Reunion Hotels

Reunion is a French overseas territory located in the midst of the Indian Ocean, east of the island of Madagascar The Portuguese discovered the uninhabited island in 1513. From the 17th to the 19th centuries, French immigration supplemented by influxes of Africans, Chinese, Malays, and Malabar Indians gave the island its ethnic mix. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 cost the island its importance as a stopover on the East Indies trade route. Although remote from mainland France (France métropolitaine), Réunion nonetheless officially forms an integral part of the Republic, representing its own département. Oh la la! After a long-haul flight, you step off the plane and you're greeted with a bonjour. Then you breakfast on croissants and chocolat chaud (hot chocolate). At first glance, Réunion is like a chunk of France teleported to the tropics. But beyond the Gallic panache, you'll soon realise it's a resplendent tapestry, which also blends Indian, African and Chinese influences.Jutting out of the ocean like a basaltic shield cloaked in green, Réunion is a mini-Hawaii, with astounding geographical diversity. Within an hour or two, the landscape morphs from lava fields to lush primary forest, from jagged peaks to sprawling coastal cities. The West is Réunion's Riviera, a long string of beach suburbs and resorts towns, including glitzy Boucan Canot. The pièce de résistance is Les Hautes & the volcano. Piton de la Fournaise is one of the world's most accessible active volcanoes and depending on nature's whims, you might even witness fiery-red molten lava. When the volcano has finished working its magic on you, there are horses to ride, majestic mountains to trek up in the Cirques, or paraglide from in St-Leu, drop-offs to dive from, big waves to surf, extinct volcanoes to fly over, and canyons to explore. But it's not all about nature, landscapes and adrenaline – Réunion has its cultural gems as well, with stunning Creole architecture in cute-as-can-be villages, as well as colourful religious buildings and festivals.We'll be honest, though. Réunion is a tropical island, but one that doesn't fit the cliché of a sun-soaked Edenic paradise. Sure, you'll find appealing palm-ruffled stretches of sand, but none that rivals the super-sexy beaches that are de rigueur in the Seychelles or Mauritius. All the better for you: mega-resorts are nonexistent. Open the Pandora's box, and you'll leave the island proclaiming to the world that La Rénion lé gadiamb (‘Réunion is lovely', in Creole).