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Réunion: hotels, sights and tours

A French island in the Indian Ocean, 200 km from Mauritius. People come here not for beaches but for mountains: an active volcano, three gigantic cirques and hundreds of kilometres of trails. Half the island is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Photo: Martin Mergili (BOKU University, Vienna) (https://imaggeo.egu.eu/user/358/), CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Where to stay on Réunion

All 509 with filters and a map →

The most practical plan is to change base 3–4 times: the west (Saint-Gilles or Saint-Leu) for the lagoon, Cilaos and Salazie for the cirques, a night in a gîte in Mafate, and a night at Plaine des Cafres or Saint-Pierre before the volcano. Staying in the west the whole time and driving up for the day means many hours at the wheel.

Hotels 92Guest houses 207Apartments 63Gîtes and chalets 77Hostels 13Motels 3Campsites 33Mountain huts 21

The west The westThe lagoon, sunsets and the driest weather on the island 86 options3–4 nightsThe south The southSaint-Pierre, wild shores and the gateway to the volcano 83 options2–3 nightsThe east The eastWaterfalls, vanilla and lava that reached the ocean 12 options1–2 nightsThe north The northSaint-Denis: the capital, the airport and Creole architecture 54 options0–1 nightsCilaos cirque Cilaos cirqueThermal baths, canyoning and a road of 400 bends 54 options2–3 nightsSalazie cirque Salazie cirqueThe greenest cirque: waterfalls and the village of Hell-Bourg 66 options1–2 nightsMafate cirque Mafate cirqueA cirque with no roads: on foot or by helicopter only 103 options1–2 nightsThe highlands and the volcano The highlands and the volcanoPlaine des Cafres, the Plaine des Sables and the road to the crater 51 options1 nights

Most complete listings

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Accommodation collections

Réunion Beachfront hotels and guest houses on Réunion26 places to stayRéunion 4- and 5-star hotels on Réunion8 places to stayRéunion 3-star hotels on Réunion10 places to stayRéunion Hotels near the airport on Réunion75 places to stayRéunion Guest houses on Réunion207 places to stayRéunion Apartments on Réunion63 places to stayRéunion Gîtes and chalets on Réunion77 places to stayRéunion Hostels on Réunion13 places to stayRéunion Campsites on Réunion33 places to stayRéunion Mountain huts on Réunion21 places to stay

Things to see

All 26 sights →
Pas de Bellecombe lookout Viewpoint Pas de Bellecombe lookout The rim of the caldera, facing the volcano's craterPlaine des Sables Nature Plaine des Sables A Martian landscape of red scoria on the road to the volcanoCité du Volcan Museum Cité du Volcan The volcanology museum at Plaine des CafresNotre-Dame-des-Laves History Notre-Dame-des-Laves The church the lava flowed around in 1977Anse des Cascades Nature Anse des Cascades A bay with waterfalls, palms and fishing boatsKélonia Museum Kélonia The sea turtle research and care centre in Saint-LeuMaïdo lookout Viewpoint Maïdo lookout Sunrise over the Mafate cirque from 2,200 mHell-Bourg Village Hell-Bourg A Creole village listed among the most beautiful in France

Tours and activities

All 9 tours →
Helicopter flight over the cirques and the volcano From the air Helicopter flight over the cirques and the volcanoThree cirques, the Trou de Fer waterfalls and the volcano crater in a single flight 25–55 minAll year, morning departuresHumpback whale watching Whales, dolphins, turtles Humpback whale watchingIn the southern winter the whales come to the west coast 2–3 hJuly — OctoberSnorkelling and diving on the western reef Sea and lagoon Snorkelling and diving on the western reefThe Hermitage lagoon with a mask, and dives beyond the reef from Saint-Gilles 2–3 hAll year; best visibility May — NovemberLava tunnels of the 2004 flow Canyons and thrills Lava tunnels of the 2004 flowDown with a helmet and headlamp into the tubes where lava once ran 3–4 hAll year, except days of heavy rainDolomieu crater with a guide Guided hikes Dolomieu crater with a guideA climb up Piton de la Fournaise with the volcano explained on the way 5–6 hDrier May — November; start at dawnCanyoning in Cilaos and Salazie Canyons and thrills Canyoning in Cilaos and SalazieWaterfall descents, from beginner canyons to sporting ones Half a day to a full dayMay — November

The island on the map

Green dots: sights; blue: beaches; purple: tour departure points. Map © OpenStreetMap contributors. Coordinates are approximate.

Getting there by air: fares from Paris

One-way from Paris from €251: the cheapest ticket found for each month.

MonthFromFlight dateAirportAirline
October 2026542 €Oct 26 RUNFrench bee, non-stop see flights
November 2026251 €Nov 24 RUNFrench bee, non-stop see flights
December 2026266 €Dec 4 RUNFrench bee, non-stop see flights
January 2027266 €Jan 1 RUNFrench bee, non-stop see flights
April 2027422 €Apr 15 RUNFrench bee, non-stop see flights
July 2027578 €Jul 20 RUNFrench bee, non-stop see flights

Fares recorded on October 12, 2026 from recent searches on Aviasales: one way, one adult, checked baggage not always included. They are indicative: the actual fare is shown when you search and changes daily. Months with no data are left out of the table.

Rent a car

A car is the easiest way to reach beaches, trails and villages: public transport is scarce outside the towns. Book ahead in high season.

Discover Carscompare rental companies: Réunion Localrentlocal rental companies: Réunion QEEQrental comparison site:Réunion

Mobile data and eSIM

The island is inside the European Union roaming zone: with a French or EU plan you can normally use your phone as at home. Check your operator's terms all the same: some plans exclude the overseas territories or cap data there. If yours does not cover the island, or if you are coming from outside Europe, a prepaid eSIM avoids roaming charges.

An eSIM is bought online, installed before you leave and activated on arrival; your phone must be eSIM-compatible and unlocked. Compare the data allowance and validity period before buying.

YesimeSIM plans for the island AiraloeSIM plans for the island

The island at a glance

Status
French overseas region (department 974)
Currency
Euro (€)
Time
UTC+4 — 3 hours ahead of Paris in winter, 2 in summer
Flight
Paris → Saint-Denis ≈ 11 h non-stop
Best season
May — November (dry, good for hiking); December — April is hot and rainy
Cyclones
December — April, peaking January — March
Languages
French, Réunion Creole
Area / population
2,512 km², ≈ 880,000 people
Sockets
230 V, types C/E, as in mainland Europe

Right for you if

  • You love hiking and mountain scenery
  • You want to see an active volcano
  • You are ready to drive winding roads
  • You value French infrastructure and food with a Creole accent

Not for you if

  • You want a “beach, pool, bar” holiday (Mauritius is a better fit)
  • You do not want to rent a car
  • You can only travel between January and March and worry about cyclones