Rodrigues
This pretty little botanical garden of indigenous Rodriguan plants is an interesting way to spend an hour, not to mention a good initiative. Time your…
Must-see attractions in Mauritius, Réunion & Seychelles
Réunion
Many consider the neoclassical Former Hôtel de Ville, at the north end of Rue de Paris, to be the city's most beautiful building. It's certainly very…
Praslin
This national park is spread across the hills of Praslin's interior. At its core is the Unesco World Heritage–listed Vallée de Mai, one of the most…
Sentier Botanique de Mare Longue
Réunion
This pristine forest has an end-of-the-world feeling that will appeal to those in search of hush. From the car park you can tackle one of the three…
Réunion
You'll be impressed by the massive proportions of St-Pierre's mosque, which extends an entire block. Its slender minaret is particularly striking…
Réunion
Go eye to eye with lemurs and other stuffed specimens in this museum located in the Jardin de l'État. Besides impressive lemurs, you'll see a good insect…
Réunion
Leaving St-Philippe to the east, you'll first come across Puits Arabe (Wells of the Arabs), a hole that has been excavated in the basaltic rock. It's a…
Black River Gorges National Park
From the Alexandra Falls Viewpoint, you can admire the cloud forest of Mt Cocotte (771m) and the view down to the south coast. The falls themselves are…
Seychelles
The rocky crown of the island (125m) proffers incredible views west, and is a surreal spot for sunset. It's a 1.6km return hike along a well-marked trail…
Réunion
The landscape surrounding the hamlet of Îlet-à-Vidot, about 2km from Hell-Bourg, is little short of breathtaking. The iconic, flat-topped Piton d'Enchaing…
The East
In the Quartier-Français district, Cascade Délices is an easily accessed waterfall. It's only 4m high, but the junglelike setting will appeal to nature…
Victoria
The extravagant facade of the building immediately west of the cathedral belongs to the Domus – built in 1934 as a residence for Swiss missionaries, it's…
Mauritius
Is it an island or is it a part of the mainland? Well, that all depends on the time of day that you visit. Separated from the mainland by a tidal channel,…
Réunion
The main attraction in Le Baril is the Puits des Anglais, a splendid saltwater pool that has been constructed in the basaltic rock. It's mobbed at…
Réunion
In the modern Port de Plaisance complex, the quite engaging Aquarium de la Réunion houses a series of excellent underwater displays, including tanks with…
Mauritius
The Mauritius Glass Gallery produces unusual souvenirs made from recycled glass. You can see pieces being made using traditional glass-blowing methods in…
Réunion
Learn more about the virtues (and fragrances) of turmeric and vetiver at this small museum in a cute Creole house. It also sells delicious homemade…
Les Hautes Plaines & the Volcano
The headquarters of the Parc National de la Réunion are based here. There's an interesting exhibition section, with plenty of information (in English)…
Réunion
One of St-Pierre's major draws is its beach, a long, fine sweep of pale sand massaged by aquamarine waters. It's exposed to the prevailing winds, though…
Réunion
Find this lovely swimming spot at Manapany-les-Bains. There's no proper beach here (the shore is rocky) but there's a protected tide pool where you can…
Mauritius
On the site of the old salt flats of Black River, this place runs 15-minute tours that take in old and new salt production techniques and this striking…
Victoria
The focal point of the city centre is this downsized replica of the clock tower on London's Vauxhall Bridge. It was brought to Victoria in 1903 when the…
Réunion
This perfectly preserved Creole mansion was built in the 1790s and is considered one of the oldest of its kind in St-Denis. The well-proportioned fountain…
Réunion
At the southern end of the main beach, Plage de Trou d'Eau is a nice place to relax and have a safe swim in the lagoon, although it's not supervised…
Réunion
You can't miss this imposing building at the eastern end of Rue du Four à Chaux. Entrepôt Kervéguen was used as a warehouse by the French East India…
Réunion
St-Denis' small but wildly colourful Hindu temple stands out among a row of shops on a busy road in a slightly decrepit neighbourhood. Visitors are not…
Réunion
The Hôtel de Ville ranks among St-Pierre's most spectacular historic buildings. It started life as a coffee warehouse for the French East India Company…
Réunion
Plage des Brisants is a superb stretch of white sand on the southern side of the Port de Plaisance. That said, swimming is forbidden (yes, sharks). It's…
Réunion
One of the grandest buildings in St-Denis, the Préfecture began life as a coffee warehouse in 1734 and later served as the headquarters of the French East…
Réunion
This contemporary art gallery hosts changing exhibitions of works by local artists and those from neighbouring countries. It's housed in a handsome pale…
The East
This handsome colonial villa dates from 1925 and is worth a look. It's northeast of the centre. Guided tours in French are available on the hour from 10am…
Les Hautes Plaines & the Volcano
On your way to the volcano, be sure to pause at this viewpoint (it's signposted) to enjoy unsurpassable views over the valley gouged by the Rivière des…
The East
Next to the tourist office, the small lighthouse – the only one on the island – is worth a gander. It was built in 1845 and is still in operation.
Réunion
At the southern end of Boucan Canot's main beach, you'll find this smaller, much quieter beach, but swimming is forbidden and there's no lifeguard.
Réunion
This small, intimate beach in the Terre Sainte neighbourhood is rarely crowded. It's great for sunbathing. Note that there's no shade.
Les Hautes Plaines & the Volcano
Just off the road that leads to the volcano (it's signposted), this lookout affords spectacular views of a 230-metre deep crater.
Réunion
Built in 1765, St-Pierre church is one of St-Pierre's many architectural gems and features an elegant peristyle and two towers.
Mauritius
A narrow sliver of sand at the tip of the peninsula, this beach has lovely rooms but very little space, especially on weekends.
Praslin
Grand Anse has a long, typically beautiful beach, but swimming is only average, with shallow waters and a profusion of algae.
Praslin
Draped along a corner of the island that sees few visitors, Anse Consolation is a fine stretch of sand to spend an afternoon.
