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Réunion🇷🇪 | best beachesDiscover the 11 Best beaches Across Réunion

Réunion is a volcanic island, so its beaches come in black basalt and white coral. The sheltered west coast has the lagoons, snorkeling and sunset crowds around Saint-Gilles, with higher prices. The south and east are wilder, with pounding surf, no swimming and empty sand. Independent travelers get cheap picnics and free access everywhere, but need a car and a taste for salt spray.

By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 23, 2026
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Explore the best attractions in Réunion

Why go?Key Factors That Shape the Experience

Réunion sits in the Indian Ocean with shark-bite history that shaped everything. Since the 2010s, authorities have banned swimming outside protected zones, so most of the island’s coast is for looking, not wading. Only the west coast has a fringing coral reef, and it holds the shallow lagoons where nets, lifeguards and flags allow safe bathing. Elsewhere the sand is black volcanic grit, hot underfoot and loud with Indian Ocean swell.

As a French department, Réunion offers European infrastructure: clean toilets, free showers, shaded picnic areas with tables and barbecue spots on many beaches. It also means euro prices, higher than in Mauritius or Madagascar. Expect Créole families grilling sausages and playing music on weekends. Before choosing Réunion for its beaches, know that the coastline … read more 👉
Réunion sits in the Indian Ocean with shark-bite history that shaped everything. Since the 2010s, authorities have banned swimming outside protected zones, so most of the island’s coast is for looking, not wading. Only the west coast has a fringing coral reef, and it holds the shallow lagoons where nets, lifeguards and flags allow safe bathing. Elsewhere the sand is black volcanic grit, hot underfoot and loud with Indian Ocean swell.

As a French department, Réunion offers European infrastructure: clean toilets, free showers, shaded picnic areas with tables and barbecue spots on many beaches. It also means euro prices, higher than in Mauritius or Madagascar. Expect Créole families grilling sausages and playing music on weekends. Before choosing Réunion for its beaches, know that the coastline is smaller and more regulated than its postcards suggest, and the mountains are the main draw.
Why These Made the Cut
The list of best beaches in Réunion is created based on beauty, vibe, water quality, activities, and surrounding scenery. If you feel a beach is missing in this list, please let us know.

When to go?Seasonal Guide to Visiting

Best months for sun and calm water: The best months are May to October, the dry austral winter, when the west coast sees clear skies, little rain and 22 to 26°C water. Days run 24 to 28°C on the coast, and mornings are crisp, with dry air smelling of sugarcane smoke and salt.
Shoulder and peak seasons: November and April are shoulder months, warmer at 27 to 30°C with fewer visitors and occasional showers. The cyclone season from January to March brings humidity above 80%, heavy downpours and swell that can close beaches for days. The east coast is wetter all year, and the Saint-Philippe and Saint-Joseph side gets rain even in winter. French school holidays in July, August and late December push flights and rentals up by roughly 30 to 60%, so book early if you travel then.

beach hoppingOptimizing Your Multi-Stop Itinerary

How many days to combine several beaches: A trip linking several beaches needs 5 to 8 days, because the island’s ring road is slow and its coast is split between a sheltered west and a rough south and east. Fly into Saint-Denis (Roland Garros) or Pierrefonds, and travel the west first, where lagoons cluster within 30 to 45 minutes of each other. Then head south toward Saint-Pierre, about 1 to 1.5 hours away, and finish on the wilder east, 1.5 to 2 hours further on.
Pacing and planning mistakes: Allow half a day to two days per stop, with more time on lagoon coasts than on surf shores. A common mistake is trying to cross the island in a day, as traffic on the coast road near Saint-Denis and Le Port jams at rush hour. Plan the long drives for mornings, and rely on a rental car, since buses are sparse on weekends.

The ListThe Best beaches of Réunion

1 Boucan Canot

Dark crescent, shore-break surf, flagged swim zone, sunset terraces

Watch board riders work the open swell, then claim a spot among the casuarinas as the sun drops into the ocean.

2 L’Hermitage

Reef snorkeling, protected marine reserve, seafront path, kayak water

Drift over coral heads at high tide, paddle the flat lagoon at dawn, then follow the shoreline path toward Saint-Gilles.

3 Plage de la Saline

Wide pale sand, calm reef lagoon, filao picnics, west-facing sunsets

Snorkel the shallow lagoon, spread a Sunday lunch beneath the filaos, and walk the coastal path to L’Hermitage.

reunion-beach-plage-de-la-saline
© Google |

4 Plage de Trou d’Eau

Shallow lagoon flat, beginner snorkeling, coconut stalls, low-tide wading

Wade warm, knee-deep water at low tide, snorkel beside coral heads, and finish with a cold cut coconut under the filaos.

reunion-beach-plage-de-trou-deau
© Google |

5 Grande Anse

Palm-fringed sand, south-coast lagoon pool, Sunday barbecues, filao tables

Swim inside the sheltered flagged zone, then join local families at the shaded tables where grill smoke and music carry across the sand.

