Lagons, forêts, récifs, volcans et espèces emblématiques : la biodiversité des îles de l’océan Indien et celles et ceux qui la protègent.
Piton de la Fournaise is one of the most active and accessible volcano landscapes in the Indian Ocean. The classic hike crosses a raw basalt environment toward the Dolomieu crater, but the day begins long before the trail.
The best beaches in the Indian Ocean are not all good for the same reason. Some are made for swimming, some for photography, some for snorkeling, and others for walking, watching sunset or understanding a protected lagoon.
Cirque de Mafate is one of the most remarkable hiking areas in Reunion Island. There are no normal roads into the cirque. Villages, ridges and gites are reached on foot or by helicopter, which gives the landscape a rare feeling of separation.
Indian Ocean biodiversity is one of the major reasons to look beyond beaches. Madagascar, Seychelles, Mayotte, Reunion Island, Mauritius and Comoros include rare forests, coral reefs, mangroves and seagrass beds.
Cilaos Reunion Island is a mountain destination inside one of the island’s great cirques. Travelers come for the road, hiking, thermal baths, lentils, embroidery, cooler air and views framed by high walls.
Hiking in Reunion Island is one of the strongest active travel experiences in the Indian Ocean. The island combines cirques, forests, waterfalls, ridges, lava flows and volcano trails in a compact but demanding terrain.
Hell Bourg and Salazie show the greener side of Reunion Island. The cirque receives more rain, the slopes are lush and waterfalls appear quickly after wet weather.
Whale watching in Reunion Island is one of the most moving nature experiences in the Indian Ocean. Each austral winter, humpback whales migrate near the island after feeding in colder southern waters. They come to breed, give birth and rest in warmer seas.
Mount Choungui is one of the most recognisable landmarks in Mayotte. The sharp summit rises in the south of Grande-Terre and offers one of the island’s strongest viewpoints over the lagoon, hills and coastline.
Whale watching in Madagascar is most closely linked with Sainte Marie, also known as Nosy Boraha. This long island off the east coast becomes one of the country’s best-known marine wildlife destinations during the humpback whale season.
