Adventure Island – Réunion
Text: Dylan Kotze. Article from the March 2013 issue of Getaway Magazine.
With an active volcano on its south coast, 25 kilometres of tropical beaches in the west, and mountains swathed in waterfalls and forests, lle de la Réunion is more of a recreational jaunt than a holiday destination. Dylan Kotze tried out these eight high-octane activities.
A week spent sipping piña coladas on any of the Indian Ocean islands, with tropical water lapping . at your feet, will have you as mellow as a Caribbean cricketer. But if you’re looking to get more bang for your buck, pack your adventure bags for Réunion.
At only 200 kilometres in circumference, with mountains rising almost as high as the Drakensberg, it’s an understatement to say Réunion’s landscapes will take your breath away. In just five adrenalin-filled days of flying over, jumping off, sliding and riding down and roaming under its slopes, I lost my breath a good few times.
Its history is as rich as its adventure activities. Réunion was created by the same hotspot volcano that formed the islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues and it’s a cultural melting pot as a result of its tumultuous past. After a brief Portuguese rule from around 1507, the French East India Company officially colonised the island when it sent the first 20 settlers in 1655 (it’s still governed by France). The booming slave trade saw the influx of Africans, Chinese, Malays and Indians, who now live in harmony. You only have to go to the beach on a Sunday to see this in the customary Creole picnic parties.
Réunion relies heavily on its agricultural exports (mainly sugar, spirits and fruit) and remains authentically French. It’s not an in-your-face tourist trap and more and more thrill-seekers are discovering this adrenalin heaven through hiking, biking, surfing, tunnelling and more.
1. Take to the Sky
This is no ordinary helicopter trip. You’ll lurch over mountain ridges and drop into a lush canyon with waterfalls plunging hundreds of metres, leaving rainbows in the spray. After a few tight circles, you speed off to the island’s desolate east side with the French-speaking pilot chatting away. Don’t worry if you can’t understand, you’ll be too busy trying to find your stomach.
Helilagon offers daily flights from Éperon on the west of the island from €85 (R980) a person, tel +262-262-555-555, www.helilagon.com.
2. Eplore Lava Tunnels
Pull on a pair of protective pants and don a gas-flamed helmet as you discover the twists and turns of Piton de la Fournaise in the southeast. Le volcan, as the locals know it, is one of the world’s most accessible active volcanoes and while most visitors take a short hike into its crater, I recommend something a little more unusual, like exploring the underground lava tunnels at St-Philippe. Ricaric offers guided trips for €50 (about R575) a person. Tel +262-692-865-485, email ricaric@canyonreunion.com, www.canyonreunion.com.
3. Soar with the Birds
There are more than 300 flying days a year in Réunion, making it one of the world’s best paragliding spots. If you’re uninitiated, take a tandem jump with a guide. The launch is from 800 metres above sea level and, with good thermals, you’ll rise even higher alongside whitetailed tropicbirds before landing on the beach in St-Leu. Azurtech Parapente offers tandem flights from €60 (about R690) a person older than four. Tel +262-692-653-765, email contact@azurtech.com, www.azurtech.com.
4. Strap on the Boots
With much of Réunion’s rugged interior accessible only by foot, hiking is a must if you want an intimate encounter with the island’s sights, sounds and smiling locals. There are two major multi-day hiking trails (Grande Randonnée Route 1 and Route 2), as well as numerous short rambles and day hikes. Maison de la Montagne provides maps and information and facilitates bookings for hiking lodges, routes and guides. Tel +33-810-160-000, www.reunion-nature.com.
5. Tour on Two Wheels
Start by zigzagging 2000 metres up a mountainside in a mini bus to Le Maïdo, where magnificent views of the caldera Cirque de Mafate await. From there it’s all downhill cruising on a mountain bike through a dense forest in Réunion National Park, across cattle farms and sugar-cane fields and eventually back to the seaside town of St-Gilles-les-Bains. Rando Réunion Passion offers trips for all experience levels from €40 (about R460) for a half-day trip.
Tel +262-262-242-619, www.vttreunion.com.
6. Catch a Wave
Surrounded by open ocean and coral reefs, it should come as no surprise that Réunion’s west-coast surf is world class. However, it can get crowded, especially at the popular St-Leu Reef and L’Hermitage Pass. Trois Bassins is a good beginner’s wave and surfing and stand-up paddling lessons are available here for €20 (about R230) an hour from L’Ecole de Surf des Roches Noires. Tel +262-262-246-328, email bertrand.surflswanadoo.fr.
7. Take the Plunge
The warm, clear water off St-Leu and St-Gilles is home to a kaleidoscope of colourful fish and corals. You can snorkel straight off the beaches in the lagoon, but if you go scuba diving a little further out you’re likely to encounter nesting turtles and pelagic fish among wrecks, drop-offs and volcanic canyons. Réunion Plongée in St-Leu offers dives with or without guides from €50 (R575). Tel +262-262- 347-777, www.reunionplongee.com.
8. Jump Right In
Canyoning, or kloofing to us Saffas, is a mixture of swimming, scrambling, jumping, abseiling and zip lining in and over the incredible rivers that cut through deep gorges. Bassin la Paix on the east of the island is perfect for beginners, Trou Blanc, Bras Rouge and Fleurs Jaunes in the Cirque de Salazie are popular, Mini Fleurs Jaunes and Ti Grand Galet are suitable for children and Trou de Fer will challenge even the most experienced canyoneer.
Ricaric offers one-day and multi-day trips as well as packages that include canyoning, diving, paragliding, rafting or lava tunnel tours.
Costs from €50 (about R575) a person. Tel +262-262-331-999, email ricaric&canyonreunion.com, wmv.canyonreunion.com.
Travel Planner
Getting there
Air Austral flies directly from Joburg to Réunion from R4330 a person, excluding airport taxes of about R1 300. Tel 011-452-0752, email johannesburg@air-austrai.com, www.air-austral.com.
Getting around
Réunion has buses that traverse the island, but hiring a car is the way to go if you’re doing a lot of exploring and don’t mind driving on the right. CITER offers wheels from €32 (about R360) a day. Tel +262-262-488-738, www.citer.re.
Where to stay
Hotel le Recif, a LUX* Island Resort, on the beachfront in St- Gilles-les-Bains is the perfect setting to unwind after a day’s adventuring. Book a six-night package including return flights from Joburg, departure taxes, return hotel transfers, accommodation, breakfasts, snorkelling and kayaking for R12547 a person sharing. Contact Island Light Holidays on tel 011-770- 7821, email info@islandlightholidays.co.za.
For cheaper options, choose between a gîte (guest house) and chambres d’hôte (B&B). Budget rooms start from €40 (about R460). Reunion Island Tourism Board, tel +33-810-160-000, email resa@reunion.fr.
When to go
High season is from June to January (especially during the French school holidays). December to April is hot and rainy, while April to October is cooler, drier and best for surfing and hiking.
Need to know
South Africans need a visa to travel to Réunion, although this may change later this year. Apply at a French embassy or consulate with a valid passport and return air ticket. Call 086-744-4003 for an appointment.
There are ATMs across the island and credit cards are widely accepted. However, there are few money-changing facilities, so it’s best to get euros before you go or draw money when you arrive.
English isn’t widely spoken, so pack a French dictionary and phrase book and learn a few basics before you go.
Useful contacts
France Tourism Development Agency, tel 010-205-0201, email reunionisland.za@atout-france.fr, www.reunion,fr/en.
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