a small fishing fleet.
The areas for fishing are the St Brandon, Nazareth and Saya de Malha banks on the Mauritius/Seychelles ridge, and the Chagos bank around the Chagos Archipelago, a submarine plateau that lies 2O-25m
Ile Ambre and Ile Bernache are within easy striking distance of Poudre or, only 30 minutes by boat. Some local fisherman may be able to organise trips to the uninhabited islands.
Know more details
At Caverne Patate, in the south-west comer of the island, are some interesting caves with impressive stalagmite and stalactite formations. The requisite permit is issued at the Administration Office