Reunion Travel Overview
At a glance
Capital: St. Denis
Official language: French
Continent: Africa
Holidays on Reunion Island
The natural paradise of Réunion is located in the Indian Ocean. The mixture of African, Asian and European influences creates a unique atmosphere that is also reflected in the kitchen and fashion. The island is just under 800 km east of Madagascar and, along with Mauritius and Rodrigues, 200 km away, is part of the Mascarene Islands, an archipelago that was discovered by Pedro Mascarenhas in 1511.
The Île de la Réunion is a French overseas department and thus belongs to France and the European Union.
Mountains and volcanoes
Topographically, Réunion is exceptionally varied due to the almost inaccessible volcanic craters of extinct volcanoes and an active volcano. A helicopter tour is recommended, where you get a great overview of the landscape.
Sport and active vacation
In terms of landscape, the island offers an incredible variety and excellent opportunities for a wide variety of sports. From surfing in the Indian Ocean to hiking, climbing, kayaking, mountain biking or diving, no wish remains unfulfilled.
Creole cuisine
The cuisine on the Spice Island has a strong Creole influence. The classic dish of Creole cuisine is called Carri. It consists of a special Creole sauce made from turmeric, which turns yellow strongly, and small fried pieces of meat. In addition to rice, legumes (lentils or beans), the so-called “grains”, are indispensable companions. It gets spicy with rougail, which is enjoyed either as a side dish or on its own.
Important facts
Capital: St. Denis
Official language: French
Currency
Geography
Continent: Africa
Geo coordinates: S -21 ° -6 ‘-54.5 “E 55 ° 32’ 11”
Highest mountain: Piton des Neiges (3,069 m)
Total area: 2,512 km²
Mainland: 2,502 km²
Coastline: 207 km
Politics
Dependency: France since 1638
Other political affiliation: European Union since 1957
Economy
GDP purchasing power parity: $ 5,030,000,000
Electricity consumption: 1,267 million KWh
Oil consumption: 19,600 million m³
Cultivation area: 15.66%
Bovine: 33,000 pieces
Pigs: 71,000 pieces
Fishing: 3,100 t
Demographic data
Residents: 787,600
Residents in cities: 646.100
Average age: 26.9 years
0-14 years: 29.8%
15-64 years: 64%
> 65 years: 6.2%
Population growth: 1.34%
Birth rate: 18.9 / 1,000 residents
Death rate: 5.49 / 1,000 residents
Ratio men / women: 0.98
Fertility: 2.45 children / woman
Infant mortality: 7.63 ‰
Life expectancy men: 70.78 years
Life expectancy women: 77.75 years
Country codes and abbreviations
ISO 3166 Alpha 2: RE
ISO 3166 Alpha 3: REU
ISO 3166 numeric: 638
Top Level Domain: re
UN / LOCODE: RE
Source: Abbreviationfinder
Communication
Telephone connections: 390,000
Cell Phones: 690,000
Transportation
Paved roads: 1,476 km
Cars: 217,000
Health
Number of doctors: 1,240
Education
Illiteracy: 11%
Religion
Main religious group: Christians
GETTING THERE
Arriving by plane
Air Austral (UU), the national airline of La Réunion, flies daily from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to La Réunion.
Air France (AF) offers flight services to Réunion. Air Madagascar (MD) and Corsairfly (SS) also fly to the island. Air Austral and Air Mauritius (MK) offer daily flights between Réunion and Mauritius.
Flight times
Frankfurt – Gillot: 14 hours; Paris – Gillot: 16 hours
Arrival by ship
The main port, Pointe-des-Galets, is mainly used by French lines for passenger and freight traffic.
ON THE GO
Traveling by plane
At Saint-Denis airport, you can charter planes for an island tour.
On the way by car / bus
More than 2,680 km of the relatively good roads are tarred, the same traffic rules apply as in France. The main road runs from north to south. You can easily cross the island by bus, taxi or rental car. The bus connections are excellent. There are city buses that mainly run in Saint-Denis and the yellow cars jaunes buses that connect the cities. Buses are comfortable and stop on request.
Rental cars are available at the airport, in Saint-Denis, Sainte-Clotilde, Saint-Gilles-les-Bains, Le Port Cedex and in Sainte-Marie. Documentation: International driver’s license recommended
On the way by ship
Four shipping companies operate the coastal traffic around the island. Boats can also be rented in numerous ports.
