Réunion – a fragrant flower and coral gardens

No question: Paradise can hardly be more beautiful! Réunion is not just any island in the Indian Ocean – it is probably the most versatile. Anyone who stands on the summit of the two-thousand-metre-high Maido and looks down at the white beaches and the exciting coral gardens is undoubtedly an enviable person. Experienced mountain guides accompany holidaymakers to the volcanoes and many a Creole hums the enchanting anthem of this island on the way. She tells of the bourbon vanilla that once gave this island its name. “P’tit fleur fanée” – the product of a small fragrant flower made Réunion famous all over the world in the 19th century, because bourbon vanilla is considered one of the most expensive spices of all and is still an important export good.

This island is something like the French outpost in the waters of the Indian Ocean. It is manageable and has a land area roughly the size of Luxembourg. Since the end of the Second World War, Réunion has been designated as a department of the European motherland. Here you pay your bills in euros, and it is an advantage to know at least a few chunks of the French language if you stay in one of the beautiful hotels or resorts there. On the nautical charts, Réunion can be found two thousand kilometres away from the African continent, and it was the discoverers of the seafaring nation of Portugal who were the first to land here in the 16th century.

Rocky coasts and almost impenetrable rainforests can be found in the south of the island. Les Hauts and Saint-Joseph are a hiking area that is being visited by more and more holidaymakers because the flowering gardens extend to higher altitudes and where the island has retained its original appearance. The most impressive beaches are located on the west side of Réunion and invite you to take long walks on the fine black or white sand. The lagoons open up to the open sea where the coral banks are intact and where a colorful underwater world spreads. An interesting agricultural museum has been housed in a former factory in the centre of Saint Leu, where the story of coffee and sugar cane cultivation is told.

As a holidaymaker, you should not miss the cemetery of the seafarers. Among other things, the notorious pirate La Buse has been laid to rest on it. The buccaneer of the seas was brought before the judge in shackles on Réunion in 1730 and sentenced to death. But the poet Leconte Delisle, who put his lyrical verses on paper based on the model of ancient Greek tragedy, is also buried in the cemetery of the seafarers.

Many inhabitants of Réunion have lost their hearts to the sport of surfing. Dancing on and with the waves is their passion, because they find the best conditions for practicing their daring jumps off the coast of Saint Leu. A special speciality and part of the World Cup there is the “Left Wave”. At the Kélonia Centre, turtles are nursed back to health and later released on the beaches.

At Boucan Canot, water sports are at home in all its facets. There, a six-hundred-metre-long steel net protects holidaymakers from possible shark attacks.

Almost exactly in the middle of the island lies the town of Cilaos with its thermal springs. It is located in a valley basin and has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Settlers ploughed this lovely valley at the foot of the often snow-covered Piton de Neiges as early as the 18th century. If you want a special adrenaline kick during your holiday, you can try canyoning in the “Iron Gorge” in the Fleurs Jaunes. Rèunion is an ideal long-distance destination for people who are enthusiastic about trekking or hiking, but also want to switch off on deserted beaches and bays.