Living in Réunion | How People Survive Beside an Active Volcano on an Isolated Island | 4K Travel

This is Réunion, an island of bravest people on the planet because they are living right beside some of the most active volcanoes in the world. Whenever the volcano awakens, glowing red lava flows creep down the slopes, cutting across roads and burying everything in their path. But once those rivers of fire cool and harden into black rock, people return and open new Starting new roads across the very ground the volcano has just created. And fire is not even the most extreme challenge this island faces. Réunion has also recorded world records for rainfall over short periods of time, when storms can dump enormous amounts of water onto the island. Looking at these scenes, it is hard to believe that Réunion is part of wealthy France, because almost everything in front of you feels completely different from the familiar image of that country. Réunion has tropical beaches so beautiful they might make you think you are in Hawaii. It has roads running between rocky mountains and wild landscapes that may remind you of Iceland. And when you travel deep into the volcanic interior, vast fields of black rock stretch toward the horizon, making it feel as though you are driving across Mars. Even one of its distinctive cultural traditions recognized by UNESCO was shaped by the descendants of people brought to this island from Madagascar and Africa as slaves. So how do the people of Réunion live in a place this dramatic and almost unbelievable? And does being more than 9,000 kilometers from mainland France put them at a disadvantage? The answer may surprise you. Before we step into this unusual life among volcanoes, let us first locate Réunion on the world map. The island lies isolated in the western Indian Ocean and belongs to the Mascarene Islands. From here, you would have to travel nearly 1,000 kilometers west to reach Madagascar, while Mauritius lies to the east. Réunion covers only around 2,512 square kilometers. Its capital, Saint-Denis, lies in the north. But despite being thousands of kilometers from Europe, administratively, where you are standing is still France. People use the euro and live under the French legal system. Because of this, Réunion is more fortunate than many other isolated islands, with schools, hospitals, health insurance, telecommunications, and many public services operating under the French system. The island also has a university hospital, emergency rescue services, and a social welfare network. But as soon as you leave the city, that feeling gradually begins to disappear. Because Réunion is actually the summit of an enormous volcanic mass rising from the ocean floor. Piton-des-Neiges has long been dormant and rises to become the highest point on the island. But in the southeast, Piton-de-la-Fournaise has yet to fall asleep. It is one of the most active volcanoes in the world, where lava can still pour down the slopes before hardening into fields of black basalt. Volcanic forces have also sculpted the very heart of Réunion. Over millions of years of erosion, the landscape was carved into three enormous cirques, Salazie, Silaos and Mafate, surrounded by sheer cliffs that rise like fortress walls. Salazie is almost completely immersed in green, with waterfalls plunging from the cliffs into the valley. Silaos lies enclosed by high mountains, where roads have to twist through one bend after another. At Plaine des Sables, however, the green almost disappears. Reddish-brown slopes and volcanic rock stretch toward the horizon, making the landscape look like a piece of Mars dropped onto a tropical island. Even beneath the ground, ancient lava flows have left behind lava tubes, creating an underground world formed entirely by fire. But this dramatic beauty also comes at a price. High mountains, deep ravines and rugged terrain make more than half of the island unsuitable for agriculture. Around 42% of Réunion lies within the national park, home to landscapes recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage Site. As a result, most of the population has been forced to settle along the coastal belt. Nowhere is that isolation more visible than in Mafate. Hidden deep inside the cirque are tiny islets tucked between the mountains. Even today, there is not a single road for cars leading into Mafate. A gas cylinder, a bag of groceries, or a package bound for these communities must either be carried along mountain trails or flown by helicopter across the cliffs. Even outside Mafete, roads must constantly negotiate mountainsides, deep ravines, and cliffs pressed tightly against the ocean. Volcanoes created spectacular peaks, enormous cirques, and coastlines beautiful enough to resemble paradise. But those same forces also built walls that divide people from one another. And the climate makes life on the island even more extreme. Located in the southern hemisphere, Réunion has two seasons that are reversed from those in Europe. From November through April comes the southern summer when coastal areas are hot and humid and temperatures frequently rise above 30 degrees Celsius. It is also tropical cyclone season. When these storms arrive, enormous amounts of water can fall in a very short time, turning streams into raging torrents and saturating mountain slopes until they collapse onto the land below. Réunion has even entered the