Réunion Island with kids: things to do on a family holiday

1. A car: beaches, viewpoints and walks are spread out. The car.
2. One or two bases: the lagoon in the west, then the south. Where to stay.
3. One big outing in the morning, before the clouds build over the highlands. Volcano and Maïdo.
4. Swimming in the lagoon and lifeguarded areas only. Where to swim.
5. A child seat booked with the car, compulsory for under-10s. Child car seats.
6. 10 days to 2 weeks rather than 7. The right pace.

The full list of sights is in things to do in Réunion.

Babies (0–2)

• The L'Ermitage lagoon: calm, shallow water, shade from the casuarina trees, toilets.
• The Bassin Pirogue at L'Étang-Salé, where children can stand.
• The turtles at Kélonia, and the markets in Saint-Paul and Saint-Pierre.

Stay close to your base and time longer drives around nap time. A baby carrier works everywhere; a pushchair in town and along the seafronts.

Ages 3–6

• Grand Étang: a flat 20 to 30-minute walk to the lake.
• The Maïdo viewpoint, five minutes from the car park.
• The Cité du Volcan museum, 35 minutes from Saint-Pierre.

An hour's climb by car, such as Maïdo from Saint-Paul, goes better with an early start and a break.

Ages 7–12

• Snorkelling at Trou d'Eau, at the southern end of the La Saline lagoon.
• The Formica Leo crater, 1 hr 30 to 2 hrs return from Pas de Bellecombe.
• Cilaos or Hell-Bourg, with a night there.

Days out 1 hr 30 away by road, such as Cilaos from Saint-Pierre, become manageable.

Teenagers

• The summit of the Dolomieu crater, 5 to 6 hrs return, when the enclosure is open.
• Piton des Neiges over two days, with a night in a mountain gîte.
• Mafate on foot from Col des Bœufs.

Moving accommodation every two days wears a family out: two bases are enough.

• The west, on the lagoon: Saint-Gilles-les-Bains, Saint-Leu or L'Étang-Salé, on the dry, sunny coast. From Saint-Gilles, the west-coast beaches are half an hour away at most and Maïdo about 1 hr 15.
• The south, around Saint-Pierre: Grand Anse 20 minutes away, Cilaos 1 hr 30 and the volcano 1 hr 15 to 1 hr 45.

A night in a cirque, in Cilaos or Salazie, saves you driving the mountain road there and back in a day; keep it for children who are old enough. Before the volcano, fill up lower down, for example in Le Tampon: there is no petrol station on the volcano forest road.

Approximate times, outside rush hour and without stops; in the mountains, allow extra time.

The Cilaos road (RN5), known as the “road of 400 bends”, takes 1 hr 15 from Saint-Louis, with single-lane tunnels. It is hard going for a child prone to car sickness: set off early, drive smoothly, stop off the road for a break and ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice. The climb to Salazie, about thirty minutes from Saint-André, is shorter.

Traffic jams: avoid rush hour on the RN1 and around Saint-Pierre, especially when heading for the airport. Driving in general: which car to hire in Réunion.

A standard car licence (category B) is enough for up to 9 seats, driver included. Compare cars, SUVs, 7-seaters and vans; for your budget, see how much car hire costs and cheap car hire in Réunion.

Réunion follows French law: according to the French road safety authority (Sécurité routière), a child car seat is compulsory for children under 10, who must travel in the back in an approved seat suited to their size; the driver faces a fine of up to €750. A baby in a rear-facing seat may travel in the front, with the passenger airbag deactivated.

• Up to 83 cm and around 15 months: rear-facing seat.
• Up to about 1 m: harness or impact-shield seat, rear-facing for as long as possible.
• Over 1 m: high-back booster seat.

On Tropiloc, a baby seat or booster is an extra on the listing, priced per day or per hire and sometimes free, which you tick before paying. Choose a listing that offers it: that is what guarantees it will be ready for you. It is a tick box, not a quantity: if you need more than one seat, say how many, with your children's ages and heights, in your message to the agency. Forgot? Once the booking deposit is paid and until the hire starts, a paid extra can usually be added from your booking; otherwise, sort it out with the agency. You can also bring your own approved seat; extras are explained in the FAQ.

A prefectoral order bans swimming outside the lagoon and designated, lifeguarded areas because of the shark risk. There are three kinds of site:

• the lagoon: L'Ermitage, La Saline-les-Bains, Saint-Leu, Saint-Pierre;
• sea pools: the Bassin Pirogue at L'Étang-Salé, Grand Anse, Manapany, closed when the swell breaks over them;
• shark-netted beaches, Boucan Canot and Roches Noires, on the open ocean, less suited to toddlers.

Swim only during lifeguard hours, checking the flag on the day. From May to September, the southern swell regularly closes sea pools and beaches. Car parks fill up early at weekends and during the holidays. All the beaches: our guide to Réunion's best beaches.

The Piton de la Fournaise can be visited as a family as far as the viewpoints. From Bourg-Murat, the road passes Nez de Bœuf and stays sealed as far as Pas des Sables, then becomes a track to Pas de Bellecombe. Many hire contracts forbid unsealed roads: check yours or stop at Pas des Sables. On foot, Formica Leo means walking down the crater wall and back up again. The enclosure is closed during an eruption: check on the day.

