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Hotels in Reunion

A volcanic island of the European Union in the Indian Ocean

Reunion

LanguageFrench
CurrencyEUR
TimezoneIndian/Reunion
Temperature8-25 °C
Dial Code+33
Population68.2M
Area640,679 km²
SocketsType C / Type E
Tap waterDrinkable

Discover Reunion

Réunion is a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean, eight hundred kilometers east of Madagascar — and although it sits in the tropics in the southern hemisphere, you pay in euros, drive on French-standard highways, and the European Health Insurance Card works here just as it does at home. The island is the summit of two volcanoes that rose from the ocean floor: the older Piton des Neiges stands three thousand and seventy meters tall and is the highest point in the Indian Ocean, while the younger Piton de la Fournaise is one of the most active volcanoes on Earth, erupting roughly once a year. Around the older volcano, three giant collapsed calderas known as cirques have formed — Cilaos, Salazie and Mafate — and Mafate still has no road at all; its villages can only be reached on foot or by helicopter. Over forty percent of the island is UNESCO World Heritage listed. Beaches exist only on the west coast, where a coral reef protects a lagoon; swimming outside it is banned because of sharks. Réunion is therefore above all a destination for hiking and nature, not a classic beach holiday.

What to see

The places worth your time in Reunion, and what to expect at each

Piton de la Fournaise

Piton de la Fournaise

southeast

One of the most active volcanoes on Earth, two thousand six hundred and thirty-two meters high, with the Dolomieu crater sitting amid the Plaine des Sables lava plain, which looks like the surface of Mars. It erupts roughly once a year, with lava flows reaching the sea in the southeast.

Tip: The hike to the crater takes five to six hours round trip, starting from Pas de Bellecombe no later than seven in the morning — after ten the volcano is usually clouded over and you won't see a thing. The route is marked with white dots on the lava, and straying from it means getting lost. Bring two liters of water, a jacket and a headlamp; access is closed during an eruption.

Admission:
free
Time needed:
full day
Cirque de Mafate

Cirque de Mafate

Mafate

A collapsed caldera of the older volcano, home to roughly eight hundred people scattered across settlements called îlets — with not a single road anywhere. Supplies arrive by helicopter, children walk for hours to school, and electricity comes from solar panels.

Tip: Mafate can be visited as a day hike from the Col des Bœufs pass, from which it's two hours to the first îlet; the real experience, though, is an overnight stay in a mountain lodge, which must be booked in advance through the island's gîte network. The car park at Col des Bœufs is paid and guarded, and fills up by eight in the morning during high season.

Admission:
free, lodges by reservation
Time needed:
full day to several days
Cirque de Cilaos

Cirque de Cilaos

Cilaos

The second cirque, reached by a road with more than four hundred bends that climbs twelve hundred meters. The town of the same name has thermal baths, grows protected lentils, and produces the island's only white wine. Piton des Neiges towers above it.

Tip: The road to Cilaos is an experience in itself, though anyone prone to motion sickness should sit up front; the bus ride takes two hours. From Cilaos, the trail climbs Piton des Neiges, the highest point in the Indian Ocean — hikers set off at two in the morning to catch the sunrise at the summit, staying overnight at the Caverne Dufour lodge.

Admission:
free
Time needed:
full day
Cirque de Salazie and Hell-Bourg

Cirque de Salazie and Hell-Bourg

Salazie

The greenest of the three cirques, with waterfalls cascading down its walls, and the village of Hell-Bourg, ranked among the most beautiful villages in France. It's lined with Creole houses with lace-trimmed verandas and nineteenth-century spa villas.

Tip: The Voile de la Mariée waterfall is visible right from the road, with a pull-off to stop at — arrive in the morning when it carries the most water. In Hell-Bourg, set aside an hour for the Maison Folio, with its Creole garden; it's the best example of island architecture you'll see anywhere.

Admission:
free, Maison Folio has an entry fee
Time needed:
half day
Saint-Gilles and l'Hermitage lagoon

Saint-Gilles and l'Hermitage lagoon

Saint-Gilles

The island's only stretch of beaches, sheltered by a coral reef — twenty kilometers of lagoon with calm, shallow water, casuarina trees along the sand, and a marine nature reserve. It's the only place on Réunion where swimming is allowed.

Tip: Swimming outside the lagoon is banned by law because of sharks, and the ban is enforced without exception — it's not a formality, but a response to a series of fatal attacks. Inside the lagoon it's safe and shallow. On weekends the whole island shows up for a picnic under the casuarina trees; on weekdays the beach is nearly empty.

