According to globalsciencellc, Réunion (French: La Réunion) is an island and overseas department of France, located in the Indian Ocean (Africa). The capital of Reunion is Saint-Denis. A number of major cities on Réunion are: Le Tampon, Le Port, Saint-Paul and Saint-Pierre.
Réunion is best known among nature lovers and mountaineers. The interior of Réunion is very hilly with lots of greenery. You will find mountains, ravines and many tropical plant species. The coastline of the island consists of white sandy beaches and clear sea water. An attraction on the island is the very active volcano Piton des Neiges with a height of 3,069 meters. The island is well set up for tourists. There are many hotels, restaurants and markets.
Where is Reunion located?
Travel information of Reunion
Official name: Réunion
Continent: Africa
Area: 2,510 km²
Capital: Saint-Denis
Country code: RE, REU
Population: 868,846 inhabitants (2022)
Government: French overseas department
Highest point: 3,069 m (Piton des Neiges)
Distance (Amsterdam – Saint-Denis): 9,471 km
Flight time: approximately 11 hours and 30 minutes
Travel advice
Current status: No special security risks.
Current color code: Green.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), there may be (temporary) measures in place on Réunion that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs of Réunion, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to Reunion. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Réunion?
Weather and climate
Réunion has a tropical climate.
During the winter months, temperatures are around 20 to 25 degrees. During the summer months around 25 to 30 degrees. It can get quite cold in the mountains during the winter months.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Réunion can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of Réunion can be found at Climate info.
Best time
June, July, August and September are the best months to travel to Reunion. This avoids the months with a lot of rain and tropical storms.
Language
French is the official language on Réunion. The most widely spoken languages on Reunion are Creole French, Tamil, Comorian and Plateau Malagasi.
Would you like to translate from or into French for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a valid identity card or passport.
A visa is not necessary if you stay on Reunion for less than 3 months.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in South Africa (also for Réunion):
netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Dutch consulate on Réunion:
netherlandsworldwide.nl.
French Embassy in the Netherlands (also for Réunion): ambafrance-nl.org.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
Before a visit to Réunion it is advisable to get one or more vaccinations.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).
Money and Currency matters
On Réunion you pay with the euro (EUR).
An overview of all ATMs on Réunion can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
Prices on Réunion are much higher than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is +20% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (30% cheaper), food (37% more expensive), imported beer in catering (21% more expensive), cigarettes (25% more expensive) and public transport (55% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
It is customary to tip on Réunion. If no service costs have yet been calculated, approximately 10% is given.
Time difference
During our summer time it is 2 hours later on Réunion.
During our winter time it is 3 hours later on Reunion.
Réunion has no difference between winter time and summer time.
The local time, date and time zone for Reunion can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
On Réunion you have to drive on the right.
You do not need an international driver’s license to drive and/or rent a motor vehicle on Réunion.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Réunion.
Electricity
On Réunion you can use a Dutch flat plug.
A round plug must have a recess for the grounding pin present in the socket. You need a travel plug if your plug does not have such a recess.
More information about electricity on Réunion can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 112 or 17
– Fire: 112 or 18
– Ambulance: 112 or 15
Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Réunion can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Réunion can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Réunion end in.re.
Reunion official websites: reunion.fr and regionreunion.com.
Telephony
The country code (international access code) to call someone on Réunion is 00262 or +262.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Réunion? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Telephone numbers can be found in the Réunion Telephone Directory.
Company details can be found in the Yellow Pages of Réunion.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos from Réunion.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Réunion.
Holidays
An overview of all holidays on Reunion can be found on journeymart.com.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations on Reunion, supplemented with photos, videos and points of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Réunion?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Réunion. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) on Réunion can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites on Réunion can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Reunion? On the IATA website you will find an overview of the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, money and medicines, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Réunion.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 18.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 0.5.
– Tobacco: Buy from the age of 18, smoking at all ages.
– Smoking ban: In public places.
– Homosexuality: Allowed
Did you know that…
…Réunion bore the name Île Bourbon until 1848?
…Réunion is a popular location among mountaineers?
… One can pay with the euro on Réunion?
…Réunion was claimed by the French in 1643?
…Reunion has an active volcano?
