Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
A Family Road Trip in Reunion Volcanic Wonders, Creole Culture & Tropical Shores
Reunion – Hell-Bourg – Saint-Pierre – Saint-Leu
Your first port of call on this far-flung French territory is the oh-so-charming Creole village of Hell-Bourg. Chase waterfalls through the volcanic Cirque de Salazie before enjoying a picnic with a local, then continue the sightseeing extravaganza at your own pace, oohing and aahing your way around Hell-Bourg’s historic homes and tropical gardens.
Next, fire up the hire car and set your sights on Saint-Pierre. Here, potter around the nearby Highland villages, admiring local artisans’ handiwork (tempting souvenir alert) and enjoying a stint in the spa. Then, up the adventure ante with a canoe around Langevin’s waterfalls or an aquatic hike, bound to earn you serious cool-parent points.
For the last pin on your Reunion road-trip map, it’s over to Saint-Leu, known for its coffee, surf culture and knockout Indian Ocean views. Bask in the glorious sunshine on the beach and dabble in watersports before venturing into town, encouraging the youngsters to fire off a few bonjours and mercis as you go.
Round things off with a splash of creativity during a guided underwater drawing activity (yes, really) in Hermitage Lagoon. Snorkel beneath the surface and sketch whatever catches your eye – let’s just call any wonky fish artistic licence...
Itinerary
100% customisable for you
The countdown is over, the bags are packed and excitement levels are officially sky-high: today, you and the family are off to Reunion.
Head to the airport, whizz through security and bundle the little ones onto the plane for your 15-hour overnight flight to Saint-Denis, with a quick stop in Paris along the way. Croissants, anyone?
After touching down in Saint-Denis the next day, pick up your hire car and hit the road for the one-hour drive to the Creole village of Hell-Bourg, set in the volcanic amphitheatre of the Cirque de Salazie. Spot a fruit vendor en route? Pull over and pick up some sun-ripened mangoes and sweet lychees – bound to be big hits with the youngsters.
Five-a-day off to a flying start, check in to your charming bungalow – your home for the next two nights. The rest of the day is all yours, so perhaps dedicate it to some poolside R&R. Youngsters, perfect those cannonballs; grown-ups, assume the sun lounger position...
Is your family happiest in the great outdoors? Today’s bound to be a highlight.
This morning, meet a local guide to explore the heart of the picturesque Cirque de Salazie. Follow one of the many vine-draped trails, where waterfalls tumble down the mountainside and send swirls of mist into the air. Who’ll be the first to spot a rainbow?
All that waterfall wow-ing is hungry work. Luckily, your guide knows a prime picnic spot by the river, where you’ll unpack a basket brimming with Creole goodies. Between bites, they’ll fill you in on Reunion’s French history and everyday island life.
Lunch polished off, spend the rest of the day exploring the many charms of Hell-Bourg at your own pace. Learn about Highland traditions at Case Tonton, amble around Maison Folio’s tropical gardens or play archaeologist among the ruins of the ancient thermal baths.
Come evening, follow the delicious aromas into one of the village’s pastel-painted restaurants for another round of Reunion fare...
Shotgun privileges are up for grabs this morning as your Reunion road trip continues to Saint-Pierre, set on the dreamy southwest coast. It’s a two-and-a-half-hour drive, so roll the windows down, tune into our destination-specific playlist and let the family singalong commence...
When you arrive, check in to your oceanfront villa – your peaceful hideaway for the next three nights. Saunter down to the beach, where youngsters can start making sandcastles while grown-ups watch on from sun loungers – perhaps with a spritzy cocktail to celebrate your arrival?
Fancy a more active adventure? Bundle everyone back into the car to explore the area, passing sugar cane and geranium fields en route to the local Highland villages. Pop into artisan workshops, where locals handcraft decorative trinkets and embroidered textiles (and put your souvenir-buying restraint to the test...).
Fancy dialling up the bliss? Treat yourselves to a Saint-Leu salt scrub or flower-filled bath at the spa. Safe to say, you’ll all be floating back to your villa afterwards...
Lather on the sunscreen and charge the camera – you have two fun-filled days in Saint-Pierre ahead.
First up, the Langevin Waterfalls, where you’ll join a guide for a canoeing adventure beneath forest-clad cliffs and tumbling falls. Find your paddle rhythm before the inevitable family race commences – best keep those waterproofs at the ready...
Has all that splashing around earned rave reviews from the youngsters? Keep the fun flowing with an aquatic hike through a nearby gorge, swimming through natural pools and whizzing down waterfall slides. For any daredevils among you, zip-lining and waterfall abseiling should wrap things up on a high, and by that we mean a few high-pitched squeals of excitement...
Still have room for one more adventure? We can also arrange a day exploring the slopes of the Piton de la Fournaise Volcano by 4x4.
Each evening, bypass dinner deliberations with a restaurant recommendation from our clued-up Concierge – just let them know what the little ones are craving.
Rise and shine early this morning and amble down to Saint-Pierre's fishing port, where local fishermen haul in the day’s catch, fresh from the Indian Ocean. And, when little ones declare themselves hungry, grab breakfast in Rue des Bons Enfants, before enjoying a spell of window-shopping.