Admission:
free
Time needed:
full day
Trou de Fer

Trou de Fer

Bélouve

A gorge in the Bébour-Bélouve rainforest, where several waterfalls plunge together down a three-hundred-meter cliff face — one of the most powerful waterfall systems on Earth. A forest trail from Bélouve leads to a clifftop viewpoint; the gorge itself is reached only by canyoning expeditions.

Tip: The best view is from a helicopter, since from the ground you only see part of it; a scenic flight around the island is expensive, but this is the one place it's genuinely worth it. Hikers should set off before seven — after ten the gorge is clouded over and there's nothing to see. The trail is muddy year-round.

Admission:
free, helicopter extra
Time needed:
5 h
Saint-Denis and Creole architecture

Saint-Denis and Creole architecture

Saint-Denis

The capital on the north coast, home to a hundred and fifty thousand people, with Rue de Paris lined with Creole mansions and lacy lambrequin trim, a cathedral, a Tamil temple and a mosque all within a single block — a picture of the island's mixed culture.

Tip: The mansions on Rue de Paris are mostly private, but the Maison Carrère now serves as the tourist office and is free to enter. The colorful Tamil temple on Rue Malartic can be visited outside of ceremonies, barefoot. On Saturday mornings, the Petit Marché sells vanilla and spices.

Admission:
free
Time needed:
3 h
The wild south coast and lava flows

The wild south coast and lava flows

southeast

The stretch between Saint-Joseph and Sainte-Rose, where lava from recent eruptions crossed the road and reached the sea, forming black plains. Near Sainte-Rose stands the Notre-Dame des Laves church, around which the 1977 lava flow split and left it standing.

Tip: The road is rebuilt after every eruption, and each lava flow is marked with the year it occurred, letting you drive straight through the volcano's timeline. Walk the lava fields in sturdy boots — the edges are as sharp as glass. Nearby is Cap Méchant, with cliffs pounded by the ocean.

Admission:
free
Time needed:
half day
Saint-Pierre and the south coast

Saint-Pierre and the south coast

Saint-Pierre

The second-largest town, on the south coast, with a harbor, a long promenade, a black-sand beach, and the island's best nightlife. On Saturdays it hosts Réunion's biggest market, with spices, fruit and crafts.

Tip: Saint-Pierre is the best base for volcano trips, since it's the closest town to Pas de Bellecombe — an hour and a half compared with two and a half from Saint-Gilles. The market opens at five in the morning, and the best goods are gone by nine; buy vanilla and Cilaos lentils here.

Admission:
free
Time needed:
half day

Photos: Piton de la Fournaise — Brian Iannone (CC BY 3.0) · Cirque de Mafate — B.navez (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Cirque de Cilaos — No machine-readable author provided. B.navez assumed (based on copyright claims). (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Cirque de Salazie and Hell-Bourg — Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Saint-Gilles and l'Hermitage lagoon — Mike Faherty (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Trou de Fer — BBCLCD (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Saint-Denis and Creole architecture — B.navez (CC BY-SA 3.0) · The wild south coast and lava flows — Clémenceau Lauret (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Saint-Pierre and the south coast — Falco97410 (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Where to stay

Areas and districts, matched to the kind of trip you are taking

Saint-Gilles-les-Bains and l'Hermitage

Best for: swimming and a classic beach stay

The west coast, home to the island's only lagoon, along with hotels, restaurants and a marina. It's the only spot where you can combine beach time with day trips, which makes it the most expensive base. It's the farthest, though, from the volcano and the southern cirques — reckon on two and a half hours' drive.

Saint-Pierre and the south coast

Best for: a base for the volcano and lower prices

The second-largest town, with a promenade, a market and the best nightlife on the island. Its beach has black sand and is smaller than in the west, but it's the closest base to the volcano, Cilaos, and the wild south coast. Accommodation is cheaper here than in Saint-Gilles.

Cilaos and Hell-Bourg

Best for: mountains and hiking

Villages inside the cirques at an altitude of a thousand to twelve hundred meters, where you stay in guesthouses and mountain lodges. It's chilly — nights can drop to ten degrees — and trails start right at the door. Anyone visiting Réunion for the hiking should spend at least two nights here rather than driving the hairpins daily.

Saint-Denis and the north

Best for: a first and last night near the airport

The capital, with Creole architecture, museums and the best choice of restaurants, ten minutes from Roland Garros airport. It has no beach and doesn't make sense as a holiday base, but it's the most practical choice for a first or last night, and the town itself is worth half a day.

