In this blog post, you’ll find everything you need to know to plan a visit to the Western quarter of Reunion Island, including how to visit La Maido and Cap Noir, and staying at the swanky Ness By D-Ocean on the best turquoise beach in the island.

What is West Reunion all about?

Reunion is home to beautiful beaches, tall mountains, deep forested valleys, surreal beaches and very comforting hospitality – and all of these are abundantly scattered around the island. But imagine all this coming together is one corner of the island, making it easy for you to experience everything with barely any travel time – thats exactly what the West Coast is all about.

Spend a romantic weekend at Ness By D-Ocean

Just down south of St. Gilles, is La Saline Les Bains, a town known for its beautiful beaches and soulful Creole culture. But our stay at Ness By D-Ocean became the most enjoyable experience on the West Coast. The beach is beautiful and the infinity pool is awesome! Make this your base to visit the other attractions in the West.

Experience a romantic staycation at Ness By D Ocean

Fall in love with the Indian Ocean at Plage de la Saline

The beach in front of Ness By D-Ocean is the one of the most popular beaches on the West Coast of Reunion. Thanks to coral lagoons which stretch hundres of metres out into the sea, the water is calm and very safe for swimming!

Tip: Make sure to catch the sunset at this spot – its so perfectly aligned that you can make such beautiful memories and photographs at twilight

Trek to La Maido, a volcanic valley

The Maido is a volcanic peak on the island of Réunion and it overlooks the “Cirque de Mafate”, one of the three Cirques other than Salazie and Cilaos. The viewpoint is thrilling to stand at, especially when the wind is blowing. It is 2 kms above sea level, and the valley is so overwhelmingly deep, into the cirque. It’s a must visit in Reunion.

Tip: Try to visit earlier in the morning to skip the crowds and the cloud cover.

The road to La Maido is interesting for another reason: Camping. Official sites have been marked along the winding mountain road for any visitor to camp freely and if you want to spend a few hours for a picnic, thats possible too! Just ask the staff at Ness By D Ocean to prepare a picnic lunch for you to take to La Maido.

Swim in the turquoise pools of Bassin Des Cormorans

The Bassin Des Cormorans is a secret waterfall just outside the city. Get to this spot and hike for twenty minutes behind the barricaded path and you’ll reach the falls. In fact, we would’ve totally missed this if not for our friend Anne (thank you)!

Plan a personalised visit to Réunion Island with Anne from NamastéIndia

Explore the Indoor Tropical Gardens in Saline Les Bains

Ness By D-Ocean has a wonderful Tropical Garden patch between the indoor restaurant and the infinity pool. The plants growing there include varieties found in most other parts of the island, including areas higher up in the mountains.

Have a romantic experience at Ness By D Ocean

Admire the most beautiful valley of Reunion

Cap Noir is one of the most surreal places in Reunion Island. Many helicopter tour companies take visitors on short flights into the valley which looks like its come straight out of Jurassic Park. Its an easy hike of twenty minutes from the parking lot at the mountain top.

Tip: Consider visiting Cap Noir on the way back to St. Denis, from Saline Les Bains.

How to get around Saline Les Bains and the West

The best way to reach Saline Les Bains from St. Denis is by road. Renting a car is the most recommended way of exploring Reunion Island. There are a few scheduled intercity buses which connect Saline Les Bains with other cities. But to visit the view points, you’d need to hire a car, or sign up for a group tour if you aren’t renting your own car.

Staying at the Ness By D-Ocean – is it suitable for Visa?

Indian and Chinese nationals can get a visa-on-arrival to visit Reunion Island. But this facility is only available if the visitor has certified hotel bookings only. Ness By D-Ocean is a certified property and our visa letter was issued successfully.

How many days to spend in Saline Les Bains

Spend atleast two nights in Saline Les Bains and do day trips to all the main points like the waterfalls, the beach, the valleys at La Maido and the viewpoint of Cap Noir. 

Suggested itinerary:

Day one: Drive to La Maido viewpoint and spend half a day marvelling the views. Return to Ness By D-Ocean by the afternoon for sea-kayaking or a lazy evening at the beach. Dine at the romantic beachfront restaurant – its quite charming!

Day two: Go running on the beach and feast on a hearty breakfast at the complimentary buffet! With the concierge’s help, take a helicopter ride from the town to the Cirques for a whole new perspective of the island, flying through the valleys, over the waterfalls and even the volcano! Later, stop over at Bassin Des Cormorans for a quick swim in the Waterfall’s pool. Return to Ness for another beautiful sunset which you’ll never forget.

Stay at Ness By D Ocean

Eating out in Saline Les Bains and Boucan Cannot

The restaurants in Saline Les Bains offer a wide variety of cuisines and dishes. Consider visiting the Food Street at Boucan Cannot. It’s got a great collection of beachfront bars and restaurants. Most streetside cafes are reasonable priced too. Vegetarians will find the variety limited in most places, but pizza, fries, salads and fruits are easily available.

Plan a personalised visit to Réunion Island with Anne from NamastéIndia

Reunion Island is called the L’ile Intense or “The Intense Island” because of the extreme range of beauty, culture, and wild activities it encourages travellers to engage in! If Saline Les Bains was not enough a reason for you to plan a visit to Reunion, then here are a few more reasons to spark that desire to visit the island.

If you have questions on a planning a visit to Reunion Island, write to us now!