Region
West coast
Sleep in Saint-Gilles; swim in the lagoon, then go inland for hikes from a hire car.
Not field-verified
Rules in force · 3
- Réunion ↗Réunion is French and in the EU but outside the Schengen area: a Schengen visa does not automatically cover it. Check the French government's entry rules for Réunion for your passport.
- Réunion ↗Swimming and surfing are restricted on much of the coast because of shark risk; swim only in the lagoon and supervised zones.
- Réunion ↗Access to Piton de la Fournaise closes during eruptions and alerts; check the prefecture's current status before you go.
The west coast is the dry, sunny side of the island and the usual first base. Keep the room here and take day trips into the cirques and toward the volcano early, before the cloud.
Where to sleep
Saint-Gillessleep base
Marina, promenade and the L'Hermitage lagoon.
Night sequences
- 3 nights
- Saint-Gilles 3, one cirque day-trip
- 5 nights
- Saint-Gilles 2 + Cilaos 2 + Saint-Gilles 1
- Hiking inland in the afternoon means cloud, cold and tired drivers: start at dawn.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cilaos (cirque) | Saint-Gilles | 105 min | unknown | Winding mountain road by hire car; start early and allow more in cloud or rain. |
| Piton de la Fournaise (volcano) | Saint-Gilles | 150 min | unknown | Long drive; access closes during eruptions and alerts: check the prefecture first. |
Bags between cities
No luggage forwarding culture: keep the big bag at the coast hotel and take a day pack inland.