6 Plage de L’Étang-Salé

Black basalt sand, filao forest trails, lifeguard flags, sea chasm

Walk the pine-shaded paths behind the dark sand, then follow the coast to a lava inlet where surging waves boom.

reunion-beach-plage-de-letang-sale
© Google |

7 Plage de la Pointe des Trois Bassins

Rocky point break, lava boulders, tide pools, local anglers

Scramble over basalt to watch a powerful left-hander peel along the point, with surfers silhouetted against the sunset.

reunion-beach-plage-de-la-pointe-des-trois-bassins
© Google |

8 Plage de Saint-Leu

Left-hand reef break, paragliders, dark lagoon edge, seafront bakeries

Follow surfers from the seawall, watch paragliders drop toward the shore, and snorkel behind the reef when swimming is permitted.

9 Plage de la Souris Chaude

Rattling black pebbles, open-ocean swell, rock perches, low-light photography

Sit back from the edge on the lava rocks, listen to stones clatter with each wave, and photograph white foam against dark shore.

reunion-beach-plage-de-la-souris-chaude
© Google |

10 Plage de Manapany

Natural basalt basin, tide-pool snorkeling, black pebble shore, family picnics

Float in a calm pool walled off from the swell, then watch surfers tackle the waves breaking on the rocks beyond.

11 Anse des Cascades

Waterfall cove, banyan shade, basalt spray, fishing ramp

Settle under banyan roots beside a waterfall, watch fishermen haul boats up the ramp, and photograph waves bursting on black lava from the viewpoints.

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Expert viewTips and Advice from Travelers

How many beaches to visit: Plan on three to four beaches, no more. Réunion’s safe swimming is concentrated on a narrow western strip, so extra stops mostly mean more driving through cane fields and traffic, not more variety. Three gives you a lagoon, a black-sand shore and one quiet corner for sunset, with the reward of unhurried afternoons.
Choosing by travel style: Snorkelers and first-timers should put the lagoon beaches first, where shallow, warm water is patrolled and you can float over parrotfish. Hikers who want a swim after the trail will do well with the same side, since it stays dry and sunny while the mountains fill with cloud. Photographers and solo wanderers get more from the wild south and east, where waves crash on basalt and the only sound is surf and wind. Look, don’t swim. … read more 👉
How many beaches to visit: Plan on three to four beaches, no more. Réunion’s safe swimming is concentrated on a narrow western strip, so extra stops mostly mean more driving through cane fields and traffic, not more variety. Three gives you a lagoon, a black-sand shore and one quiet corner for sunset, with the reward of unhurried afternoons.
Choosing by travel style: Snorkelers and first-timers should put the lagoon beaches first, where shallow, warm water is patrolled and you can float over parrotfish. Hikers who want a swim after the trail will do well with the same side, since it stays dry and sunny while the mountains fill with cloud. Photographers and solo wanderers get more from the wild south and east, where waves crash on basalt and the only sound is surf and wind. Look, don’t swim.
What it costs: Budget €40 to 70 a day for beach-focused travel, including a picnic of baguette, cheese and fruit from a supermarket (€5 to 10). Beach entry and showers are free, parking is usually free or a few euros, and snorkel gear rental runs €10 to 20. Guided snorkeling or glass-bottom boat trips cost around €25 to 50. A rental car is €30 to 50 a day, which is the real expense.
Safety and etiquette: Swim only in supervised zones marked by flags and signs, and never in the unprotected sea, as bull sharks and strong currents have caused fatalities. Check the daily flag color, and respect closures even when the water looks glassy. Do not walk on live coral, and never leave valuables in a parked car, as break-ins happen at trailheads and beach lots. On Sundays, Créole families claim shaded tables by 9 a.m., so arrive early or bring your own tarp. Dress modestly away from the beach, and greet people with “bonjour” first.

✈️ The backpacker research shortcutRéunion Travel Guide

An offline-friendly backpacking guide with optimized travel routes, ranked highlights, transport advice, and the best areas to stay.
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🛏️ Where to stay?Best Stay Options in Réunion

Réunion has only a handful of true hostels, so budget travelers mostly sleep in gîtes, chambres d’hôtes and mountain gîtes with dorm bunks, where a bed runs roughly €18 to 30 and a private double €50 to 80. Saint-Gilles-les-Bains on the west coast has the widest spread of cheap rooms, close to the lagoon beaches and the island’s liveliest bars, though weekends get loud and prices rise in peak season, while Saint-Pierre in the south offers a strong restaurant and nightlife scene with easier access to the volcano and the wild south coast. For hiking, the cirque villages of Cilaos and Hell-Bourg are quiet, cool and right at the trailheads but go silent after dinner, and Saint-Denis works best for … read more 👉
Réunion has only a handful of true hostels, so budget travelers mostly sleep in gîtes, chambres d’hôtes and mountain gîtes with dorm bunks, where a bed runs roughly €18 to 30 and a private double €50 to 80. Saint-Gilles-les-Bains on the west coast has the widest spread of cheap rooms, close to the lagoon beaches and the island’s liveliest bars, though weekends get loud and prices rise in peak season, while Saint-Pierre in the south offers a strong restaurant and nightlife scene with easier access to the volcano and the wild south coast. For hiking, the cirque villages of Cilaos and Hell-Bourg are quiet, cool and right at the trailheads but go silent after dinner, and Saint-Denis works best for a first or last night near the airport, with good transport but empty streets after dark.

If you enjoy meeting fellow travelers, consider choosing hostels with high ratings for atmosphere. On the other hand, if you prefer having your own space, a hotel might be a better option.



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