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Getting around

From the airport

The main airport, Roland Garros, sits near Saint-Denis in the north; the second, Pierrefonds, is near Saint-Pierre in the south. Direct flights connect from Paris (eleven hours, on Air France, Corsair and French Bee), as well as from Mauritius, Madagascar and Johannesburg. From Prague, travelers connect through Paris, and the whole journey takes around fifteen hours. Because Réunion is a French department and part of the EU, EU citizens need no visa or passport — a national ID card is enough, which is remarkable for an Indian Ocean destination.

Roland Garros (Saint-Denis) (RUN) · 10 km

  • Rental car from the terminal· immediate· 35 EUR / day
  • Taxi to Saint-Denis· 15 min· 25 EUR
  • Car Jaune bus to Saint-Gilles· 1 h 30 min· 2 EUR
  • Taxi to Saint-Gilles· 50 min· 80 EUR

Pierrefonds (Saint-Pierre) (ZSE) · 5 km

  • Taxi to Saint-Pierre· 10 min· 20 EUR

Around town

It's hard to get by on Réunion without a car — everything worthwhile sits in the mountains or on the far side of the island, and while the Car Jaune bus network covers the coast and is absurdly cheap (two euros anywhere), it runs slowly and only a few times a day into the cirques. Car rental starts around thirty-five euros a day and is the most sensible option. The coastal four-lane highway is fast, but the mountain hairpin roads are narrow and full of bends — allow two hours to reach Cilaos, even though it looks close on the map. A helicopter is the only way into Mafate other than on foot.

Rental carPractically a necessity; the coastal road is fast, the mountain hairpins are slow. Book ahead — cars sell out in high season. · 35 EUR / day
Car Jaune busAn intercity network around the whole coast for two euros regardless of distance; runs only a few times a day into the cirques. · 2 EUR
HelicopterThe only way to reach Mafate besides hiking, and the best view of Trou de Fer and the volcano. · from 150 EUR
Mountain guideRecommended for the volcano, canyoning and longer routes in the cirques; weather can change within the hour. · from 60 EUR / day

Useful apps: Car Jaune, Météo France Réunion, IGN Rando, Gîtes de Montagne

When to go

Réunion sits in the southern hemisphere, so the seasons are reversed. The best period is from May to November, the local winter: dry, around twenty-six degrees on the coast, clear skies over the mountains, and the best hiking conditions. December through March is summer — humid, hot, with daily downpours and cyclone season, when trails close and mountain views are clouded over most of the time. It's always noticeably colder in the mountains: in Cilaos, at twelve hundred meters, night temperatures in July drop to around ten degrees, and it freezes on Piton des Neiges.

Best time

May to November

What to avoid

January to March, due to cyclones and rain

MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Day31°31°31°30°28°27°26°26°27°28°29°30°
Night24°24°24°23°21°19°18°18°19°20°22°23°
Rainy days111212976665569
Sea27°28°28°27°26°25°24°24°24°25°26°27°

Food & drink

Réunionese cuisine is a Creole blend of French technique, Indian spice, and Chinese and Malagasy influences. The staple is cari — meat or fish stewed with turmeric and ginger, served with rice, lentils, and the fiery rougail paste that everyone spoons on to their own taste. The most popular version is rougail saucisse, made with smoked sausages. For a snack, people grab samoussas and Chinese-style dumplings called bouchons from the bakery for a few cents. The island is also a world leader in Bourbon vanilla and grows its own lentils, Victoria pineapple, and even wine in Cilaos. Rum arrangé, rum steeped with vanilla and fruit, is often offered at the end of a meal.

What to try

Cari

The backbone of Réunionese cooking: meat or fish stewed with turmeric, garlic, ginger and tomatoes, served with rice, lentils and the fiery rougail paste. The most common versions are chicken, duck, and swordfish (espadon).

Rougail saucisse

Smoked sausages stewed in tomatoes with onion and chilli, the island's favorite Sunday dish. It's served with rice and Cilaos lentils; a canteen portion is generous and costs around ten euros.

Samoussa and bouchon

Triangular pastries filled with tuna or vegetables, and Chinese-style steamed dumplings called bouchons, are the island's go-to snack — sold in bakeries and even at petrol stations for around fifty cents apiece.

Cilaos lentils

Small lentils grown in the Cilaos cirque at an altitude of twelve hundred meters, with protected origin status. They're milder than European lentils and served with every cari; a bag of them makes the best edible souvenir from the island.

Bourbon vanilla

Réunion's vanilla is world class, and the hand-pollination technique that makes vanilla fruit outside Mexico was invented right here in 1841. Buy the pods from cooperatives on the east coast, not at the airport.

