The little-known island of Réunion, 700 km east of Madagascar, boasts the highest mountain in the Indian Ocean, as well as one of the world's most active volcanoes.

French colonists arrived on the island, then known as Bourbon, in the 1640s. Slaves from Madagascar and mainland Africa were brought in to work the island's coffee plantations. The island was ruled as a colony until 1946, when it was made a "departement" of France.

Réunion is a volcanic island of astounding geographical diversity and offers a wide array of activities including horse riding, mountain trekking, fantastic dive sites and canyon exploring. It has two major mountain zones, the Cirques of Cilanos, Salazie and Mafate, and the active volcano Piton-de-la-fournaise.

Best Time to Travel

Reunion Island experiences only two distinct seasons: the hot, rainy summer from December to April and the cool, dry winter from late April to October. Daytime temperatures range from 22º – 27º.