world record books for rainfall over short periods of time. Cyclones such as Denise, Gamed, Fakir and Bergita have shown just how violently water can strike an island that otherwise looks like paradise. Heavy rainfall and high mountains provide abundant natural freshwater, but it is distributed very unevenly. The east receives enormous amounts of rain, while the western coast is considerably drier. To bring that water into everyday life, Réunion has a relatively comprehensive water treatment and distribution system. At the same time, a network of 29 monitoring stations across 17 river basins continuously tracks water flows, because here the same water that sustains human life can also become a threat when storms arrive. After years of heavy dependence on imported fuels, Réunion has been developing hydropower, solar energy, and biomass. Even the sugarcane residue left after harvest is used to generate electricity. The weather can also change dramatically over a very short distance. The eastern slopes are wet and rainy, while the west is drier and sunnier. These microclimates mean that you can be standing on a beach flooded with sunshine, Then, just a few minutes later, find yourself surrounded by clouds or caught in a torrential downpour. That is why a jacket, an umbrella, and sunscreen may always need to be kept in the car. Hikers also often set out very early before clouds rise and obscure the mountain peaks. From May through October, Réunion enters its southern winter. The coast remains relatively mild, but above 1,800 meters, temperatures can fall close to zero degrees Celsius and frost may appear. And it is precisely this combination of rain, sunshine, and fragmented terrain that sustains such a rich natural world. In the Belouve Forest, ferns and layers of moisture-loving vegetation cover the tree trunks, creating the feeling of a forest left behind from another age. Hidden beneath the canopy are wild orchids, small but brilliant against the surrounding green. Bourbon palms rise through the forest, while bourbon-vanilla produces long pods carrying one of Réunion's most famous flavors. In the sky, the paillanqueur stands out with two long tail feathers trailing behind it like white ribbons. Deeper in the forest lives the tuituit, a bird found only on Réunion. And above the mountain slopes, the Papangae spreads its wings over the valleys. Back along the coast, nature changes once again. From around June through October, humpback whales leave Antarctic waters and travel to the warmer seas around Réunion to breed and raise their calves. Offshore are also bull sharks and tiger sharks, two species that have become particularly well-known around the island. Closer to shore, the ocean becomes gentler. Along the western coast lie coral reefs, where green sea turtles slowly glide through tropical waters. Between the coral branches, schools of colorful clownfish and butterflyfish move through the shallows. Exploring Réunion's natural world feels like traveling through several different planets, from red volcanic deserts that resemble Mars, to tropical forests covering the mountains, waterfalls plunging into deep ravines, and clear blue lagoons where sea turtles swim. If you only look at Réunion today, it can be difficult to understand why, on a French island, you can hear Creole, walk past a Hindu temple, come across a mosque, and then, just a few streets later, see traces of Chinese culture. To understand why, we have to go back to a time when this island had no inhabitants at all. When the French arrived on Réunion in the 17th century, there was no indigenous community living here. In 1649, France claimed the island and named it Île Bourbon. When coffee and later sugar cane transformed Réunion into a plantation economy, tens of thousands of people began to be brought here in chains. They came from Madagascar, Mozambique, and many other parts of Africa. By 1763, there were already around 15,000 enslaved people on the island, compared with only around 4,000 white residents. It was not until December 20, 1848, that slavery was officially abolished, freeing more than 62,000 people. But the sugarcane fields still needed workers, so people from South India were brought to Réunion and made to work under harsh conditions. Despite pressure to assimilate, the Tamil community preserved its Hindu beliefs, Their descendants today are often known as Malabars or Tamuls, and the island's colorful Hindu temples are part of the legacy they left behind. Later, Muslim merchants from Gujarat, India, formed the Zahrab community. Chinese immigrants arrived and opened shops and businesses. In the highlands lived the Yabs, descendants of poor white settlers. Later, still came people from mainland France, commonly known as Zorais, along with communities from Mayotte and the Comoros. Then, over generations, their descendants lived side by side, married one another, and created a process of cultural and ethnic mixing known as métissage. Traces of that process can be heard directly in Réunion Creole, a language built on a French foundation but carrying influences from Madagascar, Africa, Tamil and the many communities that have lived on the island. But language is only one part of the story. The different peoples who came to Réunion also left their mark on its culture and on the way people live together. Pieces of a larger picture that we will continue to encounter