A small paradise in the Indian Ocean and a playground for hikers, Reunion Island is a jewel just a few hours' flight from the mainland. A mix of colors and scents, the island nicknamed "the intense island" is a marvel for the five senses. The eyes never tire of admiring the waves of the coral reef crashing on the colorful sand of the beaches of Hermitage, Saint-Pierre, Grande-Anse or Boucan-Canot, while the lively rhythm of the Sega and the intensity of the Maloya, the ancient song of the slaves, lull your ears. The tourist guide of Reunion Island will take you along the coast where markets are held daily to offer the traveler's taste buds the chance to taste the countless exotic fruits and vegetables that a trip will not suffice to discover: guava, pitaya, chouchou, longani or even the letchi that is the joy of the Reunionese every summer. The sun heats up and the skin delights in the freshness of the waterfalls of Salazie, Langevin or Saint-Benoît. Finally, along the coasts, the intoxicating smell of frangipani trees titillates the nostrils and completes to make the hearts capsize. From the beaches to the mountain tops, Reunion Island is steeped in dramatic landscapes, of which the highest peak, the Piton des Neiges, culminating at 3,070 m of altitude is undoubtedly the best place to observe the sunrise over the sea in the East or its sunset in the West. From there, above the sea of clouds, the top of the Piton de la Fournaise points out, whose eruptions make the happiness of the luckiest travelers.

When to go Réunion ?

The high tourist season extends from October to April, at least for the Metropolitans who come to Reunion Island for the sun when it is cold at home. However, the school vacations of the Reunionese fill up the planes and hotels and increase the prices, especially from December 20th to the end of January and from mid-July to mid-August. These two effects combined make the period from the beginning of November to the end of January the most imperative time to book for any accommodation, car or plane, because otherwise there is only the most expensive.

A New Year's Eve in Reunion Island is an unforgettable moment, to be celebrated on the beaches of the west coast.

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Practical information for travel Réunion
From the inevitable cirques to the volcano, through the many gullies that slope down to the beaches, there is no shortage of ideas. So to fully enjoy the island, get up at dawn, when the cockerel starts to ruffle its feathers. Clear skies will be yours. And don't forget that booking is the key word of your stay. From accommodation to the restaurant, without forgetting your activities, it is strongly advised to book in advance, especially on weekends. The tourist offices will be good advice to build your stay according to your desires. And above all, they will be able to give you the little tips you need to know.
The intense island will surprise you! So be as vigilant! Between the currents, which can be very powerful, and the waterways, which can swell in a few minutes, remember that nature can be unpredictable all year round. Be smart!

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How to go Réunion

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How to go alone

Reunion Island presents no difficulties for independent travelers. Hotels and restaurants are extremely varied and function as they do in metropolitan France. Similarly, travel is easy and the locals willingly offer their help in case of difficulty. Hiking enthusiasts should keep an eye on the weather forecast and signal their intentions if they are traveling alone.

How to go on a tour

Many tour operators offer thematic tours: hiking, culture, beaches, volcano. Stays generally last between 10 and 15 days and allow to have a very nice overview of the island and its richness. Some trips are sometimes proposed with an excursion to the neighboring islands: Mayotte, Mauritius, Rodrigues or Madagascar.

How to get around

By bus. The yellow bus network serves almost the entire island, and is sometimes combined with other more localized companies. Any destination can be reached for a few euros.

By car. This is the means of transportation that gives you the most freedom and will allow you to reach the starting points of hikes. There are many car rental companies, but in high season it is better to book well in advance to avoid surprises.

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Discover Réunion

Fascinating island-department nestled in the heart of the Indian Ocean, Reunion can be discovered and learned between the lines of its history, on the pages of a guidebook, in the tales and legends of its inhabitants, on the paths of one of its innumerable hikes or in the hollow of its turquoise waves, but above all in the course of renewed journeys towards its green cliffs. For if Reunion has a talent, it is above all that of bewitching the traveller and of revealing itself only little by little, over the course of encounters and stopovers. Born of crossbreeding, Reunion has shaped its population and its landscapes by joining men and nature from the four corners of the world: China, Malaysia, India, Mozambique, Madagascar, Portugal, France and many others. A richness that makes this precious island unmissable as well as unforgettable. However, its geographical situation and its growing population require it to constantly take up new challenges.

