| Unlike Madagascar, where there is a profusion of | | | | the island, called Creoles, are the largest group. |
| indigenous wildlife, the island gem of La Reunion, its | | | | There are numerous activities to pursue on Reunion, |
| neighbour to the south-west, has very few; one of | | | | scuba-diving, surfing, deep-sea fishing, climbing, |
| these is the spectacular Panther chameleon, a | | | | abseiling, para-gliding, riding, white-water rafting, |
| mini-kaleidescope-coloured monster which can grow | | | | mountain biking and walking. Rambling and hiking is |
| to a length of 50 cms. Lying on the crossroads | | | | one of the most popular pastimes on the island, |
| between Asia and Africa, fluorescent rivers of molten | | | | through exhilarating scenery. A spectacular trek is to |
| lava occasionally spew out of the earth's crust and | | | | the live 2,633m Piton de la Fournaise volcano which |
| plunge into the crystal waters of the Indian Ocean, | | | | erupted (safely) three times just last year. Guided |
| searing everything in their path. This island -jewel, | | | | tours around the island take the tourist to magical |
| similar to Hawaii, insofar as both are located above | | | | places, such as a village labelled "one of the most |
| hotspots in the earth's crust, is between Madagascar | | | | beautiful in France." This is Hell-Bourg, a jumble of |
| and Mauritius. And is 63 km x 45 km. There are three | | | | candy-coloured houses surrounded by cascading |
| volcanoes here, one extinct, swathed in forests, | | | | banana trees and exotic blossoms. |
| where mountains, gorges, and spectacular waterfalls | | | | The capital, St Denis, perches jauntily on the tropical |
| jostle shoulder-to-shoulder, vying for one's attention. | | | | north coast, well-removed from the mist-clad forests. |
| La Reunion is the southernmost French overseas | | | | The visitor will not be surprised by the familiar |
| department; it has the same administrative status as | | | | trappings of a French country town, as Renaults and |
| those on France's mainland. French is the official | | | | Citroens chug past Carrefour supermarkets or a |
| language and the currency is the euro. The first | | | | Monsieur Bricolage, alongside superb French |
| Europeans to land here were the Portuguese in 1635, | | | | restaurants, and other eateries of fusion cuisine. |
| but it was soon annexed by the French in 1638, | | | | Whilst sipping an icy kir on the café-line beach |
| apart from a brief occupation by the British between | | | | resort of Boucau Canot one could easily be forgiven |
| 1810 -1814. After that it became an important | | | | for imagining for an instant that one was on the |
| stopover on the East Indies trade route, until the | | | | beach at St. Tropez, gazing over the Mediterranean. |
| Suez Canal was opened. The ethnic mix on the island | | | | There are several daily non-stop 9-hour flights from |
| is a melting-pot of French, African, Chinese, Malay | | | | Paris to La Reunion with easy connections from the |
| and Indian immigrants, and those who are born on | | | | UK. |