Réunion, born from the union of fire and water, is an island of unparalleled richness, a jewel of the Indian Ocean who surprises, enchants, captivates and wins over all who visit her. Although small, you will never be bored there as it is an active island, with its ever-changing scenery. For past centuries, this island had welcome Arab, Portuguese, British and Dutch sailors who stop there to replenish water and food stores, but several Frenchmen started to settle there later accompanied by their servants from Madagascar, including some women. With an active volcano on its south coast, 17 miles of warm, welcoming beaches in the west, and lots of mountains and forests in between, Reunion Island offers vacation opportunities ranging from relaxing to truly insane.
Situated in the South-West part of the Indian Ocean, Reunion is one of the youngest islands of the Indian Ocean. Born 3 million years ago, it still has a highly mountainous relief with continued volcanic activity today. With the combined forces of the ocean, the air and the movements of the earth’s crust, an island of astonishing scenery has risen from the sea, with a wide diversity of landscapes, climates and natural habitats: sunny beaches, a young lagoon with a thousand corals, calderas sculpted by erosion overlooked by the magnificent Piton des Neiges, the highest point in the Indian ocean (3,071 metres), ancient forests, a glowering volcano, unique birds, wild orchids, and much more.
This sunny little outpost of France is undoubtedly an original tropical destination in more ways than one. Réunion is a world in its own right, no other island of its size offers as many attractions and surprises. Réunion: an island, a world which will open its arms to you!
Information for eager travellers
Situated in the South-West part of the Indian Ocean (21° South, 55° East), 230 km south-west of Mauritius and 800 km east of Madagascar, Réunion covers an area of 2500km² in the Indian Ocean. It is a French overseas territory and as such has the same legal infrastructure and currency as France. The Island, of volcanic origins, has two major mountain zones; the Cirque de Cilaos and the Cirque de Mafate, and the active volcano Piton-de-la-fournaise, which erupts fairly regularly.
The coastline is mainly made up of cliffs and rocky beaches eroded by the waves. From West to South, a belt of coral reefs barely 8,000 years old and over 30km long, shelters the sandy beaches from the open sea. Discover the magical abundance of the fauna and flora of the ocean floor likes the beautiful corals, fish and other marine creature.
Throughout the island, many activities are available. On mountain: hiking, mountain biking, mountain climbing; in the sea/river: kayaking, aquatic canyoning and in the air: paragliding and parachute. Also proposed leisure to take a rest and breathe for a moment, at the sea on the white sand gently warm by the sun, or in the nature park of the island. Talking about climate, Réunion benefits from a tropical climate softened by the breezes of the Indian Ocean. The sun shines down all year round, especially in the north, west and south of the island.
When talking about activities also imply accommodation. Accommodations proposed in Réunion are Hotel, villas, guest house, apartment and so-on, ranging from 1star to 4 stars.
And then there is the food! Local delicacies and culinary sensations, reflecting the different culture brought to you from overseas. You can taste the local traditional food like the “Rougaille Saucisse”, “Cari ti-vitesse” for example. Beside this, you can also find Occidental and Asian foods brought by the multi-racial people living in Réunion originating in Madagascar, Africa, China, and God knows where else.
If after some activities you feel tired, or you feel stressed and empty of energy, try the wellness. Spas and wellness centres distributed evenly over the island. You can find peace of mind and deep relaxation under knowing hand, enjoying massage and other type of relaxation.
With the exotics garden, the white sand, the beautiful sunset on the beach with the adequate view, this unites the ideal ingredient for the honeymooners. Hotels offers to the honeymooners intimidate and peaceful places for them to enjoy their stay. During your honeymoon trip to Reunion, you can let romance flow over twenty miles of beaches, from Saint-Paul to Petite-Ile. La Saline lagoon, with its warm and shallow waters would surely ignite your passion. Be sure-starting up your marital life after the experience of honeymoon in Reunion would be a splendid one.
When coming to Réunion, many secrets awaits you. Missing this will be a great loss. Visit the fauna and flora of Réunion, the blue lagoon and botanical garden with the qualify guides who will reveal to you the hidden mysteries of Réunion on each trip.
What you should know before booking:
The official language is French, however many Réunion residents speak Creole. English is not widely spoken on Réunion, particularly in the out-of-town areas. As being part of France, the official currency used is Euro. There are many ATM located around the island that accept most major international credit cards. While most businesses will accept Visa and MasterCard, it is always advised that you have some cash on you as some of the smaller towns may not be credit-card friendly. Some businesses do not accept credit card payments for small purchase – generally below 15 Euros.
Island’s weather information:
Reunion benefits from a tropical climate softened by the breezes of the Indian Ocean. The sun shines down all year round, especially in the north, west and south of the island. The year is divided up into two long periods: the warm and humid season, from November to April, and the fresher and drier season which runs from May to October. The summer period reaches its peak between January and February with temperature well over 30° by the coast while the winter is better off between July and August with slightly fresher temperature ranging through 24-25°. However, beware if you’re heading up into the mountains: the drop in temperature can come as a shock.