Reunion – Island of contrasts
The small French territory island of Reunion may be unknown to many. But to those who discover it, the magic of the island will stay with them forever. So where exactly is this tiny island, with a land area of just 2,512km? It forms part of the Indian Ocean Islands, with the Seychelles to the north, Mauritius to the northeast, and Madagascar to the West, and is a mere 4-hour flight from Johannesburg.
Being a French territory means that although the island has an African feel, it also has both the infrastructure and sophistication that French rule brings into play. Unlike its neighbouring islands, here you’ll find magnificently constructed highways and mountain passes, on par with any major European city. And as it’s a French territory, the Euro is the currency, cars drive on the right-hand side of the road, and French is the official language, although Reunion Creole is a widely spoken native language.
But what makes Reunion different from its neighbouring islands of Mauritius, Seychelles, Maldives, Madagascar, and even the Comoros and Zanzibar? When thinking of these islands, one imagines crystal clear warm water gently lapping soft white beaches, while palm trees, gently sway in the breeze. And you’d be correct. But Reunion is different. Yes, it too offers beautiful white beaches and sparking water – but here you’ll find so much more on this island of extremes. Think black sand beaches, high mountain peaks, cascading waterfalls, and a beautiful calm lagoon along the west coast of the island. For every postcard-perfect white beach, you’ll find a contrasting pitch-black, powder-soft volcanic sand beach, which is mesmerising and offers fantastic photo opportunities. The most famous of the black beaches is the Etang-Salé, a fishing village and an immense stretch of sand where locals meet up on weekends for picnics. This island was formed by volcanic eruption, and is still home to one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Piton de la Fournaise on the eastern side of Reunion, has erupted on more than 100 occasions since 1640, and is a draw-card for adventure travellers.
If shopping malls and city life is your ideal holiday, then a visit to Reunion is not for you. However, if you enjoy the great outdoors, be it lazing on a beautiful beach, or extreme sports if you’re an adrenaline junkie, then this island is just the place for you. With 40% of the island classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, Reunion offers an amazing mix of authentic cultures and wild nature. It only takes a few hours to circumnavigate the island, and several mountain passes lead inland. Your adventures will take you from a volcanic desert, to a dreamlike lagoon at l’Ermitage, and on to the incredible green tropical forests in the cirques located in the heart of the island. But probably the island’s main attraction is the volcano - Piton de la Fournaise. Adventure lovers have many ways to experience this formidable volcano: Take a helicopter flip over its steaming crater, hike its full height right up to the rim, or explore the labyrinth of lava tunnels created by its recent eruptions, accompanied by an experienced guide. A two-hour tour leads you through tunnels and tubes created by lava slowly flowing down to the ocean. It takes many years for newly formed tubes to cool down enough to enter, and the tunnels that are explored today are those formed in the 2004 eruption.
A unique way to experience the island is via helicopter. This mode of transport allows you to see places on the island, which are completely inaccessible, some not even by foot. The island’s interior is made up not only of the volcano, but also three ‘cirques’. Set out in a form resembling an ace of clubs, Piton des Neiges's cluster of cirques each offers something different. Firstly, there’s the extraordinary Mafate, which is only accessible on foot, and then the lush Salazie, in the heart of creole culture, where you’ll have the opportunity to admire one of the island's most beautiful waterfalls – just one of many waterfalls on the island. Lastly, there’s the majestic Cilaos, which is home to the island's hot springs, and the start of many beautiful hikes, including the ascent to Piton des Neiges. This volcano, which has been dormant for 120 centuries, is captivating due to its majestic presence in the centre of the island. The highest peak in Reunion Island, Piton des Neiges is the origin of the creation of two thirds of the island, more than three million years ago. Eroded by time and the absence of volcanic activity, it still remains the highest summit on the island, at 3,071 metres above sea level.
While Piton des Neiges might be inactive, its sister, Piton de la Fournaise, is very much alive, and has created an astonishing lunar landscape; the floor shaped by hardened lava flows, the earth covered in orange and brown scorch marks. This strange yet stunning scenery can be enjoyed both in the drive up to the start of the hike as well as on the hike itself. The Plaine des Sables, the Pas de Bellecombe mountain pass, as well as craters and lava flows are just some of the landscapes that will capture your imagination. When you get to the base of the volcano, the scenery of the ‘Savage South’ as it’s known, forms a breathtaking view, with craggy basalt cliffs, lush, green vegetation and the deep blue of the Indian Ocean.
