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Mosquée Noor E Islam
One of St-Denis most iconic buildings, the Grande Mosquée dominates the centre with its tall minaret. Its cool white-and-green interior is a haven of peace. The Islamic community in St-Denis is very traditional, so if you wish to visit, dress and behave with respect.
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Le Barachois
This seafront park, lined by cannons facing out to sea, is a good place to catch the sea breeze in St-Denis. It has an area set aside for pétanque (a game similar to bowls), cafes and a monument to the Réunion-born aviator Roland Garros, leaning nonchalantly on a propeller.
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Eco
The small Eco-Musée de St-Philippe – Au Bon Roi Louis, a few doors down from St-Philippes town hall, makes for a perfect introduction to the areas history and culture. The little Creole house is stuffed with an eclectic assortment of antiques and agricultural equipment.
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Maison Carrère
This meticulously restored mansion dating from the 1820s is a beautiful example of Creole architecture, with its elaborate verandah and intricate lambrequins on the front of the eaves. It does an excellent job of explaining the citys colonial past. It also houses the tourist office
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Cascade Niagara
Just beyond the church towards the southern end of town is a road signposted inland to Cascade Niagara, a 30m waterfall which is also on the Rivière Ste-Suzanne. At the end of the road, about 2km further on, you wind up at the waterfall. On weekends its a popular picnic site.
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Pont des Anglais
Between Ste-Anne and Ste-Rose is the graceful Pont des Anglais suspension bridge over the Rivière de lEst, now bypassed by the main highway but open to pedestrians. It was claimed to be the longest suspension bridge in the world at the time of its construction in the late 19th cent
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Terre Sainte
Its well worth exploring the Terre Sainte district, situated to the east of the centre. Though no longer the traditional fishing village it used to be, this area has its own peculiar appeal, especially along the seashore, where fishermen can be seen playing dominoes in the late aft
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Bassin Bleu
If you need to cool off, theres no better place than Bassin Bleu, appropriately dubbed the lagoon of the east, at the mouth of a river, on the southern edge of town. Its a superb swimming spot, with crystal-clear water and big boulders. Take a plunge! Note that its mobbed at weeke
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Anse des Cascades
This super scenic anse (bay) is beside the sea about 3km south of Piton Ste-Rose. The water from the hills drops dramatically into the sea near a traditional little fishing harbour. The coconut grove is splendid and is a hugely popular picnic spot, and theres a popular restaurant c
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Anse Volbert
This long, gently arching beach is the most popular strand on the island. Its great for safe swimming and sunbathing, and its also good for watersports. There are plenty of facilities, including restaurants and hotels. A small islet – Chauve-Souris – that you can swim to for snorke
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Sentier Botanique de Mare Longue
A few kilometres further up from Le Jardin des Parfums et des Épices is the Sentier Botanique de Mare Longue. 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 interpretative trails in
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Provanille
This working vanilla-processing plant offers an introduction to the process of producing Réunions famous Vanille Bourbon via a 45-minute guided tour and a film on the history of vanilla cultivation. Youll find various vanilla products at the factory shop. Its worth a visit just for
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Anse Marie
At the islands southern tip, Anse Marie-Louise is a pretty spot. There are no facilities and no parking lot; just pull over at the side of the road and voilà – youre at the beach. Continuing along the coastal road to the west, youll find numerous coves and other beaches, including
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La Roche Qui Pleure
Right at the end of the headland after Gris Gris beach, 600m further on and well signposted, La Roche Qui Pleure resembles a crying man – youll have to stand there puzzling it out for quite some time, and the waves really have to crash for the tears to come out, but its oddly satis
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Philippe Turpins Studio
The sculptor, painter and printmaker Philippe Turpin, who etches on copper and then rolls the prints off the inky plates, has a studio that is open to the public. Turpin captures the wonder of Réunion in a fantastical, almost medieval way; his renditions of the Cirques resemble ill
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Domaine du Grand Hazier
Garden fans and architecture buffs will especially enjoy a visit to the classic Domaine du Grand Hazier, a superb 18th-century sugar-planters residence 3km southwest of Ste-Suzanne. Its an official French historical monument with a 2-hectare garden planted with a variety of tropica
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Baie de lArsenal Ruins
You can still see the ruins of the French arsenal – along with a flour mill and a lime kiln – within the grounds of the Maritim Hotel at Baie de lArsenal. Nonguests can obtain permission to visit the ruins from the security guard at the hotel entrance; the track begins about 30m in
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Takamaka Bay
On this popular tour you learn the colourful story behind the islands main distillery and about the rum-making procedure. The one-hour tour runs at 11.30am and 1.30pm and concludes with a tasting and an opportunity to purchase bottles of rum at factory prices. It also features a w
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Plantation de Vanille Roulof
If youre after Réunions Vanille Bourbon, head to Plantation de Vanille Roulof, a small family-run operation where you can buy vanilla pods at reasonable prices (€11 for 25g). You can also find out about the technique of marrying the vanilla, a delicate operation in which the flower
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Chamarel Waterfall
About halfway (1.5km) between the Terres de 7 Couleurs entrance gate and the colourful sands is a scenic viewpoint over the Chamarel waterfall, which plunges more than 95m in a single drop. With a prior reservation, you can abseil with Vertical World from the top of the falls all t
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