REUNION HOLIDAY REVIEWS
Reunion
For something completely different try a holiday in Reunion, officially a Department of France, but situated thousands of miles from its “motherland” in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Reunion is a dramatically beautiful tropical island with the ubiquitous coconut palms, volcanic sandy beaches, turquoise lagoons and barrier reefs, but everywhere the French influence pervades.more
For something completely different try a holiday in Reunion, officially a Department of France, but situated thousands of miles from its “motherland” in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Reunion is a dramatically beautiful tropical island with the ubiquitous coconut palms, volcanic sandy beaches, turquoise lagoons and barrier reefs, but everywhere the French influence pervades.more
A small piece of paradise... - Angela Harris. Date of travel: Dec 2005
The first thing that struck me about this wonderful island paradise (other than the humidity the minute I stepped off the plane) was its odd blend of very mainland France French flavour and its pure tropical island style. Reunion is an assault on the senses - vanilla, cinnamon, coffee, geraniums... green everywhere... absinthe coloured sea... a musical creole... What also made a huge impression on me was the immense friendliness of the people. There is a major gap between the have and the have-nots, and yet there seems to be a wonderful intermingling and mixing that is second nature. Some of the friends I made there were half Chinese, half African or half Italian, half French and there was a refreshing lack of xenophobia or racism. I was welcomed into many a home, from the more fancy to the more desititute and recieved the same hospitality and generosity. The volcanic black sand beaches (particularly at Etang-Sale) were a novelty and although one has to make sure you wear shoes/flip-flops (right down to the sea because of the immense heat of the sand), beautiful! The snorkelling is amazing - a huge variety of fish, sea cucumbers etc. to be seen. Unfortunately I was not able to get up Piton de la Fournaise (volcano) due to heavy fog, but did enjoy the museum. The turtle farm is a little distrubing as it seems such a waste to see such beautiful creatures and know they are going to be turned into gimmicks for tourists... There are plenty of restaurants, shops etc though things are pretty pricey as one is dealing in Euros. There are some affordable options though and the local foods (esp the curries) are well worth trying. The fresh fruit is unbelievable too. Perhaps the best part of Reunion is that it is relatively undeveloped and it offers beach lovers and outdoors enthusiasts alike plenty to do and see. There is not nearly the same amount of tourism as in Mauritius but it has as many treasures to explore. Speaking French is a bonus, though one should be able to get by. A truly wonderful island worth visiting.
The first thing that struck me about this wonderful island paradise (other than the humidity the minute I stepped off the plane) was its odd blend of very mainland France French flavour and its pure tropical island style. Reunion is an assault on the senses - vanilla, cinnamon, coffee, geraniums... green everywhere... absinthe coloured sea... a musical creole... What also made a huge impression on me was the immense friendliness of the people. There is a major gap between the have and the have-nots, and yet there seems to be a wonderful intermingling and mixing that is second nature. Some of the friends I made there were half Chinese, half African or half Italian, half French and there was a refreshing lack of xenophobia or racism. I was welcomed into many a home, from the more fancy to the more desititute and recieved the same hospitality and generosity. The volcanic black sand beaches (particularly at Etang-Sale) were a novelty and although one has to make sure you wear shoes/flip-flops (right down to the sea because of the immense heat of the sand), beautiful! The snorkelling is amazing - a huge variety of fish, sea cucumbers etc. to be seen. Unfortunately I was not able to get up Piton de la Fournaise (volcano) due to heavy fog, but did enjoy the museum. The turtle farm is a little distrubing as it seems such a waste to see such beautiful creatures and know they are going to be turned into gimmicks for tourists... There are plenty of restaurants, shops etc though things are pretty pricey as one is dealing in Euros. There are some affordable options though and the local foods (esp the curries) are well worth trying. The fresh fruit is unbelievable too. Perhaps the best part of Reunion is that it is relatively undeveloped and it offers beach lovers and outdoors enthusiasts alike plenty to do and see. There is not nearly the same amount of tourism as in Mauritius but it has as many treasures to explore. Speaking French is a bonus, though one should be able to get by. A truly wonderful island worth visiting.
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