Tours on the French islands

From the air · Réunion 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 departures Whales, dolphins, turtles · Réunion Humpback whale watchingIn the southern winter the whales come to the west coast 2–3 hJuly — October Sea and lagoon · Réunion 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 — November Canyons and thrills · Réunion 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 rain Guided hikes · Réunion 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 dawn Canyons and thrills · Réunion Canyoning in Cilaos and SalazieWaterfall descents, from beginner canyons to sporting ones Half a day to a full dayMay — November From the air · Réunion Paragliding over the Saint-Leu lagoonA tandem flight from 800 m with a landing by the beach 15–30 minAll year, best in the morning Guided hikes · Réunion Overnight trek into the Mafate cirqueA cirque without roads: on foot from hamlet to hamlet, with a night in a gîte 2–3 daysMay — November Rum, wine, vanilla · Réunion Vanilla in the east and rum distilleriesBourbon vanilla plantations and a rum museum in an old distillery 2–4 hAll year Sea and lagoon · Guadeloupe Cousteau Reserve: snorkelling and divingThe Pigeon Islets off Malendure beach — corals, sponges, turtles 2–3 hAll year; best visibility December — May Sea and lagoon · Guadeloupe The Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin lagoonMangroves, sand islets and a barrier reef by boat from Sainte-Rose Half a day to a full dayAll year Guided hikes · Guadeloupe Climbing La Soufrière with a guideAn active volcano, 1,467 m: fumaroles and a view over the archipelago 4–5 hDrier December — May; start early in the morning History and towns · Guadeloupe A day on Les SaintesBy ferry to Terre-de-Haut: the bay, Fort Napoléon and Pompierre beach A full dayAll year Rum, wine, vanilla · Guadeloupe Marie-Galante: rum and beachesThe island of a hundred windmills: three distilleries and empty beaches A full dayAll year; cane harvest February — June Whales, dolphins, turtles · Guadeloupe Whales and dolphins of the leeward coastOut to sea from Bouillante and Deshaies, into the marine mammal sanctuary 3–4 hDolphins and sperm whales all year; humpback whales January — April Sea and lagoon · Guadeloupe Petite-Terre nature reserveTwo uninhabited islets: iguanas, a lagoon and a lighthouse A full dayDecember — June; visitor numbers are limited Canyons and thrills · Guadeloupe Canyoning and rivers of Basse-TerreJumps, abseils and swims in forest gorges Half a dayDecember — May Rum, wine, vanilla · Guadeloupe Guadeloupe's rum distilleriesAgricultural rum, from the cane to the tasting 2–3 hAll year; production February — June Guided hikes · Martinique Climbing Mount Pelée with a guideThe volcano that destroyed Saint-Pierre in 1902 — 1,397 m 4–5 hDrier February — May; start at dawn Whales, dolphins, turtles · Martinique Dolphins off the Caribbean coastA morning boat trip along the north-west coast 3–4 hAll year Sea and lagoon · Martinique The white shallows and Joséphine's BathThe islets of Le François and Le Robert, and a swim on a sandbank out at sea Half a day to a full dayAll year Rum, wine, vanilla · Martinique The rum route: estates and distilleriesThe only rum in the world with an AOC appellation Half a day to a full dayAll year; production February — June Whales, dolphins, turtles · Martinique Snorkelling with turtles at Les Anses-d'ArletGreen turtles graze on seagrass right off the shore 2–3 hAll year, best in the morning Sea and lagoon · Martinique Catamaran along the Caribbean coastA day under sail: Diamond Rock, the Arlet coves, lunch on board A full dayDecember — May History and towns · Martinique Saint-Pierre: the town beneath the volcanoThe ruins of the “Paris of the Antilles”, Cyparis's prison cell and the disaster memorial Half a dayAll year Sea and lagoon · Martinique Kayaking through the mangrovesStill water, crabs and herons in Génipa bay and at La Caravelle 2–3 hAll year Canyons and thrills · Martinique Gorges and canyoning in the northRivers on the slopes of Pelée: the Gorges de la Falaise and waterfall descents Half a dayFebruary — June Sea and lagoon · Corsica Scandola, Girolata and the Calanques de Piana from the seaA UNESCO-listed reserve with no roads — boat only 3–4 hApril — October Sea and lagoon · Corsica The cliffs of Bonifacio and the Lavezzi IslandsThe cliff-top town from the water, sea caves and granite islets in the strait 1 h to half a dayApril — October Canyons and thrills · Corsica Canyoning at BavellaGranite slides, jumps into pools and abseils down waterfalls Half a dayMay — September Guided hikes · Corsica The GR20 with a guideEurope's toughest waymarked trail — the whole route or half of it From 3 to 15 daysMid-June — September Sea and lagoon · Corsica The Agriates beaches: Lotu and SalecciaBy boat from Saint-Florent to beaches no road reaches Half a day to a full dayMay — September History and towns · Corsica Napoleon's Ajaccio and the Sanguinaires IslandsThe Bonaparte house, the cathedral where the Emperor was baptised and sunset at the Sanguinaires 2–3 hAll year History and towns · Corsica Cap Corse in a dayA loop around the peninsula: Genoese towers, fishing harbours, Nonza's black beach A full dayApril — October Rum, wine, vanilla · Corsica The wines