Heading to the coast, the four corners of the island will offer you something different. The north shore is the place for leisure and sports activities with family. The eastern coastline is renowned for the beauty of extinct lava flows that extend to the sea, while southward, a few kilometres from the lagoon, you’ll find coastal areas equipped for picnics, and impressive ‘blowers’, where the sea spouts up from the rocks. But it’s the west coast, with its 20 kilometre stretch of protected lagoon, where you’ll find the most activity, and beautiful marina towns, such as St-Gilles, Saint-Leu, L’Ermitage-Les-Bains and La Saline-Les-Bains. The lagoon attracts bathers and kite-surfers, the outer reef protecting them from the sharks, which Reunion Island is infamous for. At St-Gilles, a shark net protects swimmers, and signs all over the island’s coast warn of the impending danger that lurks below. Of course, you’ll find daredevil surfers who defy the warnings, enjoying the added thrill of the ride! Boat tours offer whale and dolphin watching trips, and sunset cruises on sailing catamarans are the perfect way to end a day. Visitors and locals alike gather along the boardwalks at St-Gilles and St-Leu, and the markets selling fresh produce and handcrafts are another meeting place, and a great way to discover the island’s culture, and sample local foods. Other adventure sports offered on the island including paragliding from the cliffs overlooking St Leu, canyoning, quad-biking, adventure racing, diving and sailing. Just driving the road up to Cilaos is itself an adventure – known as the road of 400 bends, it’s not for the faint-hearted, as you wind your way up and up, and hug the cliffs as oncoming busses try to pass through the single lane tunnels.
Reunion culture is a varied mix of other cultures, influenced by Africa, Europe, China and India, and the local cuisine showcases these influences. Many expats from France have opened restaurants and tourism businesses, and fine French cuisine is evident in the variety of world-class restaurants and bakeries, which abound. Tourism forms the island’s main industry, with the majority of tourists being from France. In recent years, many South Africans are visiting the island, due to the ease of access, with regular flights from Johannesburg on Air Austral, Air Madagascar and Air France, and the fact that the Shengen Visa requirement has been waivered for South Africans.
Photographers won’t be short of dramatic landscapes, bright markets, perfect sunsets, and unique moments to capture. As Helen Keller said, “Life is either a great adventure, or nothing,” and Reunion Island is the perfect place to start.
Rose-Anne Turner
The small French territory island of Reunion may be unknown to many. But to those who discover it, the magic of the island will stay with them forever. So where exactly is this tiny island, with a land area of just 2,512km? It forms part of the Indian Ocean Islands, with the Seychelles to the north, Mauritius to the northeast, and Madagascar to the West, and is a mere 4-hour flight from Johannesburg.
Being a French territory means that although the island has an African feel, it also has both the infrastructure and sophistication that French rule brings into play. Unlike its neighbouring islands, here you’ll find magnificently constructed highways and mountain passes, on par with any major European city. And as it’s a French territory, the Euro is the currency, cars drive on the right-hand side of the road, and French is the official language, although Reunion Creole is a widely spoken native language.
But what makes Reunion different from its neighbouring islands of Mauritius, Seychelles, Maldives, Madagascar, and even the Comoros and Zanzibar? When thinking of these islands, one imagines crystal clear warm water gently lapping soft white beaches, while palm trees, gently sway in the breeze. And you’d be correct. But Reunion is different. Yes, it too offers beautiful white beaches and sparking water – but here you’ll find so much more on this island of extremes. Think black sand beaches, high mountain peaks, cascading waterfalls, and a beautiful calm lagoon along the west coast of the island. For every postcard-perfect white beach, you’ll find a contrasting pitch-black, powder-soft volcanic sand beach, which is mesmerising and offers fantastic photo opportunities. The most famous of the black beaches is the Etang-Salé, a fishing village and an immense stretch of sand where locals meet up on weekends for picnics. This island was formed by volcanic eruption, and is still home to one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Piton de la Fournaise on the eastern side of Reunion, has erupted on more than 100 occasions since 1640, and is a draw-card for adventure travellers.