Pictures and images Réunion

Cilaos, petite ville charmante installée au coeur du cirque de Cilaos. Author's Image
Vue aérienne de l'île de la Réunion. shutterstock - beboy
Maison créole traditionnelle, La Réunion. shutterstock - A. Karnholz
Pic de la Fournaise. Dimitri Coutandy - Shutterstock.com

The 12 keywords Réunion

1. #Babouk

Babouk © wrightouthere - stock.adobe.com.jpg

With its long legs, this spider(Heteropoda venatoria), harmless and typical of the Indian Ocean islands, gives goose bumps to those who come across it. Its body measures 2.2 to 2.8 cm and its legs can reach 12 cm. It doesn't spin its web, but slips into the smallest nooks and crannies of huts and surprises with its great leaps.

2. #Bouchon

You'll see a lot of them! On the one hand, these bite-sized pieces of pork or chicken meat, wrapped in a sheet of pastry and then steamed, are a local Chinese-inspired specialty. On the other, traffic jams... on the roads. The rush-hour traffic jams on the coast road will give you plenty of time to enjoy the sea view.

3. #Carri

Cari © Unclesam - stock.adobe.com.jpg

A benchmark dish in local gastronomy, this specialty is made from a base of white rice, accompanied by meat, fish, seafood or other ingredients, simmered with onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger and turmeric. It is accompanied by "grains" (Cape peas, white beans or lentils), and sometimes also "bredes".

4. # Gossiping #

The Reunionese take a malicious pleasure in mocking, teasing and making fun of each other, in short, in moukater. If these verbal acrobatics are generally fair game, moukatage spares no one. The island is small and rumours circulate at full speed on the ladilafé (gossip). An island's hobby: everything is known.

5. #Cirques

Cirque de Mafate. shutterstock - DOUSSET Daniel.jpg

In geological terms, the cirque is a basin formed by the subsidence of a mountain. There are three cirques in Reunion: Cilaos, Mafate and Salazie. In the heart of the island, protected by ramparts of more than 1,000 m in height, they are only connected to the outside world by a river, which runs through gorges. Real worlds apart!

6. #Creole

Designating a language, a people and a culture, Creole is the very identity of the island. Speaking Creole is the first change of scenery that a tourist encounters. An imprecise mixture, so deeply rooted in the customs, Reunion Island's creolity is perpetually enriched by the specificities of the people who live there.

7. #Sleep

The dodo is a large bird that has been extinct for many years. There were some in Mauritius, and perhaps also in Reunion Island, although this has never been scientifically proven. In any case, this is what the legend has always wanted, to the point that today the dodo is one of the emblems of the island, and especially of the local beer, the Bourbon brand.

8. #Sleeping

It's not you who takes a nap under the filaos after a good picnic, but a reptile, the best known of which is the panther chameleon. Originally from Madagascar, it has populated the island with its colourful colours, but it is nowadays very threatened. Its extreme slowness makes it vulnerable to cars and predators.

9. #Straw-in-tail

Un paille-en-queue. shutterstock - Pierre-Yves Babelon.jpg

Named so because of its long tail, this white bird of the South Seas, spotted with black lines, is the emblem of Reunion Island, even if it is curiously not an endemic species of the island. You will be able to observe it along the cliffs of Reunion Island, or near the gullies, between two fishing parties where it attacks small sea fishes.

10. #Ravine

A gully is a natural geomorphological and hydrogeological formation created by water runoff that you will find everywhere on the island. They bear the names of historical characters, animals that are fished there, or are the mark of a romantic or dramatic story. They have a lot to tell you and bring you to life.

11. #Zamal

Zamal is a much sought-after herb that grows in the shade of prying eyes. Probably arrived with the engaged ones in the XIXth century, the plant acclimatized very well in Reunion Island and replaces cannabis today. Do not forget that it is, of course, forbidden and that the penalties incurred are the same as in France.

12. #Zoreil

Zoreil is the name given to people from France, whether they are tourists or long-term residents. Legends say that the outstretched ear of the metro that does not understand Creole turns red in the sun or that the punishment that the foremen reserved for chestnuts was to cut off the ear.

You are from here, if...

You always ask for rougail in your carriage. Margoze, lemon, cucumber, tomato... it doesn't matter what quality it is as long as it is spicy.

You cook your rice in the pot. Because rice is not cooked in a bag.

Grandma Kall is the witch in the stories you tell your children.

Or gagn koz kreol. Or at least, you don't listen every time someone speaks Creole to you.

Christmas evokes for you the red of letchis and flamboyants rather than the old man's suit.

You know the best spot to watch the green ray at sunset.

The two-fingered savate is your preferred means of locomotion.

Walking with greenchili peppers in your pocket is part of your daily routine.

Your car is polished every day in front of the TV in your living room.

You take the cast iron pot with you wherever you go, to the beach or to the mountains.

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