Reunion Island
Reunion Island Information
Home to one of the world's most active volcanoes, snow-capped Piton de Fournaise, Réunion is a little-known gem. This rocky, French-governed island off the coast of East Africa is easily explored by Les Cars Jaunes, yellow buses that link main settlements. The road into the mountains provides breathtaking scenery. Bike tours on rough backroads are an option for the brave and the extremely fit. Beyond the reach of cars, the untamed village Cirque de Mafate shows the island's wildest side. Reunion Island (Melou68, Mar 2010)Reunion Island (Marky13, Jul 2008)Reunion Island (Marky13, Jul 2008)Saint-Denis (laurepan, Nov 2009).
This wildly beautiful and rugged volcanic island (with a very active volcano), was uninhabited when discovered by the Portuguese in the early 16th century. In 1643 it was claimed by the French. They named it Bourbon and established their first colony here in 1662. In the years that followed, slaves from Africa were imported to work the sugar plantations. The island was renamed Reunion in 1793, and it remained a French colony, except for a brief British occupation from 1810 to 1815. Over time, French immigration, supplemented by influxes of Africans, Chinese, Malays, and Malabar Indians, gave the island its ethnic mix. The island's economy is dominated by the sugarcane industry, and its main exports include sugar, seafood, rum, and vanilla. Tourism, especially from Europe, is a significant economic factor.
Flights
Air Austral operates flights to and from Saint-Denis, Roland Garros International Airport.The approximate flying time from Johannesburg to Reunion is 4 hours.We also offer combo packages including a visit to Mauritius and Reunion with our air partner, Air Mauritius.On arrival you will be met by an Island Light Holidays representative who will arrange your transfer to the resort and offer you a list of islands excursions.
Distances from the airport to LUX*Resorts: LUX*Ile De La Reunion 59 km (+ /- 45 minutes)Hotel Le Recif 50km (+ /- 40 minutes)
An island of true contrasts, the French department of Reunion is unknown to many of the world's travelers. That's unfortunate! This unique island in the middle of the Indian Ocean is simply one of the most intriguing spots on earth.
Not as well-known as nearby Mauritius or the not-so-far-away British Seychelles, little Reunion seems but a speck in the vast ocean, dwarfed by Madagascar, located 500 miles to the west. The French know the island well but only the very well-traveled have ever stepped foot on Reunion's varied and enticing terrain.
With an active volcano on its south coast, 17 miles of warm, welcoming beaches in the west, and lots of mountains and forests in between, Reunion Island offers vacation opportunities ranging from relaxing to truly insane. If you're looking for a place to "chill out", you'll find it here. But if you're the kind of vacationer who prefers an adrenaline rush over a sunburn, the possibilities are endless. From hiking Reunion's unique "cirques" or canyoning the island's many waterfalls to scuba diving or surfing in the clear waters that surround this tiny 30-mile-wide island, adventure activities abound for vacationers hoping to do something a little daring while on their Reunion holiday.