Travel special: A visit to Reunion Island

Reacuteunion IslandBest time to visit May to NovemberYou need 4 daysFrom the skies Reacuteunion Island looks like something out of Jurassic Park Vast expanses of sugarcane fields give the island an emerald green tinge and mountain tops are arranged to resemble a huge amphitheatre To see this and the islandrsquos sepiatoned craggy volcanic outcrops you have to squint through a veil of fluffy candy flosslike clouds Although the island is 10000km away from France Reunion is an overseas department of France making it an anomaly Surrounded by the Indian Ocean the island is also a short distance away from MauritiusThe view while walking towards the active volcano Piton de la FournaiseReunion Island was first discovered by the Portuguese although its earliest settlers were the French They named the island lsquoIle Bourbonrsquo and went on to have a lasting influence on the islandrsquos food and architecture Interestingly one third of the islandrsquos population has Indian roots and with the Chinese Creoles Tamils Arabs and Europeans making up the rest of the population the island is a true melting potA view of a ravine from a helicopterReaching into a volcanoAs we check into our hotel on the west coast Lux Ile de la Reacuteunion we realise that we have entered a different world of white and gray clapboard constructions sprawling lawns and endless stretches of coral beach where locals kayak and snorkel Two popular attractions of the island are the extinct volcano Piton des Neiges and a large active volcano called the Piton de la Fournaise To visit the latter I drive through lush pastures dotted with cows I reach the base of the volcano from where one can trek through paths shrouded in mist to the rim of the crater Although I do not make it to the crater due to a lack of time I trek for a while and reach a point from where I can look down at the barren land which resembles a tray of overbaked brownies I am reassured by Sully Chaffres my affable guide that the volcano is closely monitored by an observatory at all timesMonsieur Foliorsquos 18th century house in Hell BourgBoth black volcanic pebbles and golden sand form the shores of the islandrsquos beaches However one must always remember to look out for sign boards that warn whether swimming is allowed I love the Boucan Canot Beach surrounded by palm and casuarinas trees The openair cafes and locals who spend time sunbathing playing volleyball or reading lend the place a Mediterranean vibe With flowering jacarandas aromatic ylang ylang bougainvillea in a thousand shades and Japanese pine and ferns the island is perhaps the closest one can ever come to seeing the Garden of Eden Vanilla pods are one of the islandrsquos most important cash crops Edmond Albius a young slave with a passion for botany found out how to artificially pollinate plants and thus paved the way for the islandrsquos lucrative vanilla industry to take offLocals relax by the popular Boucan Canot beachHistory of slaveryBack in the island I see distinctive houses called lsquoCase Creolersquo in happy bright colours complete with picket fences open verandahs decorative carvings called lambrequins under the foursided traditional roof windows outlined by lace curtains and gardens in full bloom Every corner of the island resonates with history the inaccessible cirques for instance were where slaves hid after escaping from coffee and sugarcane plantations owned by brutal landlords For more than 150 years slavery took an ugly toll on Reacuteunion Island and while we are at the capital St Denis Sully tells me that the islanders celebrate December 2 as the National DayExotic flowers at the lush garden at Domaine du Cafeacute GrillThe cirques are essentially collapsed calderas of volcanoes with villages clinging to razorback ridges My favourite is the drive to the Cirque of Salazie studded with green peaks waterfalls examples of Creole architecture in the form of small towns and simple churches In the pretty town of Hell Bourg we take a tour of the 18th century home Maison Folio which is owned by a local Creole family and is now open to tourists The owner Monsieur Folio introduces us to local vegetables and herbs such as the choux choux and vetiver and takes us through an old shed converted into a museum complete wtih antique items like ovens iron boxes and kitchen utensils The garden is home to medicinal plants geraniums and palms and we are wowed by the interiors which include sepia prints of antique Reacuteunion furniture and a wrought iron bed with a lace canopy from the East India CompanyOne of the biggest draws of the island is the water sports on offer such as abseiling down waterfalls and paragliding to name a few My pick is a helicopter ride over the Cirques It takes me above the cirques and for a heartstopping moment swoops into a ravine streaked with waterfalls This thrilling experience will remain etched in my memory for yearsDid you knowLe Grand Raid a local marathon held every October attracts 2000 competitors who run for 163 km across the island and climb great altitudesFact FileHow to reach Fly Air Mauritius from major metros such as Chennai Bangalore Delhi and Mumbai to Mauritius and connect to Reacuteunion IslandWhere to stay Lux Ile de la Reunion is the most luxurious option bordering a coral lagoon Log on to httpwwwluxresortscom other good options are Palm Hotel and Spa Grand Anse and Hotel le Boucan Canot on the BoucanCanot BeachWhat to do Trekking hiking canyoning paragliding helicopter rides and tours to see Creole architectureWhat to eat Creole specialities such as rice and cari rougaille Various bregravedes include chayote leaves Chinese cabbage and watercress Rhum arrangeacutes is a local specialty where herbs spices and fruits are added to white rumWhat to shop Bags flavoured rum fresh vanilla and Creole dolls