Heart of palm salad

Palm heart served raw in a salad or baked in a gratin. It's nicknamed the 'millionaire's salad,' since an entire tree is felled for a single heart; on Réunion it's grown on dedicated farms.

Rhum arrangé

White rum from local sugarcane, steeped with vanilla, fruit or spices and left to mature. Every family has its own recipe, and restaurants offer it at the end of a meal; versions aged seven to ten years are genuinely good.

Tropical fruit and Dodo beer

Victoria pineapple, lychees in December, mango and passion fruit all grow on the island and are cheap at the market. Dodo is the local lager, and its slogan 'Dodo lé la' is a catchphrase everyone on the island knows.

What it costs

Samoussa or bouchon from a bakery

0.5–1 EUR

Cari in a Creole canteen

12–18 EUR

Dinner at a lagoon-side restaurant

30–50 EUR per person

Dodo beer

3–5 EUR

Night in a mountain lodge (gîte) with dinner

45–60 EUR

Scenic helicopter flight

from 150 EUR

Car rental per day

35–55 EUR

Night in a 3-star hotel in Saint-Gilles

90–160 EUR

Indicative prices that change over time — treat them as a guide, not a price list.

Practical information

SocketsCEuroplug, two round pinsEFrench, with earth pin
Voltage230V / 50Hz
Tap waterTap water is drinkable — Tap water on Réunion is safe to drink and comes from mountain springs — it's a French department with the same standards as mainland France. After heavy rain and cyclones, though, water quality can temporarily decline in some municipalities, and local authorities issue boil-water notices; watch for announcements. There's no need to buy bottled water, and in the mountains you can refill your bottle at public taps, though not from streams in the wild.
TippingTipping isn't expected in France, since service is included in the price ('service compris'). Satisfied diners round up or leave a couple of euros; guides on a volcano hike are usually given five to ten euros. Payment is in euros, and cards are accepted almost everywhere, including small shops and buses. Réunion is part of the eurozone, so there's no currency exchange or foreign transaction fees to worry about — though prices run about a quarter higher than on the French mainland, since everything is imported.
Driving on theright
SafetyRéunion is a safe French department with an ordinary European level of crime and healthcare; hospitals in Saint-Denis and Saint-Pierre are full-service, and the European Health Insurance Card is valid here. The real risks are natural, and worth taking seriously. Swimming outside the reef-protected lagoon is banned because of sharks, a ban rooted in a series of fatal attacks since 2011 that is enforced without exception. The second risk is mountain hiking: weather in the cirques can change within the hour, trails run along ladders and chains, and mountain rescues are common. Cyclone season runs from January to March. The emergency number is 112.
Opening hoursShops are open from nine to seven, with smaller businesses closing for a long lunch break from noon to half past two. On Sundays only some bakeries and supermarkets open in the morning; otherwise things are quiet. Restaurants serve lunch from noon to two and dinner from seven to half past nine — the kitchen is closed in between, which surprises anyone who shows up at four in the afternoon. Tourist offices and car rental agencies are also open Saturday mornings.
Customs & etiquetteGreeting with 'bonjour' when entering any shop or office is expected, just as in mainland France, and skipping it is considered rude. Réunionese society is a mix of African, Indian, Chinese, Malagasy and European heritage, and islanders take pride in that diversity — questions like 'where are you really from' aren't asked. Creole is spoken at home and among locals, French with visitors — a few Creole words go a long way. On hiking trails, greeting everyone you pass is customary and consistently observed. Don't wear sunscreen into the lagoons, as it harms the coral.
A few local wordsHello — Bonjour / BonzourThank you — Merci / MersiHow are you? — Koman i lé?The bill, please — L'addition, s'il vous plaîtIt's good — Lé bonGoodbye — Au revoir / Nartrouv

How to plan your days

1 day

One day on Réunion

  1. 1Leave before seven for Pas de Bellecombe above the volcano.
  2. 2Descend into the Formica Leo crater for a view of Dolomieu.
  3. 3Lunch in Bourg-Murat and a visit to the Cité du Volcan museum.
  4. 4In the afternoon, drive to the south coast to see the lava flows.
  5. 5Dinner on the promenade in Saint-Pierre.

2 days

Two days with a cirque

  1. 1Day one as above.
  2. 2Morning drive up the hairpins to Cilaos and the thermal baths.
  3. 3Lunch featuring Cilaos lentils, plus some wine shopping.
  4. 4In the afternoon, a short hike to the Mare à Joncs pond.
  5. 5Return to the coast and swim in the l'Hermitage lagoon.