Maïdo: the viewpoint is five minutes from the car park, about an hour's drive from Saint-Paul. It can be below 10 °C at sunrise.

Walks under 2 hours: Grand Étang to the lake, Cap Noir, the Niagara waterfall, Bassin la Paix. Set off before the clouds roll in, with a warm layer. See also our guide to the best hikes in Réunion.

• A typical day: out early, lunch and a nap when the clouds build over the highlands, the lagoon in the late afternoon.
• Rainy days: switch coasts, as it rarely rains in the east and the west at the same time; otherwise, a museum: Cité du Volcan, Stella Matutina, the aquarium.
• A day without the car every three or four days.
• 10 to 15 days: you already need 10 to 12 to see the highlights without rushing. Half in the west, half in the south.
• Only a week: lighten our 7-day itinerary and keep a single base.

• Christmas: French school holidays start on Saturday 19 December 2026, in mainland France and in Réunion alike, where the austral summer holidays run until 1 February 2027. Humid heat, sea at 27–28 °C, showers and the cyclone season, officially from 15 November to 30 April.
• Summer holidays, from 3 July 2027 for French schools: this is the austral winter, dry and cooler, a good time for the volcano and walks, with whales offshore.
• October holidays (the French All Saints' break): settled weather, but the Grand Raid can fall at the same time, in the third week of October.

According to the Tropiloc survey of October 2026, most agencies with seasonal rates are at their most expensive between October and December, more rarely in July–August. See the price observatory and when to visit Réunion.

• Mosquitoes: Réunion's regional health agency (ARS La Réunion) recommends repellent, a mosquito net for babies, long sleeves and trousers, getting rid of standing water and seeing a doctor in case of fever. Ask the pharmacist for a repellent suited to your child's age.
• Sun: hat, sun cream, a UV swim top for the water, shade in the hottest hours.
• The highlands: fleece, woolly hat and waterproof, even in summer; it can freeze at the volcano in the austral winter.
• In the car: water and snacks, as most trails have no drinking water; bags and a change of clothes for the bends.

Many flights from mainland France land early in the morning: it is best to have the car and seats already waiting, at Roland Garros, where flights from mainland France arrive, or at Pierrefonds for a regional flight. Each agency states how it hands over the vehicle, at the airport or at your accommodation if it delivers, and any charge is shown before payment. At pick-up, fit and check the seats before setting off. In detail: car hire at Roland Garros Airport.

• Payment: a booking deposit online to confirm, the balance paid to the agency at pick-up.
• Cancellation: depends on the listing, for example free up to 7 days before the hire starts.
• Security deposit: left with the agency and returned if the vehicle comes back in good condition; see the car hire security deposit.
• School holidays: book the 7-seater or van as soon as your dates are fixed.

Compare the vehicles available on your dates.

Can you visit the Piton de la Fournaise with children?

Yes, as far as the Pas des Sables and Pas de Bellecombe viewpoints, which you can reach by car; the last stretch of road is a track that many contracts forbid. Formica Leo suits confident walkers.

Réunion with a baby under 2: is it a good idea?

Yes, if you stay near the lagoon and keep drives short. Book a child seat with the car, and pack a mosquito net and warm clothes for the highlands.

Is the Cilaos road manageable with children who get car sick?

It is sealed but has some 400 bends, 1 hr 15 from Saint-Louis. Set off early, take a break and ask a doctor or pharmacist for advice.

Does a hire car come with a baby seat or booster?

Not automatically. On Tropiloc it is an extra on the listing, sometimes free, which you tick before paying. Choose a listing that offers it, or bring your own seat.

Which car should a family of 5 or more hire in Réunion?

For five, a large compact or an SUV; for six or seven, a 7-seater SUV or a people carrier; for eight or nine, a van. A standard car licence covers up to 9 seats.

Where to stay in Réunion with kids to keep driving to a minimum?

In the west, in Saint-Gilles, Saint-Leu or L'Étang-Salé, for the lagoon and Maïdo, then in Saint-Pierre for the volcano and Cilaos.

Where can children swim safely in Réunion?

In the L'Ermitage or La Saline-les-Bains lagoon, at the Bassin Pirogue in L'Étang-Salé, at Grand Anse or Manapany, in lifeguarded areas and during lifeguard hours.

How many days do you need in Réunion with a family?

Ten days to two weeks: you already need 10 to 12 to see the highlights without rushing, and the extra days cover naps and rainy days.

When to go to Réunion with kids: Christmas or the summer holidays?

The European summer falls in the austral winter, dry and cool, ideal for the volcano. Christmas falls in the hot, humid cyclone season, with the sea at 27–28 °C.

Can you cancel the car hire if a child falls ill before the trip?

Yes, if the listing offers free cancellation and you cancel within the stated deadline: the booking deposit is then refunded in full. After that deadline, it is not.

Child car seats: Sécurité routière, leaflet “Le siège auto” (October 2024). 2026–2027 school calendar: service-public.gouv.fr. Swimming and volcano access: Préfecture de La Réunion. Mosquitoes: ARS La Réunion. Cyclone season: Météo-France La Réunion. Prices: Tropiloc observatory, October 2026 survey. For swimming and the volcano, check the official information on the day.