Questions & Answers

Just like traveling to any tropical location, precautionary steps ought to be taken such as the use of cream or anti mosquito spray. (These products are available locally at any pharmacy or parapharmacy). Passengers coming from endemic countries need a vaccination against yellow fever and cholera. There is no malaria on Reunion Island.

Scuba diving can be practised from the age of six to old age, provided that the physical condition is good. To engage in this activity, a medical certificate is strongly recommended but not obligatory, except for medical contraindications such as asthma (particularly exercise-induced asthma), epilepsy, lung diseases, ear or sinus infections, cardiovascular disorders.
The underwater world can also be explored simply by mask, snorkel and fins. At “l’Hermitage”, the underwater trail of “Parc Marin” can be visited wearing this equipment. This allows an original exploration, guided and free, of the lagoon ecosystem.

From January to March: best period to fish for marlin.
From April to May: big yellowfin tuna, dorado, wahoo, sailfish, shark, bonito, big marlins passing.
From June to August: shark, yellowfin tuna, dorado, bonito
From September to December: dorado, wahoo, yellowfin tuna, sailfish, shark, bonito, big marlins passing.

“Tandrimo soufigni, tandrimo soufigni!” That’s what the Malagasy “brown” (runaway slaves) said when the slave hunters reached their camps on higher ground. It meant “beware of your ears!”. The white foreigner that arrived, cut off the ear of every black person he had killed, to count how many were dead. Today, this term refers, with a friendly connotation, to a tourist or someone who is not from Reunion Island. There are other versions on the origin of this name.

Saint-Leu. The town of Saint-Leu spreads along the coastline and reaches an altitude of 5250 feet. It has an average summer temperature of 28.2°C and 23°C in the winter: merely 5 degrees of difference between the two seasons. There is 138 mm of rainfall in the summer and 6 mm in the winter. 3300 out of 4380 possible hours of sunshine are measured in this town, which is makes it the warmest place in terms of duration. In fact, in the towns of “le Port” and “Saint-Pierre”, peaks of 36°C are recorded more often than in Saint-Leu, but over shorter periods.

Minus 3 degrees Celsius can be registered early in the morning.

During a meeting in 1793, whose purpose was to find a new name for the island of Bourbon (former name of the island), the Minister of War at the time, Mr. Beurnonville, proposes the name “Jemmapes”, in memory of the French victory against the Austrians, November 6^th, 1792. Mr. Gaspard Monge, Minister of the Navy, in turn suggests a Masonic and revolutionary name: Reunion Island. This name is a reminder of the surprising meeting of the sans-culottes from Marseille with the guards of the Tuileries Palace, who preferred to lower their weapons to fraternise with the revolutionaries, August 10^th, 1792. This is the name that was chosen.

The summer, particularly from October to January. Each month however has its specificities, the month of May for example, is the time for guavas, a fruit embellishing the hiking trails.

A lifetime… if not, 3 weeks should suffice to visit a reasonable amount of the curiosities on the island. 2 weeks is a minimum.

“Le piton des Neiges” rises to 10000 feet.

The cyclone season runs from December to March. It corresponds to the summer on the island.

They are situated along the length of the West Coast (from “Boucan-Canot” to Saint-Leu) and in the South (Saint-Pierre, Manapany,…).

The between-seasons (from May to June and from September to October) are especially recommended: it is not too hot, it is less likely to rain and it is possible to add a swim in the rivers to your hike or end the day at sea. Winter however (June-August), is also appropriate, provided that you bring wool for the cool nights.

Two distinct seasons exist, winter and summer, although the difference is rather tenuous: a little more rain and heat in the summer (October to April). These seasons are reversed with respect to Metropolitan France. The between-seasons (May and September) are particularly pleasant, neither too hot nor cold. They do not bring any significant change that could justify the title of “season”.

11 hours, if the flight is direct. (More info on the flights and airlines).

+ 2 hours compared to the French summertime (March to September)
+ 3 hours compared to the French wintertime (September to March)

The site “www.reunion.fr” offers a marketplace allowing the user to sign contracts directly with producers, according to the terms and conditions thereof. The sale ends with the booking page of the producer who takes full responsibility for the deal. This service is offered by the “IRT” in order to facilitate the preparation of your stay. Thus, the Region and its partner “Ile de la Réunion Tourisme” serve purely as technical intermediaries.