La Réunion or just Réunion, is located just east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. Mostly alone, the closest island is Mauritius just 120 miles to the northwest. And how is Réunion part of the European Union? Well it just so happens that Réunion is a department of France and shares the exact same rights of any department on France. Therefore it can be considered European and is the eastern most point of Europe. In fact La Réunion is to Europe like Hawaii is to the United States.

Why Go to Réunion?

For me, it may be because that Réunion speaks French and is like the Hawaii of Europe. Because it’s so close to the equator, the island is very tropical and has some of the most unique geology, flora and fauna in the world. The only bad news is, well… it’s not cheap to get to Réunion and seems expensive once you’re there.

But according to most, it is like a mini Hawaii but without the mega resorts. Because Réunion doesn’t have the glamorous beaches like nearby Seychelles or Mauritius, it doesn’t have the major tourism and is constantly overlooked, which is better for you.

La Réunion at St. Leu Beach

And if you love geographical diversity, Réunion is the island for you. On Réunion, it’s possible to see lava flows, green forests, beachy coastal cities, and rocky balsamic mountain peaks. Réunion has a volcano called Piton de la Fournaise and is one of the world’s most accessible active volcanoes. On a lucky day you may even get to see lavaflow. There are also more dormant volcanos to climb, including Piton des Neiges, the highest point on the island at 10,000 feet. Far above St-Gilles-les-Bains on the rim of the Cirque de Mafate, Le Maïdo is one of the most impressive viewpoints in Réunion. In fact all the “Cirques” of the island have a great viewpoint and Cirque de Salazie even holds multiple record for rainfall.

You can see Réunion from the sky and get a glimpse of how diverse and unique this island is. Paraglide from the top of a volcano or take adventure tours, they are all possible! Helicopter tours may be considered because they can get you to many different types of vegetation and geographical features the island features.

Or maybe you like to explore canyons, or horseback through the forest and beaches. Or maybe you want to go to kayak, snuba or scuba diving or just lie on a beach somewhere. Chances are there may be only a few people on your tours because Réunion isn’t well traveled, yet. Unfortunately in 2013, the Prefect of Réunion Michel Lalande announced a ban on swimming, surfing and bodyboarding off more than half of the coast since there have been many recent shark attacks.

It’s a good idea to explore the many Creole/French inspired cities that have many colorful homes, religious buildings, cafes and warehouses. Many of the cities on Réunion have lovely gardens and unique houses dating back centuries. Exploration is key while on Réunion and there many cities throughout Réunion that offer picture perfect moments.

Church on La Réunion

Prices May be a Problem

I researched airline tickets from the US to Réunion and the airline prices are unreal. I saw prices between 3,000 to 10,000 dollars and tried to even do it far out. To even get there is one of the highest airplane tickets and is a very long journey. That may prove hard to convince Americans to go there but Europeans have a better shot since all you need to do is connect in Paris or South Africa.

My suggestion is to use frequent flyer miles if you want to go to Réunion. Using points for an expensive place to fly to works out to your advantage as you will pay for taxes but not a very expensive plane ticket. For some of you this may make or break you going to Réunion. Check out my frequent flyer page to learn how to get frequent flyer miles.

Réunion History

Réunion actually doesn’t have much recorded history before the Portuguese came to the island in the 16th century. It was known by Arab traders from as early as 1153 AD and may have been known by Swahili and Malay traders.

Luckily under Portuguese the island was left relatively untouched and somewhere down the line, the French took it over. After a few shifts of power, Réunion was finally held by France. From that point on many races came to Réunion which is why there are so many different races on this island today.

La Réunion from Above

Réunion use to be a place where ships stopped over when making the long journey around Africa. But after the Suez Canal opened the importance of Réunion diminished and now it focus exporting sugar and the tourism industry.

Réunion is hotspot island meaning that it’s still continuing to grow thanks to a constant volcano. It is so diverse thanks to the nutrients spewing out and constantly changing the island. Hawaii and Réunion are definitely cousins in terms of the similarities they share.

images by: DrWNaucala, mau.photo, cercamon

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