“Taking a hike” gains an entirely new dimension on Reunion Island

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Written by Linda Hohnholz

Vacations on tropical islands are often singularly understood to be beach holidays, lazing at sun-drenched beaches and enjoying the exotic food, perhaps nursing a sun burn, but mainly occupying sunbed

Vacations on tropical islands are often singularly understood to be beach holidays, lazing at sun-drenched beaches and enjoying the exotic food, perhaps nursing a sun burn, but mainly occupying sunbeds and having fun.

Reunion Island, of course, is very different from those perceptions. Naturally, the island does offer the comfort of five-star, beach-side resorts, but coming all the way to Reunion Island, it would be a wasted opportunity to maroon oneself at such resorts and not venture out or rather “adventure out.”

A wide range of adventure activities are on offer from white-water rafting to paragliding, from diving to deep-sea fishing, and on to watching whales and dolphins, and from abseiling to canyoning, and more.

The rugged interior of the island offers some of the most spectacular scenery imaginable and deep canyons and valleys criss-cross the island with little hamlets visible from high above, when taking a helicopter tour to explore from the air what later on should be discovered on the ground.

The island has nearly 1,000 kilometers of trails and some 900 of those are actually marked for hikers to follow with relative ease. Some on offer are easy-going and largely found on the western side of the island where the trails meander through sugarcane plantations, and some are as tough as they come, descending into the deep gorges and then ascending again on the other side or traversing the rain forests on the eastern side of Reunion Island.

A large part of the island was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site five years ago, and the island’s administration does what it takes to conserve the protected part of Reunion Island.

Hikes on the wild side are possible from simple multi-hour walks to the more challenging multi-day trails and guest houses enroute make the logistics of bed and board easy.

Others may opt to go explore the island by mountain bike, and again a number of cycling trails have been mapped out, some fit for beginners and others posing a challenge for the world’s top mountain bikers who come to the island to participate in organized races and measure their skills and endurance against each other as they vie for trophies and titles.

Watch a video here.

About the author

Avatar of Linda Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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