Réunion itinerary, day by day

From Creole Saint-Denis to the cirques of Mafate and Salazie and the lava fields of the Piton de la Fournaise, by car: the map, what is worth booking, everything that costs nothing, and where to sleep at three budgets.

🗓️ 3, 7 or 14 days📍 3 stops☀️ Best time: May to November (southern winter)

Saint-Denis · Photo Prudente Cathlyn / Pexels

Route map (numbers = order of the stops).

Réunion in 3 days

2 stops · 12 things to do · ≈ 70 km

1Saint-Denis and the north

Day 1

The island's capital, with Creole villas behind carved wooden lacework and a seafront, the Barachois, lined with old cannons facing the Indian Ocean.

🎟️ Worth booking

The Creole capital, guidedHalf day · from €15
The villas, temples, mosque and cathedral of Saint-Denis, and the history of the people who built them.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Le Chaudron market and Creole housesHalf day · from €10
One of the island's big street markets, with spices, fruit and samosas, then a walk past the painted wooden houses.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

Le Barachois, the seafront and its cannons · The painted Creole houses · The Jardin de l'État and its natural history museum · The seafront promenade

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Central Hôtel (€70 a night) · Mid-range: Dina Morgabine Saint-Denis (€120 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Canoune ↗ ★ 4.9 · 187 reviews
L'ère des mets ↗ ★ 4.8 · 297 reviews
Les Agitateurs du Midi ↗ ★ 4.8 · 165 reviews
Villa Fleurié ↗ ★ 4.7 · 1539 reviews
L'Atelier de Ben ↗ ★ 4.7 · 528 reviews · €€€€

Photo Florent Ferrere / Pexels

🚗 Car · 1h30 · 70 km

2The cirques of Mafate and Salazie

Days 2-3

Two vast collapsed volcanic amphitheatres, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2010. Salazie has a road; Mafate has none, and is reached only on foot or by helicopter.

🎟️ Worth booking

Guided hike into MafateFull day · from €40
A day on the trails of the only cirque without a road, where supplies still come in by helicopter.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Helicopter flight over the cirques45 min · from €280
Cilaos, Mafate and Salazie from above in under an hour, with the waterfalls of Trou de Fer if the weather allows.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

The cirque of Salazie and the Bridal Veil falls · Hell-Bourg, listed among the most beautiful villages of France · The Bélouve forest and its viewpoints · The viewpoints over the cliffs and peaks

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: La Kaz Yab (€63 a night) · Mid-range: L'escale du radier (€94 a night) · Luxury: Sarana Hôtel & Spa (€272 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Bal la Poussiere ↗ ★ 4.9 · 278 reviews
Chez Serge "Le grand-Ilet" ↗ ★ 4.8 · 260 reviews
Chez Billy Ô Tipikemen Kreol ↗ ★ 4.7 · 515 reviews
Ti chouchou ↗ ★ 4.7 · 408 reviews
LE GOULEO Restaurant-Pizzéria ↗ ★ 4.7 · 283 reviews

Photo Mégane Ssu / Pexels

Réunion in 7 days

3 stops · 18 things to do · ≈ 200 km

1Saint-Denis and the north

Days 1-2

The island's capital, with Creole villas behind carved wooden lacework and a seafront, the Barachois, lined with old cannons facing the Indian Ocean.

🎟️ Worth booking

The Creole capital, guidedHalf day · from €15
The villas, temples, mosque and cathedral of Saint-Denis, and the history of the people who built them.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Le Chaudron market and Creole housesHalf day · from €10
One of the island's big street markets, with spices, fruit and samosas, then a walk past the painted wooden houses.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

Le Barachois, the seafront and its cannons · The painted Creole houses · The Jardin de l'État and its natural history museum · The seafront promenade

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Central Hôtel (€70 a night) · Mid-range: Dina Morgabine Saint-Denis (€120 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Photo Florent Ferrere / Pexels

🚗 Car · 1h30 · 70 km

2The cirques of Mafate and Salazie

Days 3-4

Two vast collapsed volcanic amphitheatres, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2010. Salazie has a road; Mafate has none, and is reached only on foot or by helicopter.

🎟️ Worth booking

Guided hike into MafateFull day · from €40
A day on the trails of the only cirque without a road, where supplies still come in by helicopter.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Helicopter flight over the cirques45 min · from €280
Cilaos, Mafate and Salazie from above in under an hour, with the waterfalls of Trou de Fer if the weather allows.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

The cirque of Salazie and the Bridal Veil falls · Hell-Bourg, listed among the most beautiful villages of France · The Bélouve forest and its viewpoints · The viewpoints over the cliffs and peaks

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: La Kaz Yab (€63 a night) · Mid-range: L'escale du radier (€94 a night) · Luxury: Sarana Hôtel & Spa (€272 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Photo Mégane Ssu / Pexels

🚗 Car · 2h30 · 130 km

3Piton de la Fournaise and the south

Days 5-7

One of the most active volcanoes on earth, erupting every year or two. Around the crater, the ash plains look like another planet.