Then, appoint one of the youngsters chief navigator (paper map on the dashboard) and gear up for the easy-breezy 30-minute drive to Saint-Leu.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Reunion road trip without a few enticing pit stops en route, so pull up at the Gol sugar refinery in Saint-Louis – perfect for any sweet-tooth fiends. Next, make for Etang-Sale Beach, where youngsters can sift through volcanic black sand in search of iridescent seashells.
When you arrive in Saint-Leu this afternoon, check in to your beachfront bungalow – your retreat for the next three nights. Then, come evening, dine somewhere local and see what’s on the menu in this corner of Reunion...
Another day, another adventure.
Wolf down breakfast, then follow the surfers down to the beach to watch the pros ride the swell from a shady patch of sand. Enough spectating for one morning? Perhaps give surfing a whirl yourselves, paddle around in the lagoon or take to the skies on a paragliding adventure.
If that leaves you pining for a pick-me-up, grown-ups can indulge in locally grown coffee while youngsters crack into a fresh coconut – likely chopped from a palm on that very shoreline.
Refreshed and revitalised, venture in to the Creole heart of Saint-Leu. Explore the wooden-shutter-adorned town hall, the church built from lava rock and the Mascarin Botanical Garden, a leafy haven of endemic plants and tropical blooms.
Round off the day sun-kissed, salt-speckled and satisfied with supper on the beach as the horizon glows gold. Gelato, anyone?
Creative caps on and snorkel masks secured – today's all about artistic flair and fin kicks.
Head to Hermitage Beach, where you’ll meet an illustrator and biologist, who’ll tell you all about the lagoon’s abundant marine life and the conservation work helping it thrive. Then, with fins fastened and seawater-proof chalks in hand, take the plunge for a family art session like no other.
Float above the reef with drawing boards poised, sketching swirls of seaweed, shell-speckled sands and shimmering fish. Let’s just hope your aquatic models don’t swim off mid-masterpiece...
There’ll also be breaks pencilled in (pun intended) back on the beach, where little ones can fire off a flurry of questions about everything they’ve drawn. Your guide might even suggest another underwater find to complete their compositions – back into the water you go...
Time flies when you’re having fun, and, sadly, it’s time to say au revoir to Reunion. Dig into one last island breakfast, soak up those final rays of vitamin D and prise yourselves off the sunloungers to begin the journey home.
Buckle in for the one-hour drive back to Saint-Denis Airport, where you’ll return your trusty hire car and board your overnight flight back to the UK. You’ll have a quick stop in Paris along the way, perfect for a final duty-free splurge.
All in all, you’ll spend around 15 hours in the air: plenty of time to scroll through your camera roll, relive the highlights and instigate that all-important conversation with your young explorers – where in the world should we go next?
Suggestions
Everything in this itinerary is entirely customisable, down to the smallest details. Here are some more suggestions of what could be included
EXPLORE THE VOLCANO CITY MUSEUM
Think you know your magma from your lava? Any aspiring geologists in the family will be in their element at Volcano City (known locally as Cite du Volcan), an interactive museum dedicated to Piton de la Fournaise, one of the world’s most active volcanoes. No need to look far for your case study, either – the museum sits right at the foot of the mighty volcano itself. Venture through a replica lava tunnel, watch eruptions unfold around you in the panoramic projection room and strap in for a 4D cinema experience. Just prepare for a barrage of volcano facts to dominate family conversation for the foreseeable...BOUNCE AROUND PITON DE LA FOURNAISE IN A 4X4
Bundle the family into a 4x4 (and hold onto your hats) for an off-road adventure through the volcanic wilds of Piton de la Fournaise. Bounce across the lunar-like Grand Brule, where rivers of molten lava once surged towards the coast, leaving layer upon layer of solidified black rock in its wake. Then, bump along a forest track to a restaurant on the volcanic slopes, where you can tuck into some suitably fiery Creole cuisine for lunch – though perhaps ask your server to tone down the spice a notch for the little ones.
VISIT A SEA TURTLE SANCTUARY
Is seeing sea turtles high on your family’s wildlife wish list? Make your way to Kelonia, a sanctuary dedicated to researching and protecting these much-loved marine species. Wander between seawater-fed pools, learning about the different turtles found across the Indian Ocean and the vital work helping to protect them. Then, hearts are sure to melt as you step inside the sanctuary’s very own turtle hospital and learn the stories of sick and injured turtles being nursed back to health. Once they’re fighting fit, it’s time for the happiest homecoming of all: a return to the big blue. We suspect the whole family will be rooting for every last one... ENJOY A PRIVATE CATAMARAN CRUISE
Don your seafaring caps and sunnies, then board a catamaran for a day exploring Reunion’s postcard-perfect coastline, charting a course around the bay of Saint-Paul or southwards to the bay of Saint-Leu (depending on weather conditions). Find a family-favourite spot on deck, then simply sit back and laze in the sunshine, drinking in the sea views. The children can also enjoy an introduction to sailing, with your skipper guiding them through a few classic boating manoeuvres. And, If luck’s on your side, you may even spot a pod of surf-loving dolphins parading through the waves, bound to spark a symphony of excited squeals from the little ones.
Why visit Reunion with Original Travel ?
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
Enquire nowA few of the benefits of travelling with us to Reunion
- Our local Concierges
- The Original Travel app
- Destination Dossier
- 24-hour helpline
- Expert guides
- 100% carbon absorption
