Réunion: good to know
The general-information half of trip planning: how expensive Réunion feels, what is considered polite, what is not, and the everyday practicalities - alongside our 55 written places.
France in the tropics with Creole soul; weekends revolve around epic family picnics.
✓ Considered polite
- Say Bonjour first in every shop, exactly as on the mainland
- Start hikes at dawn - the cirques cloud over by late morning
- Claim a picnic kiosk early on Sunday - families arrive at sunrise with full car boots
- Eat Creole from roadside snack bars - rougail saucisse and cari are the island on a plate
✗ Better avoided
- Plan shopping for Sunday - most stores close, mainland-French style
- Arrive for dinner late - many kitchens stop seating by 21:00
- Miss the lunch window - kitchens keep strict French hours
- Count on Monday openings - many restaurants rest after the Sunday rush
Worth knowing
- The euro is the currency and service is included - a tip is a small extra, never expected
- Cards are accepted nearly everywhere; snack bars sometimes prefer cash
- Mountain roads turn short distances into hours - plan drives generously
- French is official but Creole is the street language - a smile bridges both
Plugs and voltage: Wikipedia, «Mains electricity by country» (after the IEC World Plugs list), read 15 October 2026.
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Keep planning
Customs are living things - regions differ, cities relax, generations shift. Take these notes as a friendly head start, watch what locals do, and when in doubt a smile and a greeting in the local language cover almost everything.