La Réunion, or Réunion as it is more loosely called, is an island that’s an overseas region of France.

Located in the Indian Ocean, it is also the outermost region of the European Union.

Though an island Reunion is known more for its mountains than the usual beaches that are associated with most islands.

Five of the most popular tourist attractions in Réunion include:

Le Maïdo

Le Maïdo is known for having one of the best views on the island. It is located 2205m above sea level making for a great view of the Cirque de Mafate.

The word Le Maïdo means “burnt land”, which describes the appearance of the scrub forest from that height.

Cirque de Salazie

Cirque de Salazie is a volcanic caldera that has a very varied landscape with canyons that are popular among water sports enthusiasts and waterfalls that are a wonder to behold.

Salazie is also known for the frequent rainfall and in fact hold a few world records associated with rainfall.

Le Gouffre

A very popular blowhole located south of Étang-Salé-les-Bains. People come to this beach especially during rough weather not to sunbathe but to see the awesome spray that comes out of the blowhole.

Domaine du Grand Hazier

For those who want a tamer landscaped version of nature the sprawling garden located in this sugar plantation is the place to visit.

The garden has everything from flowers to fruit trees.

Musée de Villèle

This house turned museum is was the property of a notorious woman named Madame Panon-Desbassyns who lived in the 18th century.

She is known not only for the beautiful house, belongings and 25-acre park but also for her cruelty, especially to her several hundred slaves.

Language

The official languange in La Réunion is French. English speakers would do well to have a dictionary in hand since few people understand anything other than French or Creole.

Money

Being part of the EU the currency used here is the Euro. Money can be withdrawn from ATMs, which are called gabier.

International credit cards are also accepted in most establishments although the minimum purchase amount for a credit card purchase is usually 15 Euros.

Getting In

Since it is a French territory the same requirements for entering into France applies for La Réunion.

La Réunion is accessible by plane and can also be reached by boat from Mauritius.

Health and Security

La Réunion is safe for tourists since reported crimes there are usually of the domestic nature. However, it is adviced that tourists still take the usual precautions.

Health care in La Réunion is acceptable with doctors available in every village.

Tap water is usually safe for consumption. Tourists are adviced to use mosquito repellent to guard against the Chikungunya virus.