26 Feb Travel Diary: Réunion Island

Since I got back everyone has been asking me how Réunion Island is and my first answer is always “Dude (or Dudette… if I am talking to a girl), I woke up in a postcard everyday. That place is mad pretty.” Located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar and about 200 kilometres from Mauritius, Réunion Island is only a three and a half to four hour flight away from South Africa and you don’t need a visa to travel there if you are a South African citizen. From the immaculate beaches that you can’t swim in because of sharks, to the the beautifully preserved shark free lagoons perfect for swimming  in and the magnificent Creole architecture in Saint Denis; there is a magical view to soak up everywhere you look on the French speaking island.We spent the first two nights in  Saint-Gilles les Bains, walking along the beach front, witnessing perfect sunsets, eating local cuisine at restaurants on the beach and discovering just how delicious (and strong) the rum made in Réunion Island is. The final night of our trip was spent in Saint Denis, which I think I am somewhat obsessed with because the tiny glimpses I experienced of it made me feel like I was in an old movie and then when we went to a restaurant on a rooftop where there was a black and white movie being screened, I was completely done for. I can’t wait to go back and experience more of Réunion Island because my time there was brilliant, but too short.