This week’s dream: rugged Indian Ocean paradise

The Indian Ocean island of Rodrigues is governed from nearby Mauritius and is often called its "little sister" – but the two feel very different, says Paul Richardson in the Observer. That's partly because of their contrasting landscapes: Mauritius is lush, whereas Rodrigues is rocky and deforested. But it's also because Rodrigues, though "extraordinarily beautiful", is so much more down to earth than its glitzy neighbour. There are no luxury resorts: visitors must make do with public beaches and guesthouses run by local Creole families. Yet it is precisely this simplicity – and the paucity of tourists – that makes the island seem such a "paradise".

Rodrigues is "the last scrap of Africa before you reach Southeast Asia", and although tiny – 18km long and 8km wide – it is "full of cultural oddities that charm and puzzle". The population is largely of African origin, but the

"delicious" local cuisine also has strong Indian roots. And while the British held sway here from 1809 until 1968, the influence of the island's previous colonial masters – the French – goes deeper. People might eat Weetabix and use three-pin plugs, but they speak Creole French, pronouncing the island's name - that of a Portuguese explorer - the French way, with two syllables.

The capital, Port Mathurin, has a "low-rise, somnolent, villagey feel", but bursts into colourful life on market days. Elsewhere, there is "plenty to see" – pretty walking trails across the "fertile, hilly interior"; beautiful coral reefs for divers to explore; and splendid stalactites and tortoises on display "in picturesque surroundings" at the aptly named François Leguat Giant Tortoise and Cave Reserve. The island's main attraction, though, is its necklace of "delectable" beaches: while all are open to the public, you'll rarely have to share their sparkling white sand with more than a stray hen or two.

Air Mauritius (020 7434 4375) flies to Rodrigues from Heathrow from £872 return.