If shopping malls and city life is your ideal holiday, then a visit to Reunion is not for you. However, if you enjoy the great outdoors, be it lazing on a beautiful beach, or extreme sports if you’re an adrenaline junkie, then this island is just the place for you. With 40% of the island classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, Reunion offers an amazing mix of authentic cultures and wild nature. It only takes a few hours to circumnavigate the island, and several mountain passes lead inland. Your adventures will take you from a volcanic desert, to a dreamlike lagoon at l’Ermitage, and on to the incredible green tropical forests in the cirques located in the heart of the island. But probably the island’s main attraction is the volcano - Piton de la Fournaise. Adventure lovers have many ways to experience this formidable volcano: Take a helicopter flip over its steaming crater, hike its full height right up to the rim, or explore the labyrinth of lava tunnels created by its recent eruptions, accompanied by an experienced guide. A two-hour tour leads you through tunnels and tubes created by lava slowly flowing down to the ocean. It takes many years for newly formed tubes to cool down enough to enter, and the tunnels that are explored today are those formed in the 2004 eruption.
A unique way to experience the island is via helicopter. This mode of transport allows you to see places on the island, which are completely inaccessible, some not even by foot. The island’s interior is made up not only of the volcano, but also three ‘cirques’. Set out in a form resembling an ace of clubs, Piton des Neiges's cluster of cirques each offers something different. Firstly, there’s the extraordinary Mafate, which is only accessible on foot, and then the lush Salazie, in the heart of creole culture, where you’ll have the opportunity to admire one of the island's most beautiful waterfalls – just one of many waterfalls on the island. Lastly, there’s the majestic Cilaos, which is home to the island's hot springs, and the start of many beautiful hikes, including the ascent to Piton des Neiges. This volcano, which has been dormant for 120 centuries, is captivating due to its majestic presence in the centre of the island. The highest peak in Reunion Island, Piton des Neiges is the origin of the creation of two thirds of the island, more than three million years ago. Eroded by time and the absence of volcanic activity, it still remains the highest summit on the island, at 3,071 metres above sea level.
While Piton des Neiges might be inactive, its sister, Piton de la Fournaise, is very much alive, and has created an astonishing lunar landscape; the floor shaped by hardened lava flows, the earth covered in orange and brown scorch marks. This strange yet stunning scenery can be enjoyed both in the drive up to the start of the hike as well as on the hike itself. The Plaine des Sables, the Pas de Bellecombe mountain pass, as well as craters and lava flows are just some of the landscapes that will capture your imagination. When you get to the base of the volcano, the scenery of the ‘Savage South’ as it’s known, forms a breathtaking view, with craggy basalt cliffs, lush, green vegetation and the deep blue of the Indian Ocean.
Heading to the coast, the four corners of the island will offer you something different. The north shore is the place for leisure and sports activities with family. The eastern coastline is renowned for the beauty of extinct lava flows that extend to the sea, while southward, a few kilometres from the lagoon, you’ll find coastal areas equipped for picnics, and impressive ‘blowers’, where the sea spouts up from the rocks. But it’s the west coast, with its 20 kilometre stretch of protected lagoon, where you’ll find the most activity, and beautiful marina towns, such as St-Gilles, Saint-Leu, L’Ermitage-Les-Bains and La Saline-Les-Bains. The lagoon attracts bathers and kite-surfers, the outer reef protecting them from the sharks, which Reunion Island is infamous for. At St-Gilles, a shark net protects swimmers, and signs all over the island’s coast warn of the impending danger that lurks below. Of course, you’ll find daredevil surfers who defy the warnings, enjoying the added thrill of the ride! Boat tours offer whale and dolphin watching trips, and sunset cruises on sailing catamarans are the perfect way to end a day. Visitors and locals alike gather along the boardwalks at St-Gilles and St-Leu, and the markets selling fresh produce and handcrafts are another meeting place, and a great way to discover the island’s culture, and sample local foods. Other adventure sports offered on the island including paragliding from the cliffs overlooking St Leu, canyoning, quad-biking, adventure racing, diving and sailing. Just driving the road up to Cilaos is itself an adventure – known as the road of 400 bends, it’s not for the faint-hearted, as you wind your way up and up, and hug the cliffs as oncoming busses try to pass through the single lane tunnels.
Reunion culture is a varied mix of other cultures, influenced by Africa, Europe, China and India, and the local cuisine showcases these influences. Many expats from France have opened restaurants and tourism businesses, and fine French cuisine is evident in the variety of world-class restaurants and bakeries, which abound. Tourism forms the island’s main industry, with the majority of tourists being from France. In recent years, many South Africans are visiting the island, due to the ease of access, with regular flights from Johannesburg on Air Austral, Air Madagascar and Air France, and the fact that the Shengen Visa requirement has been waivered for South Africans.
Photographers won’t be short of dramatic landscapes, bright markets, perfect sunsets, and unique moments to capture. As Helen Keller said, “Life is either a great adventure, or nothing,” and Reunion Island is the perfect place to start.
Rose-Anne Turner
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