Réunion Island with kids: a family trip planning guide

Planning a family trip to the west coast lagoon

Réunion Island rewards families who keep the plan simple: one lagoon base, a rental car, and a mix of beach mornings and short outings. This is not a theme-park destination, and it is not a place where you improvise a swim wherever the water looks inviting — the island’s geography and its shark-risk rules both push families toward the same handful of towns on the west coast. This guide covers that wider logic: where to sleep, how to structure the days, and what is genuinely worth doing with young kids. For the hikes themselves, matched to different ages and abilities, go to family-friendly hikes in Réunion Island.

Réunion is a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, roughly 200 km southwest of Mauritius. It uses the euro, French is the official language alongside Réunion Creole, and the island is part of the European Union — but it sits outside the Schengen area, so a Schengen visa alone does not cover it. EU and EEA citizens travel with a valid ID card or passport; other nationalities should check the entry rules for Réunion specifically on france-visas.gouv.fr before booking. Details in entry requirements for Réunion Island.

Where to base a family: the west coast lagoon

The single most useful decision for a family trip is choosing the right base, and for young kids that almost always means the lagoon towns on the west coast: Saint-Gilles-les-Bains, l’Hermitage and La Saline-les-Bains. This stretch of coast sits in the rain shadow of the island’s mountains, so it is drier and sunnier than the east, and it is fronted by a coral reef that creates calm, shallow, swimmable water — the lagoon.

Base	What it offers a family	Best for
Saint-Gilles-les-Bains	Widest choice of restaurants, pharmacies, the Aquarium de La Réunion, marina with boat trips	Families who want everything within walking distance
l’Hermitage	Quieter beachfront, shaded lagoon-front paths, still close to Saint-Gilles	Families prioritising a calmer stay over nightlife
La Saline-les-Bains	Wide beach, good sunset spot, slightly less busy	Families who booked a villa or self-catering stay nearby

Any of the three works well as a base for a week; they are close enough to each other by car (10–15 minutes) that you can beach-hop without committing to one exact address. For a full comparison including Saint-Leu as a base, see Saint-Gilles vs Saint-Leu: where to stay and the broader where to stay in Réunion Island.

Where it is actually safe to swim with kids

This is the point to be direct about, because it is the one place a brochure would soften the truth. Réunion has a documented shark risk on its west coast, and as a result swimming and water sports outside the lagoon and outside officially supervised zones are banned by prefectural order. This is not a suggestion or an insurance disclaimer — it is enforced, and it applies to strong swimmers and children alike.

In practice, this means you swim:

• Inside the lagoon, from Saint-Gilles-les-Bains and l’Hermitage down to La Saline-les-Bains, where the reef breaks the swell and creates calm, shallow water well suited to young children.
• At Saint-Leu, in its own smaller lagoon area, and at supervised beaches such as l’Etang-Salé and parts of Saint-Pierre, where lifeguard presence and marked zones define the safe area.
• Nowhere else that looks tempting but sits outside a marked or supervised zone — including stretches of coast that look identical to a safe beach from the road. If you are unsure whether a spot is inside the lagoon or a supervised zone, treat it as off-limits.

Do not let a child swim or paddle-board “just past the flags” or “at the edge of the reef.” The lagoon boundary is the boundary. See is it safe to swim in Réunion: sharks and beaches and where can you swim in Réunion Island for the full picture, and best beaches in Réunion Island for a rundown of the family-friendly options.

A gentle daily rhythm that works with young kids

Réunion’s landscape is dramatic, but families with young children get more out of a trip built around short outings than around long drives to distant viewpoints. A realistic pattern for a week:

• Beach mornings in the lagoon at Saint-Gilles-les-Bains or l’Hermitage, before the midday sun peaks.
• One low-effort outing per day, timed around a nap or quiet afternoon: Kelonia, the aquarium, a walk along the Barachois, or a short drive to a nearby market.
• Late afternoon back at the lagoon for a second swim once the heat eases, or a sunset walk on the beach.
• One or two half-day trips further afield — the Maido viewpoint over Mafate, for instance, is a short, safe drive with a payoff view, without requiring a hike.

Save the cirques (Cilaos, Salazie, Mafate), the volcano hike to Pas de Bellecombe, and any multi-hour trek for a return trip when children are older, or treat them as adult-only half-days if you have older kids who can manage a real hike. Family-friendly hikes in Réunion Island covers which routes are realistically manageable with young legs.

Easy activities beyond the beach

A few stops consistently work well with young children because they ask little of them physically while still holding their attention:

Kelonia, in Saint-Leu, is a sea turtle observatory and rescue centre where kids can see turtles of different ages up close, with exhibits pitched at a range of ages. It is a 20–30 minute visit that fits easily into a lagoon-based day, and it doubles as shade during the hottest hours.

The Aquarium de La Réunion, in Saint-Gilles-les-Bains, is compact and walkable from most lagoon accommodation. It suits a mid-morning or post-lunch slot when the beach sun is at its strongest, and it is one of the few indoor, air-conditioned options on this stretch of coast.

The Barachois in Saint-Denis is a waterfront promenade in the island’s capital, with open space to walk, old cannons to look at, and cafés nearby. It pairs naturally with a visit to the rue de Paris and its Creole houses if you are spending a day in the north, or with an arrival or departure day through Roland-Garros airport, which sits close by in Sainte-Marie.

