Things To Do In Reunion

Things To Do

• Be seen on the über stylish St Gilles beach
• Explore Cirque de Salazie on foot
• Browse the local Saturday morning market in the capital, St Denis
• Book in for lunch at Villa Angelique after browsing the Modern Art Museum
• Get up close to active Piton de la Fournaise
• Fill up with a traditional lunch at a Creole village, high in the mountains
• Take a helicopter trip over the Cirques if funds permit – you won't regret it

Réunion is ruggedly beautiful, an island of contrasts. Three cirques or amphitheatres dominate the topography and the climate is temperate in the mountains. The east coast is characterised by verdant, tropical vegetation and wild, black volcanic beaches. The west coast is generally dry, with golden, sandy beaches.

The island is a French department and has the most sophisticated infrastructure in the Indian Ocean. Over 1000 kilometres of hiking trails cross the interior uplands, with gîtes or mountain houses along the way.

Outdoor pursuits

The island caters for almost every sporting interest. Popular outdoor pursuits include canyonning (abseiling in waterfalls), paragliding, horseriding, and mountain biking. The coral reefs off the lively west coast town of St Gilles-les-Bains attract scubadivers, while the famous ‘left hand waves’ of nearby St Leu beckon surfers from around the globe.

Fauna, flora & birds

The luxuriant mountain forest of Bébour Bélouve will attract any nature enthusiast and birders may ‘tick off’ most of Réunion’s endemic birds in the course of a single walk. No visitor should miss the aweinspiring experience of standing in the crater of Piton de la Fournaise.

Hotels in Réunion

Our hotels have been chosen for their charm, attentive service and good food, whether in a sophisticated, 4-star hotel at St Gilles or in a simple inn overlooking Piton des Neiges, the Indian Ocean’s highest peak. See the traditional Creole houses when you visit the street market at nearby St Paul, or hike from Maido, the amazing ‘balcony’ overlooking Mafate. The helicopter trip over the rugged interior is unforgettable.

If you want to explore the spectacular scenery, we recommend a self-drive tour. You can follow our sample itinerary or we will arrange the itinerary of your choice.