WHILE Réunion has some
great beaches on its west
coast, such as the 2km-long
Ermitage (or l’Hermitage as
the locals say) and Boucan
Canot off the resort village
of Saint-Gilles-les-Bains, it
is far more than a sun, sea
and sand destination.
It is Piton de la Fournaise
(peak of the furnace),
an active volcano in the
east, that is the jewel in
Réunion’s multi-faceted
tourism crown.
According to LUX* Resorts
& Hotels’ Alexis Bekker, it’s
a ‘friendly’ volcano, emitting
no ash or dangerous gases,
and even when it is in
flow, visitors can stand on
the side of its crater and
observe. “When not in flow,
you are able to walk on the
volcano surface, which can
be compared to the surface
of the moon,” she says.
A highlight of a Réunion
trip is to view the volcano
from the air, by helicopter
or microlight. “But the best
way to discover the volcano
is the hard way – trekking,”
comments Travel2Reunion’s
Chantelle Pearson.
The volcanic landscape
includes three calderas,
or cirques. Mafate, some
2 000m above sea level,
is “sort of incommunicado
with the rest of the world,”
says Chantelle. “No roads,
no chance to come across
a car or a bus, the only way
to visit Mafate is on foot.”
The starting point of many
hikes is the Maïdo, a peak
that, when summited, offers
spectacular views of the
island.
The second caldera,
Cilaos, is accessible by
road and is known for its
impressive canyons and
waterfalls, where extreme
sports like canyoning
and rock climbing can be
practised. “Here you will
also discover the small
village of Cilaos, well known
for traditional products
like lentils or its old-style
sugarcane rum,” she says.
The third caldera, Salazie,
contains Voile de la
Mariée (Veil of the Bride),
a waterfall famous for the
optical illusion it produces,
and the village of HellBourg
which World Leisure
Holidays’ Brenda Mitchell
describes as “fairytale”.
There’s also a dormant
volcano on the island, Piton
des Neiges, the island’s
highest point and best
visited early in the morning
before clouds envelop the
peak.
Our panel of experts
highlighted these attractions
too:
Saint-Denis, the capital of
Réunion, is on the north
and often referred to as
the old city. It is home to
Creole-style mansions,
museums and cultural
monuments.
Eden Garden, in the heart
of Saint-Gilles, a 2,5ha
botanical garden with over
700 species of plants.
In Saint-Gilles les Bains is
the Aquarium of Réunion
Island, showcasing 500
species of fish and natural
coral reefs.
Saint-Paul Market, open
on Fridays and Saturdays
on the waterfront of Saint
Paul, is the spot to explore
the island’s culinary
culture.
La Vanilleraie is a vanilla
plantation on the estate of
Le Grand Hazier in Sainte
Suzanne.
Saga du Rhum is a
museum in a family-owned
rum distillery in St Pierre.
The green Takamaka
Valley holds five waterfalls,
streams and rocky peaks.
Volcano heads the list of ‘must-sees’
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