Réunion

Located roughly 800 kilometres east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, Réunion is a French overseas department and region, making it constitutionally part of France and the European Union. The capital is Saint-Denis. French is the official language, though Réunion Creole is widely spoken in daily life. The currency is the euro. The island's identity blends African, South Asian, East Asian, and French European influences, producing a distinctively layered Creole culture.

Because Réunion is an integral part of France, entry requirements mirror those of metropolitan France and the Schengen Area. Citizens of EU member states enter freely. Travellers from many other countries may enter visa-free for short stays, while others require a standard French short-stay visa. No separate eVisa system exists for Réunion specifically.

Piton de la Fournaise, one of the world's most active shield volcanoes, draws visitors to its lunar lava fields on the island's southeastern flank. The Cirque de Cilaos, a steep-walled natural amphitheatre in the island's interior, offers dramatic hiking trails. The Piton des Neiges, at 3,070 metres the highest peak in the Indian Ocean, rewards experienced trekkers. The coral lagoon along the west coast, protected by a UNESCO-listed reef, supports snorkelling and glass-bottom boat excursions. The Forêt de Bébour-Bélouve offers dense cloud forest with endemic tree ferns at altitude.

Réunion has a tropical climate with two broad seasons. The hot, humid summer runs from November to April, with coastal temperatures typically between 24 °C and 32 °C and a heightened risk of tropical cyclones from January to March. The cooler, drier winter from May to October sees coastal temperatures of around 17 °C to 26 °C and is generally considered the most comfortable period to visit. The mountainous interior is considerably cooler year-round; hikers should carry layers even in summer.

• Piton de la Fournaise erupts on average several times per year.
• Réunion is legally part of the European Union.
• The island hosts one of the world's toughest ultra-trail races.
• Three cirques are collectively UNESCO World Heritage listed.
• Vanilla cultivation here dates back to the nineteenth century.

• reunion.fr — official portal of the Réunion regional government
• lareunion.fr — prefecture of Réunion, visa and administrative information
• reunion.fr/tourisme — regional tourism board site
• meteofrance.re — Météo-France Réunion, official weather and cyclone alerts