Destinations

Exploring the Wild Nature & Rich Culture of Reunion Island

Seemingly hidden within the currents of the Indian Ocean is a little tropical gem which calls to the heart of every traveller looking for the ultimate experience. With far reaching mountainous landscapes and strikingly beautiful terrains, Réunion Island holds captive a pristine historical charm, luring those looking for the perfect island getaway.

Réunion Island offers a unique blend of a tropical paradise and an adventurer’s dream. With three Grande Randonnée footpaths crossing the island, you can effortlessly immerse yourself within the depths of Réunion Island’s natural majesty.

Views over the Island's Montagne Mafate are breathtaking. Image credit: Lionel Ghighi.
Views over the Island’s Montagne Mafate are breathtaking. Image credit: Lionel Ghighi.

The Island offers a surreal experience, as the natural lush green landscapes give way to volcanic fields of the Piton de la Fournaise.  These heated volcanic fields have shaped the Island. Yet, even this momentous giant effortlessly subsides at the Island’s Southern edge to a refreshing oceanic breeze.

Reunion Islands's Volcanic Plaine Des Sables. Image credit: Frog974 Photographies.
Reunion Islands’s Volcanic Plaine Des Sables. Image credit: Frog974 Photographies.

Cast in the shadows of two prominent volcanic peaks and cliff-rimmed cirques, rests the tranquil beaches which epitomises the splendour of Reunion Island.

Réunion Island boasts not only an adventurous retreat but also a pristine natural habitat for a variety of aquatic species. The Natural Marine Reserve extends over an astounding 40 km of coastline which stretched from Cap La Houssaye in Saint-Paul to la Roche aux Oiseaux in Etang-Salé. It is within this protected Marine Reserve that the 20 km coral reef has flourished to become a unique feature encountered by visitors to Réunion Island.

With such a diverse and ecological landscape the notion of diversity appears to have been embedded within the heart of Réunion Island and its residents. Many of the inhabitants of Réunion Island are from France, Mozambique, India, China, Madagascar, the Comores and Africa, thus leading to a mixing-pot of the cultural lineage that maps out the unique traditions found on Réunion Island.

Local Maloya dance and music is often enjoyed on the Island's pristine beaches. Image credit: Studio Lumiere.
Local Maloya dance and music is often enjoyed on the Island’s pristine beaches. Image credit: Studio Lumiere.

Prominent influences from such a diverse heritage can be found rooted within the music and dances encountered during your stay on the Island. Maloya is a local dance and music which descends from a narrative between African and Indian music, mixed with the haunting melodies of the slaves from Africa and Madagascar.

Reunion-Gastronomie-CreoleWith such diversity present on the Island and its spectacular mix of people you will find that the cuisine, as well as traditions, often differ. Thus, throughout your stay on the Island, you can expect influences from across the globe, harnessed and captured in the delicacies offered on the Island.

It’s hard to resist the beauty this island has to offer, mixed with the many aromas from the mouth-watering traditional dishes and playful dancing performed by the locals.

Réunion Island Tourism Board is represented by Atout France in South Africa.

CONTACTS:

Tel: +27 010 205 0201.
Email: [email protected]
Facebook: GotoReunionSA
Twitter: @reuniontourisme
Instagram: reuniontourisme
Blog: blog.welcometoreunionisland.com

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