throughout the rest of our journey. But before we continue, tell us which country you are watching this documentary from and what the weather is like there right now. We would love to know where around the world Réunion's story is being watched. As soon as the first light appears, people are already jogging along the coastal roads. And on market days, marchés forains such as the Saint-Paul market are filled with fish, vegetables and tropical fruit. Between the stalls are hot samosas, bonbon piment, bouchons and glasses of sugarcane juice freshly pressed on the spot. Then the workday begins. The roads grow busier as adults head to work and children go to school. Private cars remain a familiar part of everyday life because traveling between different parts of the island by bus can take quite a long time. In Mafate, where there are no roads for cars, some children grow up accustomed to walking for dozens of minutes along mountain trails just to reach school. In agricultural areas, people head out to sugar cane fields, vanilla plantations, vegetable farms, and areas where plants are grown for essential oils. Offshore, fishing boats begin leaving the coast one after another. Some old trades still quietly survive. Some people weave vacoa leaves while others make kayamb instruments for Maloya music. In season, people also venture into the forest in search of bee nests to collect larvae, a rare delicacy sometimes described as the caviar of Réunion. By late afternoon, as the heat begins to fade, life drifts back toward the sea. The lagoons become places for swimming, water sports, or watching the sunset, while the coastal rendezvous begin filling with people. But not every part of the sea is safe. Strong currents and the risk of sharks mean that people generally enter the water only in lagoons protected by coral reefs or in areas with protective measures and lifeguards. And just as they have learned to live with the ocean, the people of Réunion have long been accustomed to living with an active volcano. The volcano is monitored continuously. Most lava flows pass through sparsely populated areas, such as Enclos Fouquet and Grand Brulé. If residential areas are threatened, people are evacuated. But when an eruption occurs within a safe area, residents head to observation points to watch glowing red lava crawl down the mountainside. And once those rivers of fire have cooled, old lava tubes become places where people can descend and explore the very paths the lava once carved through the earth. Leaving the worries of everyday life behind, Sunday is when many Réunion families come together. They leave their neighborhoods and head to the coast, riversides, forests, or open spaces beneath the volcano, almost as if they are bringing the entire kitchen outdoors with them. Packed into the car are marmites, firewood, tables, chairs, and plenty of food. Once they arrive, fires are lit, large pots begin to simmer, and the smell of cooking spreads through the trees. Picnic culture is so widespread that Réunion has hundreds of designated areas for it. The best spots can fill up very early on Sundays, and some families even arrive on Saturday evening and sleep there overnight just to secure a place. The next morning, several generations gather together. Adults tend the fire, watch the pots, talk, or play dominoes. Children run around as they watch their parents and grandparents prepare the food. At the end of the gathering, leftovers are divided into barquettes for everyone to take home, making sure that nothing goes to waste. The street food stalls and steaming pots from the picnics we have just seen are an important part of Réunion's cuisine. The island's kitchen was created through the meeting of French, Indian, Chinese, African, and Malagasy influences, blended with ingredients grown on a volcanic island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. A familiar Creole meal usually includes white rice, beans, and curry, or rougail, served with fiery piment, or fresh rougails made from tomatoes, green mangoes, and chouchou. Large marmites are placed over wood fires, just as they are during family picnics, allowing the food to slowly absorb the smoky aroma before it is brought out and shared. And Réunion's landscape can be tasted in the food itself. Inside the humid Salazie Cirque, Chuchu grows green across the mountain sides, and almost every part of it, its shoots, fruit, and roots can find its way into the kitchen. In the highlands of Cilaos, volcanic soil nurtures the small lentils for which the island is famous. Deep in the forest are bee larvae gathered seasonally and fried until crisp with salt. Because they are rare and difficult to find, they have sold for as much as 250 euros per kilogram. And where mountain rivers meet the ocean, there are bichiques. These tiny and scarce fish are cooked into cari bichique, an expensive delicacy often reserved for special occasions. And simply by standing in front of a roadside food stall, you can already see the island's blended history. Pain Américain Bouchon uses a French-influenced baguette filled with Chinese-influenced bouchons, along with French fries, sauce, and a layer of melted cheese. And in the markets, golden, crispy samosas and bonbon piment sit alongside Victoria pineapples and refreshing scoops of coconut sorbet. Those appealing flavors are also part of what helps Réunion attract around 