Saint-Denis, on the north coast, is the capital of the island. It is besides the biggest capital of overseas even if the city can appear small. First a small village of settlers, it experienced an economic boom in the eighteenth century when it became the capital of the island. Saint-Denis offers, in its old center, beautiful Creole houses as well as colonial buildings in the "old manor" style. The Artothèque exhibits contemporary artists, the Museum of Natural History has an amazing collection.
North of the city of Saint-Denis, Barachois offers a nice point of view. Along the dike lined with cannons pointing out to sea, families wander. The Barachois is the ideal starting point for a stroll in the center of Saint-Denis.
Reunion, she has everything of a big!
In the Indian Ocean, between the vast Madagascar and Mauritius, the volcanic island of Reunion emerged from the bottom of the ocean, there are three million years. This piece of France 10,000 km from the "Métrople" is heated in the sun of the southern hemisphere can not be compared to the other islands of the Indian ocean: villages lost between narrow ridges, lunar landscapes or dizzying waterfalls, Reunion will delight as much the followers of the idleness as the sportsmen and in particular the hikers. In this breathtaking natural space, we also discover an original culture at the crossroads of three continents: Asia, Europe and Africa.
When to go?
Reunion is characterized by a humid tropical climate tempered by the oceanic influence of the trade winds blowing from east to west. The climate of Réunion is characterized by its great variability, particularly due to the imposing relief of the island, which is at the origin of numerous microclimates.
2 issues must be considered:
- Rains: on the west coast, it rarely rains, while in the east, it rains very often!
- Cyclonic period usually from December to March. Anyway, January is not recommended: it is the school holidays period.
So…
- “Cooler” and dry season is from May to November
- The rest of the year is summer which means rainy and hot season. Might be difficult for hiking.
- Divers and surfers are more lucky as sea temperature is nice and warm whole year long…
Formalities
- For French or European Union citizens: a valid identity card or passport.
- For nationals of foreign countries outside the European Union: a valid passport, a visa where applicable (e.g. South Africa) and a return ticket or a continuation of travel.
Precautions should be taken, as well as for departures to all tropical destinations:
- Use of anti-mosquito cream or spray.
- For passengers from endemic countries: vaccination against yellow fever and cholera.
- There is no malaria in Reunion.
Currency
Being a French department, the Currency is obviously the Euro. You will not need to change your money when you arrive, but if you have to, you can change your currency at the airport, in the city or in the big banks. Some hotels of the island accept foreign currencies.
Most of credit cards are usable in Reunion, you can withdraw money at the ATM’s, which are also called “gabiers”, and are quite numerous in the city centres.
Attention, for the metropolis cheques, certain stores, hotels or even certain service stations do not accept them anymore. This is usually indicated, but do inquire before.