Page 138 - Africa Collection Online Brochure for Travel Agents and Travellers

RÉUNION
THE THRILLING ISLAND
Réunion
There is much more to this beautiful island than simply the imagined beaches of an Indian Ocean Island. There is it’s intriguing status as an overseas department of France to start with. The mountains of the interior are of volcanic origin, up to 3,000 metres high and a major attraction for hiking enthusiasts. The three diverse Cirques of Mafate, Salazie and Cilaos offer breathtaking scenery, and the active volcano of Piton-de-la-Fournaise is a ‘must see’ for all visitors. If you enjoy scenery, hiking, canyonning, paragliding, mountain biking, scuba diving or surfing,
the chances are that you'll enjoy Reunion. Other highlights include the people and the unique fusion of Creole and French culture.
Réunion is a small, nearly circular island, that has a good road network of 240 km, and the ideal way to get around the island is on a self-drive itinerary. The tourist accommodation on the whole is casual but comfortable, with most establishments being intimate in size and ambience. The emphasis is undoubtedly on the raw beauty of the destination, with a vague undercurrent of French sophistication.
There are short daily flights from Mauritius, making this an easy combination with the out-and-out beach resort appeal of Mauritius. There are also regular flights from South Africa, Seychelles, Madagascar and Mayotte, there are lots of possibilities. Réunion is not well known outside of France, but maybe it should be!
Key Facts
The time zone is GMT + 4 hours.
French is the official language.
Réunion enjoys an ever-lasting summer in
a tropical climate with temperatures made
milder by the East-South-East domineering
trade winds. The differences in temperature and rainfall can be significant and vary according to altitude and wind exposure.
The east coast (the windward coast) is damper because of the trade winds. The west coast (the leeward coast) is protected by the massifs and so is much drier. The ‘dry and cool’ season is from May to October, and the November to April ‘damp and warm’ season brings two thirds of the annual rainfall. Altitude, together with a whimsical relief and trade wind exposure, generate countless micro-climates that make Réunion
a very special place... and a weather forecaster’s nightmare!
The local currency is the Euro (EU).
138
01403 256655 africacollection.com