French governed Reunion Island is located in the Indian Ocean just east of Madagascar and is only four hours flight from Johannesburg on Air Austral who fly only once a week on a Sunday. The island is literally and figuratively, a piece of France, yet the people are a mix of western and Creole. French is the spoken language, with Creole the local language spoken by all the indigenous people with very little English spoken outside the hotels and tourist areas. Little coffee shops, French bistros and restaurants dot the streets and lanes of the small island towns. An air of "island style" is mixed with European touches, architecture and cuisine and offers an overall feel of a Caribbean-like lifestyle. There is so much more to this beautiful island than sun-drenched, reef-ringed beaches and underwater corals that are all magnificent! Its towering mountains reach up to 3 000 metres and offer some of the most beautiful views. These mountains are of volcanic origin, and in fact some are still live, and erupt once or twice a year. Its waterfalls pour off theses slopes in beautiful cascades and make spectacular viewing for hikers, paragliders and those wishing to take a flip into the mountains on helicopter charters. The beaches are either white or black volcanic sand and also make for breathtaking contrasts and visuals. The snorkelling and scuba is amazing, the hiking and biking is popular and its flora and volcanic cliffs of the south are spectacular.
Visas are required for travel (by South African and certain other nationalities) to the island and need to be applied for directly at the Consulate by the client. This is a little island with so much beauty and so much magnificence. We love it and love sending our friends and clients here and then hearing how amazing their holidays were. Go to Reunion, it's FANTASTIC!
REUNION FACTS:
Capital: Saint Denis
Language: French and Creole (tiny bit of English spoken)
Currency: Euro
Climate: Hot tropical temperatures. January-March is the hottest and wettest time. Rainfall throughout the year occurs in the east and around the mountain slopes. The South West and the West is the driest part of the island
Best Time to Travel: April until the end of October are the best months to visit
Health: Visit a Travel Clinic or your Doctor for more details before you travel. It is a malaria free zone and water is safe for drinking. No immunizations are needed
Travel Insurance: We highly recommend travel insurance (Please ask consultant for a copy of the policy we recommend)
Visa: A visa is required for South African passport holders and other most nationalities and needs to be applied for direct at the Consulate by the client
