The following morning we met for a delicious early breakfast where I opted for a local specialty from the HUGE selection in the breakfast buffet. It was a very mild curry and rice dish, which my traveling companions balked at somewhat due to the early hour. (I got very accustomed to eating curry and rice [...]
The following morning we met for a delicious early breakfast where I opted for a local specialty from the HUGE selection in the breakfast buffet. It was a very mild curry and rice dish, which my traveling companions balked at somewhat due to the early hour. (I got very accustomed to eating curry and rice for breakfast in India so for me it was a real treat). Then we piled into a minivan and set off for Piton de la Fournaise (Peak of the Furnace), one of the island’s 2 live volcanos. Never having seen a live volcano before I was unsure what to expect, and wondered how close we might get if it was spewing b0iling lava. I needn’t have worried, because although Piton de la Fournaise is live and erupts approximately every 2 years, it’s actually sleeping at the moment.
Our excellent guide Libu advised us to close our eyes as we rounded a bend in the road, and once opened, sprawling out as far as the eye could see ahead, the lush, green landscape suddenly turned into a magnificent, parched lunar plane. Driving fast across the uneven, potholed road to minimize the impact on the van’s suspension, the geek in me felt like we could be in a Star Wars movie.
This shot below taken from the top of the cliff gives you some idea of the scale of one of the smaller fissures at the base of the volcano, crawling with ant-people. Arriving at this hole is a slightly surreal experience as you contemplate standing on a ridge that would see you fry alive if the sleeping mountain awoke…
If you do plan on visiting, it’s worth noting that the steep vertical climb down to the basin is about 2,500 meters, not so bad on the way down, but a chest-busting experience on the way up. And surprisingly, despite the gorgeous climate elsewhere in the island, it’s freezing at the volcano. We were warned to take a couple of sweaters and with very good reason.
In the first of these posts I mentioned how excited I was at the prospect of seeing new wildlife given that the island was once attached to Madagascar, however Libu explained to us that, weirdly, there are hardly any native animals on Reunion. Much to the relief of some of the other bloggers, there are no poisonous snakes or spiders, only one type of small mammal (a bit like a guinea pig), and a few, seldom-seen baboons. Oh and LOTS of birds. One of which, the Dodo, is now extinct but lives on in the painted murals adorning the front of every bar depicting the local, much-loved Dodo beer. I can safely say that this is the only thing that disappointed me about the island (the lack of wildlife, not the beer).
It was on the way back from our volcano excursion that we stopped at a roadside restaurant called Le Ti Resto Lontan for some traditional Reunion Island cooking. I could wax lyrical about this little joint for hours. One of it’s signature dishes was called Cari Boucane – a smoked pork stew made with shredded banana flowers, neither of which has graced my palate before, and more’s the pity. It was incredible. An explosion of rustic, smokey flavors in my mouth. Served with beans, lentils and rice it was hearty authentic cooking at it’s absolute best. If I could have worked out any possible way to take it back to Blighty I would have and I’m rather devastated that I won’t be eating it again in a hurry.
I also need to mention the delicious cakes we tried, one made from sweet potato and another from a local vegetable called Christophine. May not sound great on paper, but both were indescribably moist with a very dense, yet somehow light texture. So, so good!
After this humble yet majestic lunch, we clambered back into the van with our enthusiastic guide Libu. Originally from the Czeck Republic, she and her French husband finally settled in Reunion after years of traveling the world together and I can completely see why. It’s a very special place. I found myself idly wondering what I might possibly do for a job if I moved to Reunion too…
The afternoon involved a whistle stop tour which took us through corridors of vast sugar cane plantations towering 10 feet over the top of the van, past fields full of hot pink, red and orange flowers, through little villages of beautifully preserved Creole houses, along rugged coast roads lined by spectacular cliffs, through banana, lychee and guava groves and of course down to the eerily beautiful lava fields. These are created when the volcano erupts and flows from the mouth all the way down to the sea, and increase the size of the island each time it occurs. These fields are a strange sight, in some places the lava resembles folds of gleaming, black elephant skin. In 1977, the lava flowed all the way down to the Catholic Church of Notre Dame des Laves in the town of Piton Sainte-Rose, crossing the highway and stopping a few inches from the door, endowing it with miracle status among the God-fearing populace.
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The tour ended at the large bay of Grand Anse, where large groups of local families play games and picnic on the most stunning beach (apparently picnicking is a national past-time on reunion). Arriving as the sun set, we had just enough time to take a few snaps before Libu had to drag us away, all vowing to return at a later date.
As if this incredible diversity of landscape isn’t enough, Libu told us that there are several impressive waterfalls on Reunion too, but it was unfortunately the wrong season to see them in flow. I would have longed to spread this tour over several days, so much is there to see on this incredible island, but it’s a great reason to come back.
Back at LUXE* Iles de la Reunion, tired but inspired, we were served another fantastic dinner (including the best tuna tartare I’ve ever tasted) and cocktails on the beach before heading to bed early-ish in order to manage the 4am wake up call the next day. Part 4 sees us catching a flight to Mauritius to experience 2 more LUXE* hotels, the private island of Iles de Deux Coco and swimming with dolphins.
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