Réunion Island
Lava flows plunging straight into the ocean, then humpback whales visible from the shore
Réunion Island
A journey along Réunion's coastline, between the Sud Sauvage, where lava flows from Piton de la Fournaise have shaped a jagged black shoreline dotted with the Vierge au Parasol statue, and Saint-Leu on the west coast, one of the best places in the world to observe humpback whales that come to calve in the lagoon's calm waters between July and October.
When
July to Oct
Price
From 2 700€ excl. flights
(based on 2 people sharing)
How long
6 nights
Ideal length
Days 1-2
The first chapter unfolds along the Sud Sauvage, a coastline shaped by centuries of lava flows from Piton de la Fournaise plunging straight into the Indian Ocean. The statue of the Vierge au Parasol, erected on a rocky spur surrounded by sea spray at Sainte-Rose, owes its preservation to a 1977 eruption that stopped at the doors of the neighbouring church, an event still etched in local memory.
Day 1
The 2007 lava flows
A hike along the Piton Sainte-Rose coastline, over the frozen lava flows from the 2007 eruption, which added several hectares of black land to the island in just a few weeks.
Day 2
The Vierge au Parasol and Grand Anse
A visit to the Vierge au Parasol statue, spared by the 1977 eruption, then an afternoon at Grand Anse, one of the rare white-sand beaches in the island's south, fitted with a natural pool sheltered from the currents.
Days 1-2
The road to Saint-Leu, on the island's more sheltered west coast, where humpback whales come every year between July and October to calve and nurse their young in calm waters before heading back to Antarctica. The lagoon's proximity to the coast allows observation from the shore, while boat outings governed by a strict approach charter offer closer encounters.
Day 1
Whale watching from the shore
A morning of humpback whale watching from Saint-Leu's coastal viewpoints, where breaches and spouts remain visible to the naked eye from the shore between July and October.
Day 2
A boat outing to meet the whales
A boat outing governed by a strict observation charter, in search of humpback whales and their calves, before one last snorkelling afternoon in the protected Saint-Leu lagoon.
Other trips built in the same spirit — more to draw inspiration from.
6 nightsSaint-Denis to Piton de la Fournaise
One of the world's most active volcanoes and ramparts reachable only on foot
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5 nightsRéunion: The Cilaos Cirque, Thermal Baths and High-Altitude Vineyard
Two hundred and forty bends to get there, a vineyard at twelve hundred metres, and thermal baths drawing visitors since 1896
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