It’s weird, it’s one of those destinations where not even the tourism site has a lot of info. Travel agencies still look at you… weirdly and all you can do is trawl a lot of accounts of previous visitors to this little island in the Indian Ocean.
So this is what I know, we are going and soon. We have a car and accommodation. I’m not sure if there is a festival on or not, because dates on it is sparse. I kind of have an idea what we will do and see – but I don’t have a 100% plan.
We are definitely seeing volcanoes
Saint-Denis
St Denis, the capital city, offers a number of cultural sites that I am keen to explore.
- Musee Leon Dierx which boast an impressive collection that include works by Picasso, Gauguin and Cézanne.
- Cascade du Chaudron – apparently the pool at this waterfall is bluer than blue.
- Grand Marche – a market or 2 is definitely on the list.
- Kali Kampal Temple (Hindu Temple)
- Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle de La Réunion
- Saint-Denis Cathedral
- Vanilla plantation
2 volcanoes
- Piton des Neiges – which has been inactive for a very long time. Maybe we will hike a bit here. There is also a biological reserve here.
- Piton de la Fournaise – one of the world’s most active volcanoes (fingers crossed to see some lava from a VERY safe distance). Hiking to Furnace Peak…
Hellbourg on the edge of Cirque de Salazie
Rumour has it that it is being lauded as the “most beautiful French village”. The Creole architecture is apparently amazing here and I’m a sucker for architecture. We are also going to eat our way through the local cuisine in this little town.
What I’m really looking forward to is a cultural and gastronomic experience. So my research is taking me to all sorts of weird and wonderful pages.
Be on the lookout for my next posts about planning for our Reunion Island trip – everything from packing lists to places to see.
