Money and payments
Cards and cash
Most shops accept international credit cards (Visa and Mastercard) but most of them require a minimum amount for credit cards payments (usually €15).
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Africa · Eastern AfricaOutline guideOverseas department of France
Photo: Alexandre Péribé, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Reunion Island (French: Ile de La Réunion) is a French overseas department located in the midst of the Indian Ocean, east of the island of Madagascar and 200 km to the south-west of Mauritius, in East Africa. This enchanting destination is blessed with a tropical climate and beautiful volcanic landscapes, with its appeal being as much due to its white sandy beaches as its mountain scenery. Réunion used to be known as the Isle de Bourbon and Isle Bonaparte.
Answers to what travellers most often look up about Réunion.
Cards and cash
Most shops accept international credit cards (Visa and Mastercard) but most of them require a minimum amount for credit cards payments (usually €15).
French
French is the official language of Réunion, although Creole is widely spoken. Everyone understands French, as it is the language of education, but few people understand English.
Alternatively, you should be able to get a Pay-as-you-go SIM card from various locations.
Tap water is usually safe for consumption.
Unlike most tropical islands, Réunion hasn't had issues with malaria or infectious tropical disease for several decades.
Covered in the guide
Réunionnais people have a sense of nationalistic pride that may seem a little unusual or unexpected. It's an island phenomenon that's difficult to explain to people from the mainland.
Attractions, food, stays and travel essentials, with ratings, reviews, opening hours and directions.
Réunion National Park (French: Parc national de La Réunion) is a French national park on the overseas department of Réunion. The "inner zone" of the national park has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2010.
Cirque de Cilaos is a cirque mostly located in Réunion National Park. As it is in the inner zone of the park, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, providing some excellent hiking opportunities and some jaw dropping waterfalls.
Cirque de Mafate is a cirque in Réunion National Park, the western of the three craters on the extinct volcano Piton des Neiges on the volcanic island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean . Due to the lack of an access road, the Cirque de Mafate is only accessible on foot and from the air and is highly attractive hiking terrain in a wild, rugged volcanic landscape with a tropical-exotic natural area.
Piton de la Fournaise is the only active volcano on Réunion Island, and one of the most active in the world. Rising to 2,631 m above sea level, locals know it as "Le Volcan".
Public transport and paid services in Réunion.
By bus
Intercity bus travel around the island is served by Car Jaune ("Yellow Bus", buses are easily recognisable by their yellow colour). There are 13 lines.
By taxi
Hailing a taxi on the island is fairly expensive, especially when leaving the airport (expect to pay €15).
By car
There is one main road around the island (74 km of its 200 km are four-lane) and another road from Saint-Pierre to Saint-Benoit (route des plaines) through the interior of the island.
Apps for booking a taxi or a ride in Réunion.
Finding apps for Réunion…
Other ways to travel:On footBy aircraft
Operators checked against their official websites in October 2026; services that have stopped running are not listed. Logos and Wikipedia links: Wikidata (CC0)
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Sainte-Marie · International · RUN
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Calculated from climate averages: mild daytime highs and lower rainfall. It does not account for festivals, crowds or prices.
Average conditions in Saint-Denis
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. high | 26° | 27° | 26° | 25° | 23° | 21° | 20° | 20° | 21° | 23° | 25° | 26° |
| Avg. low | 22° | 23° | 22° | 21° | 20° | 18° | 17° | 17° | 17° | 18° | 20° | 21° |
| Rainfall (mm) | 140 | 114 | 143 | 77 | 53 | 37 | 31 | 31 | 33 | 34 | 46 | 55 |
| Humidity | 79% | 80% | 82% | 82% | 79% | 78% | 78% | 77% | 76% | 76% | 75% | 75% |
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We do not label countries as safe or unsafe. Below is the official advice from two governments, with the date it was last updated. Always read the full advice before you travel.
US Department of State
No advisory found from this source.
UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
No advice against travel. Read the full advice before you go.
Before you travel No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide. You may also find it helpful to: see general advice for women travellers read our guide on disability and travel abroad see general advice for LGBT+ travellers read about safety for solo and independent travel see advice on volunteering and adventure travel abroad Travel insurance If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency. About FCDO travel advice The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides advice about risks of travel to help you make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice. Get travel advice updates Sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated. Follow FCDO: travel advice on X travel advice on Facebook Travel Aware on Instagram
Stories, itineraries and practical advice for travelling in Réunion.
Nature & adventureHiking is a good way to see Réunion's rugged mountaintops, cirques and pitons and the French overseas department is never short of hiking trails one could attempt.
Wikivoyage
Travel tipsPerhaps one of France's most picturesque and scenic overseas departments is best explored by driving. Many of Réunion's pitons, cirques and volcanoes are only accessible via driving and is also a great convenient way to…
Wikivoyage
ItinerariesThe piton de la Fournaise (which translates to Furnace Peak in English) provides some excellent hiking opportunities on Réunion's only active volcano.
Wikivoyage
ItinerariesItineraries in Africa
Wikivoyage
Nature & adventureMany of these parks are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. They can be visited for safaris, to see the African flora and fauna.
Wikivoyage
Travel tipsDriving a car gives a traveller more independence and flexibility than scheduled transportation, such as air travel, rail travel, or bus travel, and may be faster or more comfortable than cycling.
Wikivoyage
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