If you find that we have misspelled your name on your booking confirmation, please contact us immediately so that we can correct this before we issue your airline tickets. Your name must be written exactly the same as in your passport. The letters Å-Ä-Ö will be written as AA-AE-OE on the flight ticket according to international rules. It is true that a first name is enough, but if you have two surnames, these must also be on the flight ticket. We will send you airline tickets, participant list and hotel list approximately 10 days before departure.
Passport, visa and customs
Reunion is French territory so the same rules apply as to France, ie you need a passport or national ID card so-called Schengen ID card. Do not forget that you need a passport to visit the neighboring islands.
Vaccinations and health
We recommend that you review your basic protection against diphtheria, polio and tetanus. Feel free to consult a doctor or local health center for advice at least one month before leaving for Reunion. Check if you have a valid travel insurance. For example, home transport in the event of a more serious accident / illness can be extremely costly. You must also not forget to bring your insurance documents with you on the trip to Reunion. Feel free to bring a small set of “first aid” with patches, headache tablets, etc. Drink a lot in the heat, the water in the tap is drinkable. The pharmacy sells over-the-counter medicines for “tourist stomach”. There may be sea urchins and fish with a poisonous sting in the sea and by the shore, so it is good to put on bathing shoes to protect yourself. Malaria is not found at Reunion, but mosquitoes can spread diseases such as dengue fever. If you have mosquitoes in your area – always use mosquito pins / spray on free skin surfaces !. Bring sunscreen with a high sun protection factor, sun hat and mosquito repellent. More information at www.vaccinportalen.se
Weather and clothing
May-Nov (Australian winter or dry season): ideal time for sun and beach, but also for hiking,
October-December (spring) a magnificent, lush period;
December (austral summer) month with flowers and fruits. December to March is a cyclone and hurricane period but do not panic as buildings are well built. It is not recommended to travel here in January as it is a holiday period and schools are closed. February is the rainiest month. (world record in rain has been measured at Reunion)
Temperature, wind and precipitation vary greatly on the relatively small island (young as Gotland). On the east coast it rains a lot, while on the west coast the sun usually shines and it is sheltered. This is of course due to the fact that the pier releases its drops on the east side of the very high mountains that are mined on the volcanic island. The temperature at the coast varies between 18 and 31 ° C but at high altitudes (1800m) it can drop to 4 ° C or even below 0 8spec July and Aug) and rarely exceeds 25 ° C..
Currency and exchange
You use Euro (EUR) and it is divided into 100 cents and can be exchanged here at home before departure. 1 EUR corresponds to approximately SEK 9.77 (03 / 6-16). It is possible to pay by card practically everywhere except in boarding houses and hostels. It is possible to withdraw money on site via ATMs.
Transport and communication
At Reunion, right-hand traffic prevails. There is a bus around the island, but if you want to go up into the mountains, you need a rental car.
Safety There are
3 dangers at Reunion: the sun (which is strong), the waves (which can be high) and the mosquitoes (which can spread diseases). When swimming, you should stick to the so-called lagoon, which is considered shark safe. It is safe for foreigners to travel to Reunion, but as in other countries, there are pickpockets.
Food and drinks
Most Creole, there are Indian restaurants, Chinese, etc. The food at Reunion is good, plentiful and often spicy with the influence of Indian, Malagasy and African food. Many local products enhance the originality of the Reunion kitchen. Fruit is mostly cooked as a vegetable but is eaten as a fruit when it is ripe. Fantastic richness of flavors! Go to the market and buy! The restaurants close early, afternoon and evening (except on the west coast). You eat meat, mainly poultry (chicken curry, smoked duck), also goat, pork or beef and also kangaroos and ostriches in more trendy restaurants. Seafood, either swordfish, marlin, banana tuna, shrimp (shrimp) and lobster (expensive like the others). Trout grown on Salazie and Langevin. Creole food uses a lot of curry.
French wines at reasonable prices but also wines from eg South Africa, often of very good quality.
There is a wide range of imported beers (including Phoenix Mauritius), the best are Bourbon, (called Dodo), Fischer, Métiss, Fruity Dodo (lychee). Isabellavin from Cilaos is very sweet and is drunk as an aperitif. But the real “national” drink is rum, ubiquitous
Shopping
In Reunion, there are craft villages and markets selling wicker baskets as well as cheaper Malagasy crafts. local products such as wine and lentils (Cilaos), tropical fruits, vanilla pods not to mention rum bottles.A good gift idea is flowers Beware of prohibited items made of coral or shells. In the case of turtle shells, the items must have a certificate certifying the legality of the marketing.
General and mixed
Electricity: The voltage is 220 volts, 50 Hz. As everywhere else in France
Check-in / check-out at the hotels: check-in time is 14:00 and check-out is 12:00.
Baggage: It sometimes happens that the checked baggage gets lost. Pack important medicines with a certificate in English from your doctor in your hand luggage. The same goes for valuables. Carefully label your luggage. It is good to have a proper, lockable suitcase as the bags are not handled particularly carefully by the airlines.
Local time: GMT +4 hours. When the time is 12:00 in Sweden, it is 14:00 at Reunion.
Language: French is the official language but most people speak creole (young as cajun el quebec) which is a kind of 17th century French with influences from Madagascar, Tamil or Indo-Portuguese. Reunion-Creole differs from the creole spoken in the Caribbean or Guyana.
Tips: Tips are not expected but appreciated, of course, especially when you have received good service.
