Born from the fiery heart of Piton de la Fournaise—one of the most active volcanoes in the world—Réunion is a lush and mountainous speck of land in the Indian Ocean. The island is a dramatic tapestry of peaks, cliffs, and sandy beaches in tropical coves. Plus, it has more rugged mountains, deeper ravines, and significantly more numerous waterfalls than its nearby, more-touristed island neighbors Mauritius and Madagascar.
Devoid of a permanent Indigenous population, Réunion was claimed by France in the 17th century for its strategic location along the maritime trade route to India. Its fertile terrain was used to cultivate cash crops like coffee and vanilla, and today it is the exclusive origin of both Bourbon Pointu coffee and Bourbon vanilla, appellations first planted during the reign of France’s Bourbon dynasty. Both are found nowhere else on Earth and are celebrated at sites like the Roulof Vanilla Plantation and Domaine du Cafe, with self-guided tours at each.
Modern-day Réunion mixes French, West African, Indian, and Chinese influences. The cultural fusion is reflected in the island’s hundreds of creole gardens, national dish of cari (a curry-like dish made of meat or seafood), and French-Colonial architecture, especially around the capital city of Saint-Denis.
While it’s easy to find sun-drenched beaches across the island’s 128 miles of shoreline, most exhilarating experiences lie inland, toward its twin volcanic peaks of Piton de la Fournaise and the extinct Piton de Neiges. Colorful paragliders harness the powerful updrafts generated by the mountains, and adventurers can take advantage of eons of volcanic activity to venture into subterranean lava tubes, rappel through lava-carved canyons, or embark on challenging hikes to the remote Cirque de Mafate, an isolated community on a mesa within an ancient volcanic crater.
— Suzie Dundas
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Get ready for an adventure! Delta Airlines and Atlas Obscura will soon unveil the top 24 destinations for 2024. Stay tuned!
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