Tropical Escape to Reunion Island
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The intense island awaits you with its breathtaking landscapes.
Explore an island of contrasts and unforgettable adventures.
Must-see locations
Reunion Island: A Paradise of Nature and Culture to Discover
Réunion is a jewel just a few hours' flight from the mainland. A blend of colors and scents, this "intense island" is a wonder for the five senses. The eyes never tire of admiring the waves of the coral reef crashing on the varied colored sands of the beaches of Ermitage, Saint-Pierre, Grande-Anse, or Boucan-Canot, while the catchy rhythm of Séga and the intensity of Maloya, an ancient slave song, serenade your ears.
The Réunion travel guide takes you along the coast where markets daily offer travelers the chance to taste countless exotic fruits and vegetables that a single trip won't cover: guava, pitaya, chayote, longan, or lychee that delights locals every summer. The sun warms and the skin enjoys the freshness of the waterfalls of Salazie, Langevin, or Saint-Benoît.
Finally, along the coasts, the intoxicating scent of frangipani tickles the nostrils and completes the heart's sway. From beaches to mountain peaks, Réunion unfolds in dramatic landscapes, with its highest peak, Piton des Neiges, rising to 3,070 meters above sea level being undoubtedly the best place to watch the sunrise over the sea in the East or its sunset in the West. From there, above the sea of clouds, looms the summit of Piton de la Fournaise whose eruptions delight the luckiest travelers.
A Vibrant Tropical Paradise
Lost in the Indian Ocean, this island is an invitation to escape and discover. Its fine sandy beaches bordered by crystal-clear waters welcome you for unforgettable moments of relaxation, while its majestic mountains invite hikers to explore their secret trails. Every corner of the island reveals breathtaking biodiversity, with its lush forests and hidden waterfalls whispering the melody of nature.
Let yourself be charmed by a rich and colorful cultural heritage, where traditions blend harmoniously with modern influences. Local markets overflow with exotic flavors, offering culinary delights that will awaken your taste buds. Here, Creole cuisine is a symphony of flavors, mixing spices and fresh ingredients in authentic dishes.
Explore picturesque villages perched on the heights, where time seems to have stopped and where the hospitality of the locals makes you feel at home. Participate in a traditional kabar and let yourself be enchanted by the intoxicating rhythms of maloya and sega. This island is much more than just a destination; it is an immersive experience where every moment becomes an unforgettable memory.
Discover the Vibrant Nature of the Island
29°C in the air, just as warm in the water, lush vegetation all around: a true Garden of Eden, it's no surprise that Réunion Island and its tropical climate were a paradise for the first explorers. However, the current landscape of the island has been mainly shaped by humans who introduced most of the fruits found in market stalls. Coconut trees and casuarinas swaying under the trade winds, orchards brimming with mangoes and lychees, cascades of jacarandas and frangipani trees scenting the atmosphere and coloring the green carpets of valleys... It's an explosion of colors and scents at every moment.
But while the fine sand beaches of the west and their seabeds filled with multicolored fish and corals make it an ideal seaside destination, "the intense island" cannot be satisfied with just this simple tropical setting. Apart from snow and glaciers (although...), these southern lands encompass almost every landscape and climate that nature could create. It's inland, within the secret of its lands, that Réunion reveals itself in all its splendor: rugged mountains, primeval forests, endemic fauna and flora without dangerous species, pebble rivers, deep ravines, lunar plains...
Unforgettable Hikes in La Réunion
Reunion is best enjoyed on foot. As you trek, you go back in time, rub shoulders with traditions, and discover a way of life in constant connection with nature. Three cirques, Salazie, Cilaos, and Mafate, are nestled in the heart of the island. With their waterfalls tucked into rugged landscapes, lush ramparts, mountain villages, and kilometers of hiking trails, they have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site since August 2010. Many hamlets, known as îlets, are only accessible on foot.
At the center of the cirques, Piton des Neiges, the highest peak in the Indian Ocean, offers a breathtaking viewpoint. Around it, savannahs, marshes, cliffs, peaks, and fields stretch as far as the eye can see. Near Piton de la Fournaise, vast sandy and desert areas dominate. The volcano, one of the most active in the world, puts on a dazzling display approximately once a year. The island is a magnificent playground for all hikers.
A Cultural Melting Pot in the Heart of Nature
Deserted until 1649, the island of La Réunion only began its permanent settlement in 1665 with the arrival of the first governor, Étienne Regnault. La Réunion has forged its identity through the migratory flows that have marked its history. It is home to Cafres (descendants of African slaves), Malbars, Tamils and Zarabes (from India), Gros Blancs (descendants of white settlers) and Petits Blancs (or Yabs, descendants of many whites ruined by the vagaries of history), Zoreilles (from mainland France), Chinese, Mauritians, Comorians, Mahorais and Malagasy.
Born from the pain of slavery and united today by créolité, the Réunionese society is an example of tolerance for the whole world. More mixed than blended, Creole, secular and religious at the same time, it is not dominated by any ethnic group, whether numerically, culturally or politically. The Réunionese cherish their common identity while remaining faithful to the traditions specific to each community. Here, differences rarely cause disagreements. Feeling above all Réunionese, the island's inhabitants form a pluralistic and harmonious society.
A Rich and Vibrant Culture
Countless Hindu, Buddhist, and Taoist temples, Christian churches, and mosques dot the island, perpetuating the rites of each faith. In Saint-Denis or Saint-Pierre, in the city center, it is not uncommon to hear the muezzin, church bells, and Malabar drums overlapping! Don't miss the beautiful traditional homes (Creole houses) of the great plantations of yesteryear, historical monuments inherited from the East India Company, or even the rum distilleries. Enjoy a varied gastronomy and an authentically Creole local culture, joyfully mixing curry (the reference dish), rougail, chouchou gratin, jujube tart, and even local cheeses and wines!
Culinary inspirations from India, Europe, China, Madagascar, and America are also found in music and dance. Join a "kabar" (these large convivial parties), dance the sega or maloya there. The cultural life of Reunion Island, in addition to being traditionally rich and dynamic, is largely subsidized by the department, region, and state. This ensures quality museums, well-maintained historical monuments, promotion of quality in gastronomy, and varied performances.
Discover the Thrills
Extreme sports find a favorable ground here. Reunion Island, an intense island! On the coast as well as in the highlands, in the waves or on the cliffside, thrill-seekers will not be disappointed. If there are thrill-seeking sports you've wanted to try for ages, now is the time to do it. Whether you travel on foot, on horseback, by mountain bike, 4x4, or quad, it will take you more than a lifetime to discover the thousands of kilometers of trails on Reunion.
The Grand Raid or the Diagonale des Fous, which takes place every year, attracts thousands of runners from all over the world for an exceptional crossing of the island. More than 170 km of mountain trail, over 10,000 m of elevation gain, passing through the interior of the three cirques. The first arrivals do it in about 24 hours. The Cilaos trail and other competitions gather huge crowds each year.
The island of great spectacle, that's also how it's called. From the breaking waves to the mountain peaks, canyoning and rafting are activities that immerse you in pristine nature. Many tours are organized by professionals listed in our guide. In the air, paragliding and paramotoring take you on an unforgettable ride. A small jump at 800 m altitude or 1,600 m for the bravest. Departures are most often from the west coast, more specifically Saint-Leu Bay.
On the water, between whale or dolphin outings, parasailing, jet skiing, but also underwater with diving, or even underground exploring lavatubes: anything is possible. Let the adventure begin!
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