3 days

Three days with Mafate and greenery

  1. 1The first two days as above.
  2. 2Morning in Salazie: the Voile de la Mariée waterfall and Hell-Bourg.
  3. 3Lunch at a Creole restaurant in Hell-Bourg.
  4. 4In the afternoon, a forest trail to the Trou de Fer viewpoint.
  5. 5On the last day, a hike into Mafate from the Col des Bœufs pass.

Day trips

Mafate from the Col des Bœufs pass

45 km · 2 h by car and 2 h on foot

The easiest way into the roadless cirque is from the Col des Bœufs pass above Salazie — from the paid car park it's a two-hour descent to the first settlements, La Nouvelle and Marla, and longer back uphill. Anyone wanting to see more than the first îlet needs to stay overnight in a mountain lodge, which must be booked in advance through the island's gîte network.

Piton des Neiges from Cilaos

20 km · 2 days with an overnight stay

The climb to the highest point in the Indian Ocean, three thousand and seventy meters, starts in Cilaos and splits into two days: an afternoon ascent to the Caverne Dufour lodge on day one, then a final hour and a half to the summit at two in the morning on day two, timed for sunrise. It's typically around freezing at the top, and you'll need a headlamp, a jacket and a lodge reservation.

East coast and vanilla country

70 km · 1 h 30 min by car

The windward side of the island between Saint-André and Sainte-Rose is the wettest, greenest and least touristed. It's home to vanilla cooperatives where you can watch hand-pollination in action, Tamil temples with brightly colored towers, and sugarcane plantations. Vanilla here costs about a third less than in the shops near the lagoon.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa or passport for Réunion?+

No. Réunion is a French overseas department and a full part of the European Union, so travelers from EU countries can enter with a national ID card, pay in euros, and use the European Health Insurance Card as normal. Mobile roaming works as within the EU. It is the only tropical destination in the Indian Ocean where none of that is a concern.

Can you swim in the sea on Réunion?+

Only inside the lagoon protected by a coral reef on the west coast, between Saint-Gilles and Saint-Leu. Swimming outside the lagoon has been banned by law since 2011 because of sharks, and after a series of fatal attacks the ban is strictly enforced. Réunion is therefore not a classic beach-holiday destination, but one for hiking and nature.

Can you hike up to the Piton de la Fournaise volcano?+

Yes, as long as there isn't an active eruption and access isn't closed. From Pas de Bellecombe it's five to six hours round trip, and the route is marked with white dots painted on the lava. Set off no later than seven in the morning, since after ten the volcano is usually shrouded in cloud. The current status and any closures are published by the prefecture and the volcano observatory.

Do I need a car?+

In practice, yes. The Car Jaune buses are cheap and cover the coast, but they run only a few times a day into the cirques and are slow. Car rental starts at around thirty-five euros a day and should be booked ahead, since cars sell out in high season. Keep in mind the mountain hairpin roads are slow — Cilaos is two hours away even though it looks close on the map.

What's the best time to visit?+

From May to November, which is winter in the southern hemisphere: dry, around twenty-six degrees on the coast, clear skies over the mountains, and the best conditions for hiking. From January to March is cyclone season, with daily downpours and closed trails. It's always noticeably colder in the mountains — in Cilaos, night temperatures drop to around ten degrees.

How do I get to Mafate?+

On foot, or by helicopter — there is no other way, since there isn't a single road anywhere in the cirque. The easiest way in on foot is from the Col des Bœufs pass, from which it's a two-hour descent to the first îlet. Anyone who wants to see more should stay overnight in a mountain lodge; these are booked in advance through the island's network of gîtes and fill up in high season.

Is Réunion expensive?+

Yes, it's French pricing plus an import surcharge of roughly a quarter. You can save on food — a cari in a Creole canteen costs twelve to eighteen euros, and samoussas from a bakery cost a few cents. The priciest items are lagoon-side accommodation and scenic helicopter flights. Mountain lodges with dinner included for around fifty euros are good value.

Can I manage Réunion without mountain experience?+

The basics, yes: the volcano, Hell-Bourg, the lagoon and the viewpoints are all manageable for an ordinary tourist with sturdy boots. Longer routes inside the cirques, the ascent of Piton des Neiges, and canyoning call for fitness and ideally a guide — trails run along ladders and chains, and mountain weather can change within the hour.

Visa Requirements

Check the latest visa requirements for entering this country. Some nationalities may need to apply for a visa or e-visa before travel.

Check visa requirements

Emergency Numbers

Police17Ambulance15Fire18

Language

French

Currency

EUR

Timezone

Indian/Reunion

Dial Code

+33

Population

68.2M

Area

640,679 km²

Voltage

230V / 50Hz

Driving Side

Right

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