The Boat Day We Won't Forget: Île aux Chats, Snorkelling & Fresh Fish BBQ
A boat day between Île aux Chats and Île l'Hermitage: a tiny island full of cats, snorkelling in a marine reserve with strong currents, constant wind and a fish BBQ worth the trip. The authentic side of Rodrigues.
DESTINATION
6/12/20264 min read
There are days you don't really plan. You leave in the morning with no particular expectations, the wind already strong enough to move anything that isn't nailed down, and you come back in the evening with that kind of happy exhaustion that's hard to explain but instantly recognisable.
Our boat day in Rodrigues was exactly that.
Before you go: the wind, the current, and lesson number one about Rodrigues
If there's one thing you learn fast on this island, it's that the wind decides everything. It's not like other places where wind is an occasional nuisance — here it's a constant presence, part of the landscape itself. Locals have always lived alongside it. Tourists take a little longer to adjust.
The morning of the boat trip the sky was clear, but the air was moving hard, as usual. We'd already been warned: the area is windy, the current can be strong, and snorkelling in the marine reserve depends entirely on conditions. No guarantees.
We brought the masks anyway.
Out to sea: heading to Île aux Chats
The boat was small — the kind of boat that makes you actually feel the sea, not the sanitised catamaran-tourist version. Every wave registered, every shift in the wind too. Our guide for the day was Jeff, and thanks to him we had some truly unforgettable moments.
Tom was comfortable immediately, as always when he's on the water. Me a little less so, but in a good way — that mix of excitement and mild vertigo that tells you you're doing something real.
Île aux Chats is a tiny islet, and the name doesn't lie. As the boat gets closer you start spotting the cats — dozens of them, scattered across the rocks, stretched out in the shade, watching with that quiet superiority only cats and certain old locals seem to possess. It's not a zoo, it's not a built attraction: it's simply a place where cats took up residence and visitors are welcome guests. The water around it shifts colour as you approach — from deep blue to turquoise, then almost green-blue over the shallow seabed. A strange place, in the best possible sense.
A trail lets you walk the whole perimeter of the island, passing through cotton flower plants, blindingly white beaches and anthracite rock.
Lunch was a fresh fish barbecue. Not the kind of barbecue you eat in a restaurant with paper napkins and a laminated menu. The kind you eat outside, with your hands, with the sound of the sea nearby and the smell of smoke mixing with salt air.
Freshly caught fish, local spices, something cold to drink. Tom was talking to the fishermen in Creole — I understood little, but the tone was that of easy conversation, people sharing something without needing to explain it.
There are moments when you understand why you chose this life. That was one of them.
Snorkelling in the reserve (when the sea allows)
Conditions that day were borderline — the current was strong, as it often is in this area, and the wind wasn't helping. We snorkelled anyway, but it's one of those experiences that reminds you the sea isn't an amusement park: it has its own rules, its own rhythms, and respect isn't optional.
The seabed was extraordinary — colourful fish, coral still intact, light filtering down in ways no photo can fully capture. Tom swam ahead, I followed, trying not to lose sight of the boat.
Would we go back? Yes. With calmer water, we'd stay in twice as long.
💡 Practical tip: always ask local guides about conditions before booking. Not out of fear, but to get the most out of it — with a flat sea, this excursion becomes something else entirely.
Île l'Hermitage: the view you don't expect
After snorkelling, the boat headed to Île l'Hermitage — small, bare, with nothing built for tourism. There are no tables, no space to stop and eat — it's a stop for moving through, not sitting down.
Smaller than the previous island, but with a view that stops you in your tracks. A ten-minute walk gets you to the top, where you have a 360-degree view of the reserve around you. From up there you can see all the small islands scattered nearby and every shade of colour the ocean is capable of. You can also see Mourouk beach, its kitesurf sails driven by the wind that never stops on this side of the island.
What to bring and what to expect
Waterproof sunscreen — non-negotiable. The sun reflected off the water is ruthless.
Towel and a change of clothes — you'll spend time in the water, and you'll probably get wet outside it too, from the waves.
A windbreaker or light layer — even when the sun is warm, the wind can turn unpleasant quickly, especially if clouds roll in.
Sea legs — the boat is small and the sea in Rodrigues isn't always flat. If you get seasick, mention it to the organiser beforehand.
Flexible expectations for snorkelling — conditions vary, and that's part of the experience. It's not a flaw, it's the authenticity of the place.
No rush — this isn't a checklist day. It's a day to live slowly.
The point
Rodrigues isn't an island that puts you at ease straight away. The wind pushes, the sea has character, things don't always go exactly as planned. But that's precisely what makes it special — it asks something of you in return, and when it gives something back you feel like you earned it.
The boat day was one of those gifts.
Questions about the trip or how to organise it? Write to us — we're always happy to share what we've learned on the ground.