500,000 visitors each year. And tourism is seen by the authorities as a key sector for creating more jobs. The island's largest source of employment today is services, retail and finance, which account for around 73% of the workforce. Agriculture employs only around 8% of workers, but sugarcane fields, vanilla plantations, and farms still help meet up to 75% of the island's demand for fresh food. Sugarcane is also turned into sugar and rum alongside high-value specialties such as bourbon vanilla, turmeric, and pink peppercorns. The remaining 19% of workers are employed in industry and related sectors, ranging from sugar processing and rum distillation to technology and research. Together, these activities create an economy with a GDP of more than 18 billion euros. And behind that figure is still substantial support from France and the European Union. More than 60% of the population receives some form of social welfare support, while some public sector workers receive allowances that make their incomes around 40% higher than in mainland France. But perhaps Réunion's most precious form of wealth cannot be found in economic figures at all. It lies in the harmony among the people who live here. That idea is present in the very name Réunion, which in French means coming together. On the island, one family may be Catholic, while another follows Hinduism, Islam or Chinese traditions. Beliefs can even overlap, with a Catholic person still practicing Hindu rituals or honoring their ancestors. The people of Réunion call this spirit vivre ensemble, living together. It does not mean that everyone becomes the same. Instead, each community preserves part of its roots while sharing an identity as Réunionnais. And perhaps nothing tells that story more clearly than music. Maloya was born among enslaved people of Malagasy and African origin on the sugar plantations. From songs and rhythms connected to rituals honoring ancestors, it gradually became a voice of sorrow, a form of resistance against slavery, and eventually a part of Reunion's identity Today, Maloya can still be heard alongside the Kayam and traditional drums, but it can also blend with rock, reggae, or jazz. In 2009, UNESCO inscribed Maloya on the representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. If Maloya carries memory, Sega draws people into the joyful rhythms of island life. Morang, meanwhile, exists somewhere between martial art and dance, where fighting movements merge with drum rhythms and become a performance. And when music is not enough to express what lies inside, Creole people also have fonker, words that come from deep within the heart, telling stories of love, pain, memory, or the land they call home. That culture can also be seen along the streets, in wooden cases, creoles with wide verandas, and delicate lambrequins running along the roof lines, intricately cut like lace, but perhaps Réunion becomes most colorful when each community enters its own season of celebration. December the 20th commemorates the abolition of slavery in 1848. During Fête Kaf, Maloya fills the streets. Kabars bring generations together amid parades, dancing, singing, and morang performances. The entire island remembers those who once lived in chains while celebrating the day they regained their freedom. Then, around October or November, Réunion lights up again for Deepavali, the Tamil community's festival of lights. As night falls, small clay lamps are lit inside homes. People dress in traditional clothing and carry candles in processions, while Saint André glows with floats, music, and Indian dances. Everything carries the same message. Light overcoming darkness and good triumphing over evil. And thanks to its Chinese community, Réunion also celebrates Lunar New Year. And as firecrackers explode and the drums of lion dances echo through the streets, families gather together inside their homes. They make offerings in remembrance of their ancestors, then grandparents, parents, and children sit down together around the first festive table of the new year. On the table are long noodles, carrying wishes for longevity, and round foods symbolizing togetherness. Children hold the red envelopes they have just received, while adults talk and exchange wishes for good fortune and prosperity. Despite having a relatively productive agricultural sector and receiving substantial support from the government, the people of Réunion still face many challenges today. The first is the cost of living. Consumer prices are, on average, around 9% higher than in mainland France, while food can cost as much as 37% more. At the same time, around 36% of the population still lives below the poverty line, while unemployment remains close to 19%. These economic pressures also bring a number of social problems. Overall, Réunion remains a relatively peaceful island, but authorities also frequently have to deal with property theft, domestic violence, and alcohol-related fights. And despite once setting world records for rainfall, the 2000-25 to 2000-26 rainy season received around 45% less rainfall than normal, forcing many areas to restrict water use. Will Reunion be able to find solutions to these challenges, or will these difficulties continue, pushing more and more of the island's people to leave home in search of work, as happens on many isolated islands around the world? Share your prediction in the comments below.