of PatrimonioThe island's oldest appellation: Niellucciu and Vermentinu 2–3 hAll year; harvest in September History and towns · Corsica The “Trinichellu” train through the mountainsThe narrow-gauge Ajaccio — Corte — Bastia line: viaducts, tunnels, pine forests Half a day to a full dayAll year Sea and lagoon · Tahiti Moorea lagoon: rays and reef sharksA swim with stingrays on a sandbank and a picnic on a motu Half a day to a full dayAll year Whales, dolphins, turtles · Tahiti Humpback whales of Moorea and TahitiOne of the few places where you may be in the water with whales 3–4 hAugust — October Sea and lagoon · Tahiti Bora Bora lagoon tourManta rays, sharks, a coral garden and lunch on a motu beneath Mount Otemanu Half a day to a full dayAll year; drier May — October Canyons and thrills · Tahiti By 4×4 into the Papenoo valleyInto the crater of an ancient volcano: waterfalls, fords and marae A full dayMay — October Canyons and thrills · Tahiti Moorea safari: the Belvedere and pineapplesViewpoints over two bays, plantations and a juice tasting Half a dayAll year Sea and lagoon · Tahiti By boat to the Teahupoo waveOne of the heaviest waves in the world, from a few dozen metres away 1–2 hBig swells May — October History and towns · Tahiti Around Tahiti in a dayPoint Venus, the Arahoho blowhole, the Faarumai waterfalls, marae and gardens A full dayAll year Sea and lagoon · Tahiti Diving in Tahiti and MooreaReef walls, wrecks and lemon sharks 2–3 hAll year Sea and lagoon · New Caledonia A day on Amédée lighthouse isletA cast-iron lighthouse from 1865, a lagoon with turtles and lunch on the islet A full dayAll year From the air · New Caledonia Flight over the Heart of VohThe mangrove heart from the cover of Yann Arthus-Bertrand's book 30–60 minAll year, best in the morning Sea and lagoon · New Caledonia The pirogues of Upi Bay and the Oro natural poolUnder sail between mushroom rocks, then on foot to a natural aquarium A full dayAll year Canyons and thrills · New Caledonia Rivière Bleue park: kayaking through the drowned forestRed earth, white trunks in the water and the kagu bird A full dayAll year; park closed on Mondays Whales, dolphins, turtles · New Caledonia Humpback whales in Prony BayIn winter the whales enter the southern lagoon to calve A full dayJuly — September History and towns · New Caledonia A stay with a Kanak tribeThe custom, bougna from the earth oven and a night in a traditional hut A day, or with an overnight stayAll year Sea and lagoon · New Caledonia Bourail: La Roche Percée and the Poé lagoonThe “Bonhomme” rock, Turtle Bay and the UNESCO-listed reef from a boat A full dayAll year History and towns · New Caledonia Nouméa: the Tjibaou Centre and the baysRenzo Piano's architecture, the Lagoon Aquarium and the Ouen Toro lookout Half a dayAll year Sea and lagoon · New Caledonia Nouméa's islets: Canard and MaîtreFive minutes by taxi boat to an underwater trail Half a dayAll year Sea and lagoon · Saint-Martin Pinel Island by kayak or ferryFive minutes across the channel and you are on an islet in the reserve Half a dayAll year Whales, dolphins, turtles · Saint-Martin Catamaran to Tintamarre and Creole RockAn uninhabited island in the reserve: turtles and snorkelling by the rock Half a day to a full dayDecember — July Sea and lagoon · Saint-Martin A day on AnguillaBy ferry from Marigot or by catamaran to the beaches of the neighbouring island A full dayAll year History and towns · Saint-Martin A day on Saint-BarthélemyBy ferry to Gustavia: yachts, Shell Beach and Saint-Jean bay A full dayDecember — June; much is closed in September and October Canyons and thrills · Saint-Martin Zip-lining at Loterie FarmCables above the forest canopy on the slopes of Pic Paradis 2–3 hAll year Rum, wine, vanilla · Saint-Martin A food evening in Grand CaseLolos, French bistros and infused rum on a single street An eveningDecember — April; street party on Tuesdays Canyons and thrills · Saint-Martin Racing on America's Cup yachtsYou are the crew of a genuine 12 Metre racing yacht 3 hDecember — April Sea and lagoon · Mayotte A day on the lagoon by boatDolphins, a white-sand islet and snorkelling on the barrier reef A full dayAll year; drier May — October Whales, dolphins, turtles · Mayotte Humpback whales in the lagoonFemales with calves come inside the reef Half a day to a full dayJuly — October Whales, dolphins, turtles · Mayotte The turtles of N'Gouja and SazileyA swim above the seagrass and night-time nesting watches 2–3 hAll year; nesting peaks April — June Sea and lagoon · Mayotte Diving the Passe en SA winding channel through the reef — the island's top dive site Half a dayAll year; best visibility May — November Guided hikes · Mayotte Mount Choungui with a guideA steep climb to 594 m with an all-round view of the lagoon 3–4 hMay — October Guided hikes · Mayotte Petite-Terre: Lake Dziani and the Moya beachesA green crater lake and two beaches in volcanic coves Half a dayAll year, best in the morning Rum, wine, vanilla · Mayotte Ylang-ylang and vanilla plantationsThe “perfume island”: essential oil distilling and a spice garden 2–3 hFlowers all year, peak May — December

We describe a type of tour, not a specific offer. Prices, schedules and availability are on the booking platforms. Duration and season are a rough guide.