Mix France and Hawaii together and voilà: Reunion. Three hundred miles east of Madagascar, Reunion is a department of France with similarly excellent cuisine and a 35-hour work week. The island contains an active volcano, world-class hiking, black sand beaches, and a tropical island attitude more like Maui than Paris.

The Cirque de Mafate

Highlights of Reunion

Volcanoes. The Piton de la Fournaise is an active volcano that erupts every few years. The volcano is located within a large crater that can be reached by car. Depending on the level of seismic activity, you may be able to walk across the crater to view the volcano up close. Other dormant volcanoes on the island have left breathtaking scenery to explore by car or on foot.

Our friend Jay guided us around the island (Piton de la Fournaise in background)

Hiking. For many, hiking and exploring the mountains is the reason to visit Reunion. From day-hiking to week-long treks, there are plenty of options for enjoying Reunion’s mountainous scenery. Cilaos is a popular starting point to hike the Cirque de Cilaos, climb the Piton des Neiges—(Reunion’s highest point at 10,069 feet/3069 meters), or hike other numerous trails in the area. Trail racing is a big sport in Reunion. You will likely see some extremely fit people running up and down painfully steep trails.

Mafate. Inside the Cirque de Mafate, one of Reunion’s volcanic craters, a few hundred people reside in small villages connected by footpaths. There is no road access. Walking around Mafate evokes images of 19^th century France, mixed with the mountainous scenery of Machu Picchu. Some children walk for miles to get to school. Hikers can camp or spend the night in guesthouses located inside the crater. I wish I could have spent a week here, especially after the steep hikes required to descend and ascend the crater walls.

We struggled to capture Mafate's magnificence in a smaller photo

Black sand beaches. As a volcanic island, Reunion contains both black and white sand beaches, primarily on the west coast. The ocean around Reunion is some of the most shark-infested in the world. There are so many sharks, surfing is illegal. You can swim in some places, but man-made rock pools near the water are probably a safer bet.

One of several rock pools on Reunion

Huge waves. No, you probably don’t want to surf (re: sharks), but the southern shore receives massive waves on their way up from the Southern Ocean. When they reach the cliffs of Cap Méchant, they crash onto shore with stunning force.

Standing on a 40-foot cliff at Cap Méchant

Multiculturalism. Reunion is frequently pointed to as a shining example of multicultural harmony. Major groups include people of European, African, Indian, and Chinese descents, with large numbers of people from mixed-race backgrounds. Coming from the United States, it is cool to see people from various ethnic groups hanging out with each other so frequently. As a visitor, we found locals to be easygoing and welcoming.

Food. Like mainland France, food in Reunion is extraordinarily high-quality. Bakeries abound, and gas stations sell premade food better than anything you would find under a heat lamp in an American gas station. With its diverse population, Reunion features excellent French, African, Indian, and Chinese food—blended in ways found only on Reunion.

The best dish we tried, unique to Reunion, is gratin de palmistes, a mouthwatering dish made with hearts of palm, cream, and cheese. We also enjoyed “American sandwiches,” open-faced baguettes toasted with cheese, French fries, and a choice of other toppings.

Gratin de palmistes. Mmmm... cheese (fromage)

The Dodo. Reunion’s de facto national beer is the Dodo, named for the extinct bird that previously lived on neighboring Mauritius. The Dodo seems to be the only beer anyone drinks on Reunion. The slogan, “La Dodo le la” (the Dodo is here), appears above virtually every bar in the country.

Dodo beer and an American sandwich

What you need to know

Despite its remote location, Reunion is firmly in the developed world. Reunion uses the Euro, ATMs are plentiful, credit cards are widely accepted, and plug-ins are European. Roads are immaculate and cellular coverage is everywhere. As in France, stores are open during limited hours to preserve the French work week.

What things cost. Reunion is a remote island and part of France, two things that keep prices high. Other traveler expenses can be quite low. Visiting the volcanoes is free, the parks are free, and the beach is free. If you like camping, Reunion allows free camping on most public land as long as you pack up during the day. If you avoid eating in restaurants, food at groceries stores is high quality and reasonably priced.

