Diving in Rodrigues Island
Why dive here
Rodrigues Island offers some of Mauritius's richest diving, with 258+ marine species recorded in the area - including barracuda, blue sharks, giant moray eels, sperm whales and tiger sharks. Water sits around 29°C.
Rodrigues feels like stepping back in time, and the diving reflects that. We love the uncrowded feeling here, it’s a genuinely relaxed pace. Forget flashy resorts; this is about quiet mornings and honest diving, often with a whole site to yourself. You’ll mostly explore gentle reef slopes, peppered with hard corals like those striking Alveopora colonies, home to a surprising number of wrasse and parrotfish. Keep an eye out for cigar wrasse darting between the rocks, and those bold spotted groupers lurking in the shadows. What really sets Rodrigues apart, though, is the sense of discovery. With only two dive centres, the reefs feel largely untouched. We’ve had incredible encounters with schools of Indo-Pacific tarpon cruising past on morning dives, and the sheer number of scissortail sergeants can be mesmerising. Visibility is generally excellent, often reaching 25-30 metres, giving you ample time to spot the smaller stuff like filamentous blennies on the coral heads. If you’re lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of a sailfish streaking through the blue, particularly during the warmer months. Our favourite time to visit is October to December; the water is warm, and the marine life seems particularly active.
Rodrigues Island Dive Site Map
Dive sites and dive centres in Rodrigues Island
Rodrigues Island Dive Sites
5 dive sites in Rodrigues Island
Aquarium Rodrigues
Aquarium Rodrigues is a site we’ve always held in high regard for new divers, and frankly, anyone who appreciates a vibrant, shallow reef. Dropping down to a maximum of 12 metres, it’s a perfect spot for getting comfortable in the water, but don’t mistake easy for boring. We’ve spent many an hour here just letting the gentle current drift us past walls of cauliflower coral, so dense they ripple in the surge. The sheer number of juvenile fish here is what sets it apart. Imagine schools of blackstriped cardinalfish swirling around you, or the subtle dance of a threespot righteye flounder trying its best to blend into the sand. You’ll spot hexagon groupers lurking under ledges and beautiful Indian Ocean oriental sweetlips parading through the corals. It’s an easy dive, often with minimal current, allowing you to really slow down and appreciate the smaller details – look closely for blennies peeking out of holes and the quick dart of a fire dartfish. Our favourite part? The afternoon sun really lights up the coral here, making the colours pop even more. If you’re looking to practice your photography or just enjoy a relaxed dive without battling conditions, Aquarium Rodrigues is our pick.
eco-evasion
Eco-Evasion is a proper Rodrigues wild card, and we love it for that. Drift diving is usually the name of the game here, so be ready for a bit of a ride. The current often pulls you along a wall that just drops off into the deep, and that’s where the action is. Keep an eye out for larger pelagics – we’ve seen Mahi Mahi cruising past, and there’s always a chance of a Blue Shark making an appearance. But it’s not just about the big stuff. The wall itself is covered in corals like Montipora and Starry cup, and in the calmer sections, we’ve found little pockets of Bristle-toothed Surgeonfish and Longfin Bannerfish hanging out. The wrasse population here is something else – Adorned Wrasse and Two-tone Wrasse are everywhere, flitting about amongst the hard corals. This site really suits divers who appreciate a dynamic dive, happy to go with the flow and keep their eyes peeled for whatever the ocean throws their way. Come here for the possibility of something special, not a guaranteed checklist dive.
La Passe St. Francois
La Passe St. Francois is a rush, pure and simple. We love a good channel dive, and this one delivers. You drop in and immediately feel the push of the outgoing tide, a proper conveyor belt ride. It’s a drift, obviously, so just go with it. We’ve had incredible luck here with grey reef sharks, often patrolling the deeper edges, just cruising. Keep an eye out into the blue for eagle rays; they glide past with such elegance, totally unfazed. The coral isn’t the star of the show here – it’s more about the pelagics and the sheer thrill of the current. We’d suggest timing your dive with the outgoing tide; that’s when the action really picks up. It’s an advanced dive, no doubt, given the currents, but for those comfortable with a bit of a push, it’s exhilarating. You’ll feel the surge, hear the water moving around you, and sometimes the light just glints off a school of barracuda hanging in the flow. It’s raw, wild Rodrigues diving, and we absolutely rate it.
