Useful Information: Reunion Island is an oversea department with the satus of an Ultra-Peripheral Region of Europe. There is no visa necessary for citizens of the European Union, a passport or identity card is sufficient.
Transport: Reunion Island has two airports, one in Saint-Denis in the north, the other in Saint-Pierre in the south, with connecting flights offered by Air Austral. To visit the island, car hire is recommended.
The two regional capitals are connected by “La Route des Tamarins”, a highway that crosses the west coast by offering a splendid view over the Indian Ocean and the leeward side.
Alternatively, the bus network “Cars Jaunes” serves the whole island, linking the main cities, supplemented by Alterneo network, which covers the entire southern region.
It is also possible to take taxis, rent bikes or bicycles...
Money: The currency is the Euro €
The products and commodities are often more expensive than in Metropolitan France, especially when imported. Local products are generally cheaper.
In cafes, hotels and restaurants tips are at the discretion and generally represent 10% of the bill.
Credit cards are accepted everywhere and the banking system is developed on the whole island, with national and regional retailers (Credit Agricole, Banque Postale, BNP-Paribas, BRED, Banque Franco-Maurcienne, Banque de la Réunion...)
Metropolitan checks are often less accepted by some businesses. Inform you about the withdrawal charges and payments. You may inform your bank before traveling.
Health: The health system of Reunion Island is in the standards. There are no vaccinations recommended for traveling to the island, which is one of the few tropical regions, where Malaria does not exist. However tropical viruses can sometimes develop there, such as dengue and chikungunya. If in doubt it is best to check beforehand.
Languages: At Reunion Island most of the people speak French. But the local language is Creole, which is most commonly practiced in families. In most of the tourist establishments on the island, particularly in luxury hotels like the Palm, fluent English and German and more timidly Spanish, Italian, Chinese and Russian, ... are spoken.
