Saint-Gilles offers several very different experiences: activities at the Port de plaisance, a hike through Ravine Saint-Gilles, the Wednesday market and beach tennis at Plage des Brisants. When choosing where to stay, you can first consider whether you want to focus on water activities, nature, the market or beach sports. This lets you tailor the different experiences to your travel plans without having to turn them all into a fixed itinerary.

Activities at the port and glimpses beneath the sea

From the Port de plaisance de Saint-Gilles, you can enjoy activities such as surfing, scuba diving, deep-sea fishing, boat trips, underwater exploration, sailing, jet skiing and sea kayaking. The Port de Saint-Gilles also offers catamaran trips, swimming with whales and other marine mammals, whale watching and dolphin safaris. The options range from water sports and excursions to experiences focused on marine mammals. Availability may vary by provider, so avoid basing a fixed daily itinerary on a single activity.

The Aquarium de La Réunion offers a different way to explore the underwater world: with more than 600,000 litres of seawater, it showcases a variety of the island’s habitats, including volcanic cliffs, coral gardens, reef depths and the open sea. Interactive exhibits, information points and videos help younger visitors learn about corals, plankton, sharks and marine mammals. While the port offers water activities and observation tours, the aquarium focuses on habitats and the creatures that live in them. As the aquarium is undergoing renovations, check current access information before visiting.

Ravine, market and beach sports

Ravine Saint-Gilles is home to a wide variety of plant species. The hike through the ravine takes two hours there and back; conditions may vary. Set aside a dedicated block of time for the hike in your daily itinerary.

The market in Saint-Gilles-les-Bains takes place on Wednesdays from 7 am to 1 pm. It offers fresh produce such as fruit, vegetables and “gâteaux péi”, as well as local and Madagascan handicrafts. For planning your day, the focus here is the Wednesday morning time slot, while the ravine hike can be planned around the time needed for the round trip. Market hours and vendors may change, so check locally before planning your visit around them.

Beach sports enthusiasts gather on the white sand at Plage des Brisants to play beach tennis. Unlike the port’s water sports and tours, the focus here is on playing on the beach.

Botany in the wider region

The Jardin d’Eden, an ethnobotanical garden in the west of Réunion Island, is located in the wider region. Its collection includes more than 700 endemic, native and exotic species. While Ravine Saint-Gilles combines a wide variety of plants with a hike in the heart of the area, the Jardin d’Eden offers a different focus with its botanical collection.

Discover more destinations: Carosse, L'étang-Salé Les Bains, L'Ermitage-Les-Bains, Saint-Paul, Saint-Leu, Saint-Gilles Les Hauts, La Saline-Les-Bains

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