🎟️ Worth booking

Hike to the volcano's craterFull day · from €25
From the Pas de Bellecombe down into the caldera and up to the rim of Dolomieu crater, about five hours there and back. The trail closes during eruptions.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Plaine des Sables and Pas de Bellecombe, guidedHalf day · from €35
The red and black ash plain on the road to the volcano, then the viewpoint over the caldera.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

The view of the volcano from the Pas de Bellecombe · The Plaine des Sables, red and black ash · The Route des Laves, across lava flows set solid down to the sea · The springs and freshwater pools of the south

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Chalet de la Mer Cassée (€72 a night) · Mid-range: Ferme auberge le Ti'planteur (€108 a night) · Luxury: Hôtel Diana Dea Lodge & Spa (€406 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Restaurant La p'tite Gare Saint Pierre. ↗ ★ 4.9 · 298 reviews
L'Atelier - Bar à Tartare ↗ ★ 4.9 · 100 reviews
L'ICHTUS ↗ ★ 4.8 · 170 reviews
Le bocal ↗ ★ 4.8 · 129 reviews
L'Atelier - Bar à Burger ↗ ★ 4.7 · 402 reviews · €€

Photo Roman Kirienko / Pexels

Réunion in 14 days

4 stops · 24 things to do · ≈ 320 km

1Saint-Denis and the north

Days 1-3

The island's capital, with Creole villas behind carved wooden lacework and a seafront, the Barachois, lined with old cannons facing the Indian Ocean.

🎟️ Worth booking

The Creole capital, guidedHalf day · from €15
The villas, temples, mosque and cathedral of Saint-Denis, and the history of the people who built them.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Le Chaudron market and Creole housesHalf day · from €10
One of the island's big street markets, with spices, fruit and samosas, then a walk past the painted wooden houses.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

Le Barachois, the seafront and its cannons · The painted Creole houses · The Jardin de l'État and its natural history museum · The seafront promenade

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Central Hôtel (€70 a night) · Mid-range: Dina Morgabine Saint-Denis (€120 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Photo Florent Ferrere / Pexels

🚗 Car · 1h30 · 70 km

2The cirques of Mafate and Salazie

Days 4-7

Two vast collapsed volcanic amphitheatres, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2010. Salazie has a road; Mafate has none, and is reached only on foot or by helicopter.

🎟️ Worth booking

Guided hike into MafateFull day · from €40
A day on the trails of the only cirque without a road, where supplies still come in by helicopter.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Helicopter flight over the cirques45 min · from €280
Cilaos, Mafate and Salazie from above in under an hour, with the waterfalls of Trou de Fer if the weather allows.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

The cirque of Salazie and the Bridal Veil falls · Hell-Bourg, listed among the most beautiful villages of France · The Bélouve forest and its viewpoints · The viewpoints over the cliffs and peaks

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: La Kaz Yab (€63 a night) · Mid-range: L'escale du radier (€94 a night) · Luxury: Sarana Hôtel & Spa (€272 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Photo Mégane Ssu / Pexels

🚗 Car · 2h30 · 130 km

3Piton de la Fournaise and the south

Days 8-11

One of the most active volcanoes on earth, erupting every year or two. Around the crater, the ash plains look like another planet.

🎟️ Worth booking

Hike to the volcano's craterFull day · from €25
From the Pas de Bellecombe down into the caldera and up to the rim of Dolomieu crater, about five hours there and back. The trail closes during eruptions.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Plaine des Sables and Pas de Bellecombe, guidedHalf day · from €35
The red and black ash plain on the road to the volcano, then the viewpoint over the caldera.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Photo Roman Kirienko / Pexels

🚗 Car · 2h · 120 km (return)

4Saint-Denis and the north

Days 12-14

The island's capital, with Creole villas behind carved wooden lacework and a seafront, the Barachois, lined with old cannons facing the Indian Ocean.

🎟️ Worth booking

The Creole capital, guidedHalf day · from €15
The villas, temples, mosque and cathedral of Saint-Denis, and the history of the people who built them.
Book on GetYourGuide →
Le Chaudron market and Creole housesHalf day · from €10
One of the island's big street markets, with spices, fruit and samosas, then a walk past the painted wooden houses.
Book on GetYourGuide →

✦ Free, not to be missed

Le Barachois, the seafront and its cannons · The painted Creole houses · The Jardin de l'État and its natural history museum · The seafront promenade

🛏️ Where to sleep · Budget: Central Hôtel (€70 a night) · Mid-range: Dina Morgabine Saint-Denis (€120 a night)

🍴 Where to eat · top rated

Photo Florent Ferrere / Pexels

Hotel prices are per room per night, activity prices per person, checked when written. Some links are affiliate links (Booking, GetYourGuide): we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.

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Good to know before you go

🍽️ What to eat

Cari: chicken, fish or duck simmered with turmeric, onion and tomato, the everyday dish of the island.
Rougail saucisse: smoked sausage cooked down with tomato and chilli, the Creole classic.
Rice, grains and rougail: rice, beans or lentils, and a sharp chilli relish, served with every cari.
Samosas and bonbons piment: chilli fritters and samosas, the street food of every market.
Rhum arrangé: rum steeped with fruit, vanilla or spices, poured at the end of the meal.

⚠️ What to avoid

Start hikes on the volcano and in the cirques at dawn: cloud rolls in by late morning.
Because of shark attacks, swimming is banned outside the lagoons and the supervised areas on most of the coast.
Allow plenty of time on the road: the relief makes drives slow and winding.
Book the mountain lodges in Mafate well ahead: beds are few and there is no road in.

Plan this trip

📒 The free printable Réunion guide→ 🗓️ Best time to visit Réunion, month by month→ 🎟️ What to book before you go→

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