Rodrigues Diving
Rodrigues, often overlooked for its larger sibling Mauritius, offers a quieter, more intimate dive experience. We found the sites here generally less crowded, which is always a bonus. Rodrigues Diving, while a broad label for the island’s offerings, often refers to the lively outer reef system near the main harbour. We particularly like the drift dives here when the current is running, letting you effortlessly glide past schools of Black-barred Surgeonfish and Bullethead Parrotfish. Keep an eye out for the Giant Morays peeking from the honeycomb and stony corals. The sheer density of smaller reef fish – the Crossroads Reefgoby, the shy Variable Stromb – is what truly makes this spot sing for us. Visibility is typically solid, often pushing 25 metres on a good day, especially from October to December. Early morning dives here often bring out the bigger Hexagon Groupers and Blotched Fantail Rays before the boat traffic picks up. It’s a great spot for intermediate divers comfortable with some drift, offering a proper Indian Ocean reef feel without the strong currents sometimes found elsewhere.
TRAVELLER
The Traveller isn't about deep diving; it’s about history and how a reef reclaims what man leaves behind. This sailing vessel, sunk in 1897, sits right on the surface, its hull a dark, barnacle-encrusted shadow just a metre or two below the water. We love grabbing a mask and snorkel for this one, especially on a calm morning when the light hits it just right. What you see here isn't a pristine ship, but a skeletal outline that feels incredibly ancient. The wood has long since given way, leaving ribs and frames that are now solid with coral and anemones. Tiny damselfish dart in and out of every nook, and we’ve often spotted juvenile sweetlips hiding in the shadowed sections of the hull. It’s a fascinating place to free dive, tracing the outline of the deck, imagining the last moments of the ship. We'd suggest aiming for high tide to get the best view without scraping a knee on the coral heads that have grown up around it. It’s an easy, rewarding experience, perfect for a relaxed afternoon exploring a piece of Rodrigues’ past.
Rodrigues Island Dive Centres
2 dive shops and operators in Rodrigues Island
Ocean Wildlife in Rodrigues Island
258 species recorded in Rodrigues Island
Rodrigues Island Daylight & Sunrise/Sunset
Sunrise and sunset times for Rodrigues Island, calculated from coordinates
Today - Monday 24 August
Sunrise
06:03
Sunset
17:37
Daylight
11h 35m
Golden Hour
17:07
First light (dawn) at 05:40 · Last light (dusk) at 18:00
Monthly Averages
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 05:20 | 18:32 | 13h 12m |
| Feb | 05:39 | 18:24 | 12h 45m |
| Mar | 05:49 | 18:03 | 12h 14m |
| Apr | 05:57 | 17:37 | 11h 39m |
| May | 06:08 | 17:19 | 11h 12m |
| JunShortest | 06:19 | 17:16 | 10h 57m |
| Jul | 06:22 | 17:24 | 11h 3m |
| AugNow | 06:09 | 17:35 | 11h 26m |
| Sep | 05:44 | 17:42 | 11h 58m |
| Oct | 05:17 | 17:49 | 12h 31m |
| Nov | 05:01 | 18:03 | 13h 2m |
| DecLongest | 05:03 | 18:22 | 13h 19m |
Times are approximate local times based on longitude. Actual times may vary slightly depending on the exact timezone observed in Rodrigues Island.
Where to Stay near Rodrigues Island
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Marine Protected Areas near Rodrigues Island
2 protected areas near Rodrigues Island - please respect local regulations when diving
Ile Aux Cocos
Ile Aux Sables
Getting to Rodrigues Island
Port Mathurin
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