Mauritius and Réunion: Indian Ocean Volcanic Islands, Cirques of Mafate, Piton de la Fournaise Complete Guide 2026
Browse more guides: Mauritius travel | Africa destinations Mauritius and Réunion: Indian Ocean Volcanic Islands, Cirques of Mafate, Piton de la Fournaise Complete Guide 2026 TL;DR I treat Mauritius and Réunion as one trip with two moods. Mauritius gives me turquoise lagoons, a 556 metre basalt monolith called Le Morne Brabant, sugar plantation history, and a Hindu, Muslim, Creole and Chinese culture that genuinely shares streets. Réunion, only a 45 minute flight east, gives me a 2,632 metre active volcano, three collapsed cirques carved out of a 3,071 metre dormant peak, and French boulangeries at the foot of lava fields. For 2026 my plan is simple: arrive on the free 60 day eVisa to Mauritius, stay 5 to 7 days, then fly Air Mauritius to Roland Garros airport for 4 to 5 days of cirque hiking and crater walks. Mauritius is affordable while Réunion runs on Euro prices, and I treat the slavery, indenture and dodo extinction history with the weight it deserves. Why 2026 Is the Right ...