Cilaos, Reunion Island - “The greatest sadness of all is to forget how to play,” is a quote I have long admired.
Determined to keep my playful spirit alive and well, I arrived on Reunion Island with nothing before me except a whole suitcase of adventures to unpack.
For a few days of carefree fun this island seemed just the ticket.
Reunion Island is close to Madagascar and Mauritius and relatively small – 63km long and 45km wide, covering 2 500km2.
Just a four-hour flight from South Africa, it is known for its rain forest, mountains and beautiful beaches.
Once out of the airport and under the care of guide Nicholas Cyprien ([email protected]) we headed straight for the mountains.
Reunion Island is essentially formed by two volcanoes: Piton des Neiges (Peaks of Snow) and Piton de la Fournaise (The Furnace Peak).
The Peaks of Snow volcano (in the centre of the island) last erupted a very long time ago, leaving three massive calderas (bowl-shaped valleys) surrounding it. Driving up to the first caldera (Cilaos) was like climbing a stairway to heaven: 420 gut-wrenching hairpin bends, with towering peaks above and a few mind-numbing drops below.
The view of Cilaos is well worth the drive, with the town nestled in a giant amphitheatre and surrounded completely by mountain peaks, seemingly reaching to the sky.
While the village itself is picturesque beyond words, it was the famous Creole hospitality that beat all expectations.
The name Cilaos means “the place one never leaves,” and the hospitality really was that good.
Hotel owner Noe Dijoux (Hotel Tsilaosa, www.tsilaosa.com, from R1 180 a person a night) even took us down to his cellar for a tasting of the local wines.
Ideally, we would have needed at least a week to explore the area properly, as there was no time to see the other two calderas: Mafate (only reachable on foot or by helicopter) and Salazie (famous for its rain forests and the beautiful Voile de la Mariée Waterfall).
Visitors looking for things to do will be spoilt for choice: 42 percent of the island is a nature reserve, meaning there are plenty of great mountain biking and hiking trails.
Cilaos is also famous for its canyoning (a combination of hiking, sliding, swimming and even abseiling down a river path) and if time and budget allow, a helicopter ride over the area is worth it for the view as well as the adrenaline (www.helilagon.com, R3 800 a person for a 45 minute ride).
Amazing as the mountains undoubtedly were, what would an island getaway be without sun, sand and clear blue waters?
The towns on the west side of the island have some memorable beaches, most with hotels and B&Bs from which to enjoy sunsets and cocktails. Boucan Canot Hotel (www.boucancanot.com, from R2 300 a person a night) leads onto one of the more popular beaches, while Lux Hotel (www.luxresorts.com, from R2 275) has a beautiful coral reef and calm still waters on its doorstep. The fine restaurant at Lux, run by Christian Virassamy, is also one of the island’s most popular for tourists and locals.
Finally, if beaches and mountains do not do it for you, there are a few more options. Saint Denis (the capital city) has plenty of bars and restaurants to enjoy.
The State Gardens are worth seeing and a vanilla plantation tour (www.lavanilleraie.com, R65 a person) just out of town provides a fascinating look at the history and culture of the island.
Henry Miller wrote: “One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.”
A few days on a tropical island, surrounded by friendly Creole people and the healthy outdoor lifestyle certainly had me seeing the world in a more playful way.
l Sam Bradley was a guest of Reunion Island Tourism Board, and flights were provided by Air Austral. - The Mercury
If You Go...
General: Reunion Island is a province of France, meaning that pretty much only French is spoken and the currency used is Euros. The infrastructure is really good and the population of about 850 000 people enjoy a First World standard of living.
Currency: 1 EURO = R12.85. Generally prices are slightly more expensive than South Africa.
Getting there: Air Austral (www.air-austral.com) flies between Johannesburg and Saint Denis every Thursday and Sunday, with round trips priced at roughly R5 400 per person. Note that South Africa passport holders do not need a visa to visit Reunion Island.
More information: See the Reunion Island Tourism website at www.reunion.fr/en. Maps and brochures can be requested by email from [email protected]