{"id":5503,"date":"2021-10-31T06:47:02","date_gmt":"2021-10-31T06:47:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/mauritius\/all-news\/things-i-wish-id-known-before-i-went-to-reunion-island"},"modified":"2021-10-31T08:12:06","modified_gmt":"2021-10-31T08:12:06","slug":"things-i-wish-id-known-before-i-went-to-reunion-island","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/mauritius\/all-news\/things-i-wish-id-known-before-i-went-to-reunion-island","title":{"rendered":"Things I Wish I\u2019d Known Before I Went To R\u00e9union Island"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Mauritius. <\/strong><\/span>It was dark when our plane descended through the clouds and landed on R\u00e9union Island. It was slightly disconcerting arriving after dark. I couldn\u2019t see the beaches, the mountains, or anything that looked remotely tropical. Instead, aside from the humidity, I could very well have arrived in Europe, which technically, I had.<\/p>\n

R\u00e9union is a tiny little piece of France in the Indian Ocean! I somehow made my way through customs and immigration, collected my bag, and found my taxi, all without speaking a word of English; before setting off into what, for me, was a completely unknown destination.<\/p>\n

I\u2019d gone to R\u00e9union Island to take part in Xterra R\u00e9union, an off-road triathlon race, and had done absolutely no research about my destination before I boarded my flight.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m here to tell you now some of the things I wish I\u2019d known before I\u2019d got there. But first, some basic facts: R\u00e9union Island Aerial view. PHOTO CREDIT: R\u00c9UNION ISLAND TOURISM BOARD
\n1.<\/p>\n

Location
\nR\u00e9union Island in the Indian Ocean is an overseas department\/region of France. It is located approximately 340 miles east of Madagascar and 109 miles southwest of Mauritius.<\/p>\n

2. Population
\nAs of January 2021, R\u00e9union had a population of 858,450. 3.<\/p>\n

Language
\nAs in the rest of France, the official language of R\u00e9union is French. In addition, a majority of the population speaks R\u00e9union Creole. Montagne mafate Cap Noir.<\/p>\n

PHOTO CREDIT: R\u00c9UNION ISLAND TOURISM BOARD
\n4. A Brief History
\nLittle was known about the island, which was uninhabited prior to the arrival of the Portuguese, who landed here in 1513.<\/p>\n

In the 1640s, the island was occupied by the French, who claimed it as their own, renaming it Ile Bourbon. The island was renamed R\u00e9union in the 18th century, and became prosperous, along with the nearby island of Mauritius, because it was on the shipping routes between Europe and Asia.<\/p>\n

Sugar plantations, worked by slaves imported from Africa, formed the major sector of the island\u2019s economy. Slavery was abolished on December 20, 1848 (a date celebrated annually on the island), though indentured workers continued to be brought to R\u00e9union from other places, predominantly South India.<\/p>\n

The island was a French colony until 1946 when it was granted the status of \u201cOverseas Department. \u201d R\u00e9union is now one of the most far-flung parts of the European Union.<\/p>\n

5. How To Get There
\nIt isn\u2019t easy to get to R\u00e9union; there are few travel options and most of those are expensive.<\/p>\n

One option is to fly from Mauritius; the flight is only 45 minutes. A one-way ticket from Mauritius to R\u00e9union costs around 80 euros (around $93). Option two would be to take an Indian Ocean cruise.<\/p>\n

That way you could combine R\u00e9union with Madagascar, Seychelles, and Mauritius, though this would mean you wouldn\u2019t have much time to totally experience the island.<\/p>\n

The third option would be to look for a cheap flight. The cheapest is usually via Paris. A one-way ticket can be as little as 150 euros (around $175), which isn\u2019t much for a 12-hour flight!<\/p>\n

6. Best Time To Go
\nThe best time to visit R\u00e9union Island is May\u2013November when the weather is generally dry and cool.<\/p>\n

It starts to get hot and rainy from November\u2013April. R\u00e9union is known for its torrential rainfall, so it\u2019s advisable to avoid the monsoon season. Cirque de salazie. PHOTO CREDIT: R\u00c9UNION ISLAND TOURISM BOARD
\n7.<\/p>\n

Getting Around
\nPossibly the most daunting experience of my entire R\u00e9union visit was collecting my rental car on day one! Unaccustomed to driving on what was, for me, the \u201cwrong\u201d (left) side of the road and the \u201cwrong\u201d (left) side of the car, I was nervous as I took possession of the little white Peugeot that was supposed to get me around for the next few days.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t have a great reputation with my family for certain aspects of my driving, particularly reverse! While I think their comments about my driving are vastly exaggerated, I was still rather apprehensive when it came to getting behind the wheel.<\/p>\n

For those of you not used to left-hand drive, be forewarned. 8. What To Eat And Drink
\nR\u00e9union offers a wide range of exotic food and drink. Eating is one of the favorite R\u00e9unionese activities and mealtimes are family occasions.<\/p>\n

The island is a melting pot of cultures and nationalities. Indian, Chinese, French, Malagasy, and mainland African dishes have all been absorbed into and contributed to the island\u2019s cuisine, making the local food interesting and exotic, but not too spicy or bizarre.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Mauritius<\/a> Follow Africa-Press<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Mauritius. It was dark when our plane descended through the clouds and landed on R\u00e9union Island. It was slightly disconcerting arriving after dark. I couldn\u2019t see the beaches, the mountains, or anything that looked remotely tropical. Instead, aside from the humidity, I could very well have arrived in Europe, which technically, I had. 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