Réunion

Fire and Cloud Above the Indian Ocean

Réunion rises dramatically from the Indian Ocean as one of the world's most geologically active islands. The Piton de la Fournaise volcano, one of the most active shield volcanoes on earth, erupts with spectacular regularity, coating lava fields in glowing rivers of molten rock. Sharing the island's dramatic interior are three ancient calderas, the cirques of Cilaos, Mafate, and Salazie, each a cathedral of mist-draped peaks, cascading waterfalls, and lush ravines that feel genuinely remote from the rest of the world.

Hiking Trails Through Otherworldly Terrain

Réunion is a hiker's paradise, home to the Grand Raid ultra-marathon and hundreds of marked trails threading through cloud forests, volcanic plains, and vertical basalt walls. The Piton des Neiges, the island's highest summit and the highest point in all French territories, rewards the determined with panoramic views stretching to Madagascar on a clear day. The cirque of Mafate is accessible only on foot or by helicopter, sheltering a scattering of tiny hamlets with no roads, where gîtes offer meals and beds to trekkers pushing through on multi-day routes.

Creole Culture, Spice, and Table

Réunionese cuisine is a vivid expression of the island's layered heritage, drawing on French, African, Indian, Malagasy, and Chinese culinary traditions into a cooking culture that is entirely its own. Carry, the island's signature dish, pairs slow-braised meat or seafood with rice, lentils, and achards of pickled vegetables, served with rougail, a fiery condiment of tomatoes, ginger, and chillies. Street stalls in Saint-Denis sell samosas alongside bouchons and chow mein, and the annual Sakifo music festival draws performers and audiences from across the Indian Ocean world.

Lagoon, Reef, and Coastal Escape

The western and southern coasts hold Réunion's beaches and lagoon, protected by a coral reef and a marine nature reserve that is among the largest in French territory. Saint-Gilles-les-Bains is the island's main coastal resort, offering calm turquoise water suited to swimming, snorkelling, and glass-bottomed boat tours over coral gardens. Surfers head to Saint-Leu, a world-class left-hand reef break that hosts international competitions, while the coastal road from Saint-Pierre to Étang-Salé delivers sunset drives alongside black-sand beaches and crashing surf.