In 2017, Sarah and I spent an average of $73/day and could have lowered that if we stayed more than five days. For an itemized list of everything we spent, see our article: Cost to Travel in Southern Africa for 10 Weeks (Plus Some Sweet Islands in the Indian Ocean)

A black sand beach by our camping spot at Pointe des Sables

Flights. Reunion’s remoteness is part of the charm and limits the number of tourists, but the cost of flights is significant. Nonstop flights arrive from several destinations in France, Bangkok, and Johannesburg, as well as several other islands in the region. Flights from Paris start at ~$360 one-way. Neighboring Mauritius (134 miles east) receives numerous long-haul flights, making it another option if you have time to visit both islands. In 2017, Sarah and I visited Reunion while touring the region, so we flew in from Mauritius for $148 and out to Madagascar for $117. We poured over Google Flights, Skyscanner, Momondo, and Kiwi.com to find the best flights for us.

Transportation. Public transportation is available around the island and in cities, but Reunion is best viewed with a vehicle. You will need your own transportation to reach many of the island’s remote sights and driving around the island is part of the fun. Roads are well maintained with signage befitting a modern country. Mountain roads can be curvaceous, zig-zagging back and forth to gain elevation. The cost is reasonable (we spent $105 for 5 days) and having a car is helpful if you are camping on the beach or in the mountains. Gas costs ~€1.36/liter (March 2018), but distances are relatively short. Automatic transmissions cost more than manual.

Parking lot in the sky

Accommodations

Camping on public land. With a tent and a sleeping bag, you can find plentiful places to camp on Reunion. Most public land is available for camping, especially by the beach and in Reunion National Park (covering 42 percent of the island). Décathlon is a good place to purchase cheap camping gear if you don’t want to bring your own. Some beaches even have showers. Paid camping with showers and bathrooms is also available

Budget accommodations. If camping or sleeping in a rental car isn’t your thing, hotels start at ~$45 on booking.com and ~$20 on Airbnb for two people. Reunion’s hostels are not on the major English-language booking sites, but can be found at AubergesDeJeunesse.com. Couchsurfing is also an option.

A guesthouse inside Mafate

Language. Reunion is part of France and everyone speaks French. English is about as common as the rest of France—fairly rare. Be polite (and try to speak a little French) and most people will be patient and friendly. Reunion Creole is spoken as a first language by a significant amount of the native population.

Sarah and I don’t speak French but did not find this a difficult barrier. We learned basic phrases and numbers, and this was enough to get by. With a SIM card for your smart phone and a rental car, you can figure out pretty much everything on your own. France is a modern country and most things operate the same as in other Western countries.

Weather. With its tropical location and sea breezes, Reunion maintains warms temperatures all year. November to April is cyclone season and a bit hotter and more humid. Cyclones typically hit the island once or twice per year for a couple days. May to October is drier and less humid. Because of prevailing winds and the location of the Piton de la Fournaise, the east side of the island receives more rain and overcast skies. Hiking is frequently better in the morning before afternoon fog rolls in.

Our waterfall view obscured by afternoon fog

Items to bring with you. If you plan to hike, bring footwear for the occasion and a backpack. You can bring mostly warm-weather clothes, but the temperature will be chillier at higher elevations. Bring sunscreen for the beach and for hiking. Anti-nausea medicine is helpful for the winding interior roads and altitude sickness.

Sarah and I camped our whole time on Reunion and frequently during our time in Africa. To reduce weight, we brought a tent and sleeping bags. We probably should have bought mattress pads at some point but didn’t need them on the beach.

For a complete packing list, see: Packing list for 10 weeks in Africa followed by 6 weeks in Canada.

Screenshot of our GPS driving through the mountains

Passport and visas. Reunion’s visa policy is similar to France. Most Europeans can visit indefinitely, and other Western countries can visit for up to 90 days without a visa. Visitors in the 90-day category may need to show an onward ticket upon arrival. Reunion is not part of the Schengen Area, but eligibility to visit is the same for most nationalities. Differences primarily affect citizens of China, India, and visa-holders in the Schengen Area.

Schengen Area visa exemption map. Image source: Wikitravel

Looking for a guide?

Our friend Jay, who we met during study-abroad, is a former Reunion National Park employee and gives tours at reasonable rates. He is an avid hiker, knows most of the history of the island, and once got kidnapped at sea. Contact him via Facebook at this link.

Let us know what questions you have in the comments. Bon Voyage!

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