The lagoon, tree-top courses, maloya, horse riding, easy hikes, botanical gardens, Kelonia, the Cité du Volcan: a full programme to keep the kids busy, free or paid, from age 3 and all year round. I've picked the safe bets and left out the tourist traps.
Locals call their kids ‘marmailles’, and Reunion Island has no shortage of outings for them, any week of the year. The tropical climate lets you plan the beach in the morning, the lagoon at midday and an air-conditioned museum in the afternoon, without even changing clothes. You still need to aim well, though, because plenty of experiences sold at a premium are unnecessary once you know the right free, local spots.
Here's my pick of eight outings, mixing free and paid, the west coast and the Hauts, swimming and dry-land fun. I've left out the tourist traps and focused on what genuinely works with children aged 3 to 14. For more ideas on family hikes, I also have a dedicated guide to 12 easy hikes to do with your children.
Starting with the lagoon, because it's the essential one. Mix and match the rest depending on the kids' ages, the season and the weather.
The lagoon at L'Ermitage and La Saline-les-Bains is the perfect place for children to discover the sea. Shallow water, a sandy bottom in places, clownfish, sergeant major fish and starfish right under the mask. You wade in barefoot from the beach, no boat and no need to be a strong swimmer. A guaranteed successful first contact with the sea.
Several parks welcome children from a very young age with toddler, junior and advanced courses. Short zip lines, monkey bridges, rope walkways: kids burn off energy for half a day and come down proud of themselves. Maïdo Aventure (Saint-Paul) and l'Aventure Forestière in Étang-Salé are the two go-to spots. For a fuller taster format, also check out Make's Aventures, which runs supervised multi-activity outings (see here).
Maloya has been on UNESCO's cultural heritage list since 2009. Several associations and schools run introductory workshops for children, built around the kayamb, the roulèr and the pikèr. The 20 December festival (Fèt Kaf) and the summer festivals are also moments when children can see and handle the instruments for free.
Riding centres in the south, west and Hauts offer rides suited to children: a led pony for the youngest, a supervised one-hour ride for confident riders. Routes range from the seafront (Saint-Leu, Étang-Salé) to the trails around the Maïdo and Tévelave.
See family horse rides
Skip the long, technical routes and stick to one- to three-hour loops. The Piton de l'Eau trail, the loop around the Bassin Bleu in Sainte-Anne, the Niagara waterfall, or the Tévelave walk all suit children from age 6 perfectly. Shaded trail, a snack break built in, swimming allowed depending on the site.
12 easy hikes with children
The Conservatoire botanique de Mascarin (Saint-Leu) and the Jardin de l'État (Saint-Denis) run educational trails and treasure hunts suited to children during school holidays. It's a chance to put a name to endemic plants, screwpines, mahot trees and the tamarins (mountain acacias) of the Hauts. Allow half a day on site.
The former turtle farm in Saint-Leu has become a public care and education centre. Pools, an exhibition, videos, a nature trail. Children get as close a look at green and hawksbill turtles as you can get anywhere in Reunion Island. A popular spot, best to arrive early in high season.
In Bourg-Murat, on the road to the volcano, the Cité du Volcan brings Piton de la Fournaise within children's reach: scale models, an eruption simulation, screenings. Ideal for preparing a hike to Pas de Bellecombe, or for making the most of a rainy day in the Hauts.
See the Piton de la Fournaise eruptionThree paid outings that kids never forget. Book a few days ahead in high season.
FamilyThe simplest family experience: the reef flat seen from above, without even putting your head underwater.
See the tripJune-Oct seasonA trip from Saint-Gilles, dolphins year-round, humpback whales from June to October. From age 5 depending on the operator.
See the trip
Top ratedThe experience kids remember for life. A tour of the three cirques plus the volcano. From age 5 depending on weight.
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