Mare Longue Forest

Mare Longue above Saint-Philippe is one of the last substantial remnants of the lowland tropical rainforest that once covered the wet coasts of the Mascarenes, almost all of which was cleared for agriculture. It survives because it grows on young lava too rough to farm. The reserve holds a very high proportion of endemic plants, with tree ferns, palms and epiphytes, and marked botanical trails run through it from the road.

The landscape

• The lowland rainforest - one of the last surviving stands in the Mascarenes.
• The endemic plants - a high proportion of species found only on the island.
• The lava substrate - forest growing on rough young flows that were never cleared.
• The botanical trails - marked and labelled routes through the reserve.

When to go

May to November is the drier season. It rains here in any month and the trails are usually muddy. Mornings are best.

Practical notes

It rains constantly on this coast and the trails are wet and slippery year round. Mosquitoes are persistent. The forest is dense and there are no views out.

Nearby

Saint-Philippe is below, and the Jardin des Parfums is nearby.