For families who want the water experience without letting kids swim unsupervised, a short boat trip from the Saint-Gilles marina is an easy way to see the coastline and, depending on the season, spot dolphins or whales from the deck. A guided snorkelling outing to see sea turtles off Saint-Gilles-les-Bains works well for families with kids old enough to snorkel confidently, since it stays inside a supervised, guided area rather than open water. For a calmer option that does not require getting in the water, a short sea cruise out of Saint-Gilles lets younger children enjoy the coastline from the boat. Whale-watching season, roughly June to October, adds another reason to book a boat trip; see whale season in Réunion: when to see humpbacks for timing, and note that sightings are never guaranteed.

An evening out for the adults, or an older-kids-included treat, is easiest arranged as a sunset cruise along the west coast, timed to the lagoon’s evening light. Families looking for a land-based half-day instead sometimes book a quad or buggy ride through the hills above Saint-Gilles, which suits older children rather than toddlers.

Sun, heat and altitude with children

Réunion sits in the tropics, and the sun is strong even when the air feels comfortable — including at altitude, where thinner air actually increases UV exposure. This catches visitors out at viewpoints like the Maido, which sits at around 2,200 m and can feel cool enough that parents forget sunscreen. Pack reef-safe sunscreen, sun hats, and long-sleeved rash vests for lagoon swimming, and plan beach time around the two cooler windows of the day — morning and late afternoon — rather than the middle of it. Full packing guidance is in what to pack for Réunion Island.

Mosquitoes are a genuine consideration too: dengue and chikungunya outbreaks have affected the island in recent years, so evening repellent and covering up after dusk are worth building into the routine, especially for kids.

Getting around with a family

A rental car is close to essential for a family trip. Réunion’s public bus network, Car Jaune, connects coastal towns but runs on a fixed schedule that does not accommodate nap times, meltdowns or a slow breakfast — a car does. Distances on the map are short, but mountain roads (to Cilaos or the Maido, for instance) take far longer than the kilometres suggest, so factor real drive time, not distance, into any day trip with kids. Driving is on the right. See renting a car in Réunion Island and driving in Réunion Island for specifics, and Réunion Island by bus: the Car Jaune guide if you are weighing a car-free trip — though this is harder with young children than without.

If you are flying in, Roland-Garros airport (RUN) near Sainte-Marie serves the north and is the more convenient arrival point for a west coast lagoon base, roughly 30–40 minutes by car to Saint-Gilles-les-Bains depending on traffic around Saint-Denis. See Roland-Garros airport to Saint-Gilles for the transfer.

When to go with young kids

Réunion’s seasons are reversed from Europe’s, since it sits in the southern hemisphere. The austral winter (May to October) is dry and cooler, with the best hiking conditions and whale season overlapping toward the end of it — a good window for a family trip that mixes lagoon time with a few outdoor outings. The austral summer (November to April) is hot and humid, with heavier rain, especially on the east coast and in the mountains, and it is also cyclone season, with the highest risk in January–March. Neither season rules out a lagoon-based family trip, but winter gives more reliable weather for outings beyond the beach. See best time to visit Réunion Island and, if travelling November–April, Réunion Island cyclone season guide for what a cyclone alert actually means for a trip in progress.

Budgeting a family trip

Prices on Réunion run somewhat higher than mainland France, since many goods are imported, and this shows up most in supermarket and restaurant bills rather than in activities. Cards are accepted almost everywhere on the coast; carry some cash for smaller vendors and market stalls. Tipping is not expected, since service is included, though rounding up is appreciated. A full cost breakdown, including family-sized accommodation, is in Réunion Island trip cost and Réunion Island on a budget.

Family trip planning FAQ

Where should a family with young kids stay in Réunion Island?

Saint-Gilles-les-Bains, l’Hermitage or La Saline-les-Bains, on the west coast lagoon. These towns put a protected swimming beach, restaurants, pharmacies and short walks within a few minutes of each other, which matters more with small children than a scenic but remote address.

Is it safe to swim in Réunion Island with kids?

Only inside the lagoon and other beaches with lifeguard supervision. A prefectural order bans swimming and water sports outside the lagoon and supervised zones because of shark risk, and this applies everywhere, including to strong young swimmers.

Do you need a car in Réunion Island with a family?

Practically yes. A rental car lets you move between the lagoon, Kelonia, the Aquarium de La Réunion and Saint-Denis at a child’s pace, with naps and meal times built in, instead of working around bus schedules.

What can young children do in Réunion Island besides the beach?

Kelonia in Saint-Leu for sea turtles, the Aquarium de La Réunion in Saint-Gilles-les-Bains, and a stroll along the Barachois in Saint-Denis are all low-effort, high-interest stops that do not require a hike.

Can kids hike in Réunion Island?

Short, flat routes near the coast work well with young children, but the cirques and the volcano involve long drives, altitude and real exposure. See family-friendly-hikes-in-reunion-island for routes matched to different ages.

How strong is the sun in Réunion Island, even for a beach day?

Very strong year-round, including at altitude, because the island sits in the tropics. Reef-safe sunscreen, hats, rash vests and a shaded stretch of the day matter more here than the temperature alone suggests.

How many days should a family plan for Réunion Island?

One week is a comfortable minimum for a lagoon-based trip with a few day outings. See how-many-days-in-reunion-island for a longer breakdown by trip style.

Is Réunion Island the same as Mauritius for a family beach trip?

No. They are two different islands about 40 minutes apart by air, Réunion is French and uses the euro, Mauritius is an independent country using the Mauritian rupee. Confirm which one a booking or activity actually refers to.