Things to do in Saint-Gilles-les-Bains

Saint-Gilles-les-Bains is Réunion Island's main beach resort, on the dry, sunny west coast: white sand, palm-lined seafront and a marina where boats leave most mornings to watch dolphins, and humpback whales roughly from June-July to October.

The coral reef running along here down to L'Hermitage and La Saline-les-Bains forms a shallow lagoon, the recommended place to swim; open water beyond the reef is off-limits under a prefectural order because of shark risk, so plan your swim inside the lagoon, not past it. The reef itself is fragile: skip walking on the coral and use a reef-safe sunscreen.

The Aquarium de La Réunion sits right by the marina, a rainy-afternoon option if cloud rolls in. Expect entry fees for boat trips from about €40-€80 per person for a half day.