Questions about homestays and buses in Réunion during peak tourist season

hi there

I’m planning to spend about twenty days in Réunion in November. I’d like to get around using the *car jaune* (2 € per ticket), but from what I’ve heard, it doesn’t cover the whole island. I’m not looking to head toward the ocean and the beautiful beaches—more toward the mountainous landscapes, even if I’ll just be admiring them from below. 😉 Maybe other buses go where I want to go. By the way, are there any relatively easy mountain hikes, and where?

But here’s the most important part: I don’t want to book anything in advance because I don’t know what my itinerary will look like—it’ll change depending on my mood. 3 days here, 5 days there, etc. On top of that, I’d like to arrange half-board stays with locals—not professionals—by approaching them and asking if they’d be willing to host me (overnight stay, breakfast, and dinner) for 30 € to 40 € per day.

What do you think? Does the price seem reasonable? And is it okay to take the initiative and ask Réunionnais directly?

The tourist office in Réunion told me that since November is peak tourist season, I should book without delay. 🤪

For four years in a row, I traveled across Canada for a month and a half each time, relying only on hitchhiking and half-board stays with Canadians who welcomed me (and refused to let me pay them).

If I’d listened to my family and friends, I never would’ve taken the leap—and that adventure remains one of the best experiences of my life.

Thanks for your input!

Hi there, to find all the island’s bus networks (several companies), routes, and schedules, check out the website https://iledelareunion-mobilites.re/ It’s not the best way to explore the island, though—they stick to the lower areas, and there are few or no buses once you want to head up into the highlands. Service can be as infrequent as twice a day, and sometimes they don’t even run...

Easy to reach: Cilaos (town) to be at the foot of Piton des Neiges. Le Maïdo for the breathtaking view over Mafate and the panorama: Roche Écrite, Col de Fourche, Gros Morne, Grand Bénare. Around Hell-Bourg and Grand Îlet (center of Salazie), you’re surrounded by the island’s highest peaks. Not easy (low frequency) but doable: the Col des Bœufs, the gateway to Mafate (via Salazie). Impossible by bus: the parking lot for accessing the volcano (on the edge of the Enclos Fouqué).

As for "easy mountain hikes," not really—the island’s terrain is very steep, and trails are full of stairs to climb up and down. But you’ll need to specify your hiking level: what’s "easy" and "not easy" for you, how many hours you can walk, etc. Check out the "randopitons" website and add an extra hour or two to the listed times.

For half-board at 30-40 € per day, don’t count on it. If you’ve already done some research (Booking or Airbnb), you’ve probably seen that just the night alone costs double or even triple that, so with dinner included... You can always grab a takeaway box from a snack bar (lots of rice and a bit of meat or fish curry) for under 10 €, but it’s not exactly ideal for 20 days.

You could try doing here what you did in Canada, but I’m skeptical—maybe other forum members can prove me wrong?

Hello, I would’ve said exactly the same thing as Belphégor 974 on all the points she mentioned. I’d add that to stay as cheaply as possible, you should sleep in the island’s *gîtes d’étape* and refuges, but it’ll still be at a higher rate than what you’re looking for. You should know that the cost of living in Réunion is generally higher than in mainland France. I’d also add that for less experienced hikers, there are coastal walks—so flat—in the island’s volcanic south (St Philippe, Cap Méchant, Piton Ste Rose, etc.) as well as in the east. But generally, to really enjoy Réunion, you either need to rent a vehicle or be an experienced hiker capable of multi-day treks (carrying your backpack) with significant elevation changes. In that case, you sleep and eat in the refuges and *gîtes d’étape*... You won’t be able to do in Réunion (stay in half-board without payment!!) what you did in Canada. I’m actually a bit surprised you were able to do that in that country!

Hi and thanks for your reply. You live in Réunion, so you must know what you're talking about. I looked into the "yellow" bus routes, and the website claimed they served almost the entire island. Apparently, that’s not the case.

When I mentioned offering 30 to 40 € for half-board, I was thinking more of non-professionals for whom it would be extra income. Maybe that’s too little. I was planning to approach people boldly, but maybe that’s not the done thing.

It’s clear that if I arrive in Réunion and don’t find anyone along the way to host me, it could get complicated.

Yes, there are mountain gîtes, but my physical limits don’t allow me to hike with that much elevation gain.

Have a great day.

Hi Djalma, thanks for taking the time to reply.

I assure you, in Canada, less than 20 years ago, for four years in a row (a month and a half each year), I only traveled by hitchhiking and only had to stay in a hostel 3 or 4 times at most. The Canadians who picked me up invited me to sleep and eat at their place without asking for anything in return. I even stayed for a month in New Brunswick with the same family, and we became friends, and about 3 weeks with a man near Quebec with a view of the St. Lawrence. It rained during those 3 weeks, so he let me stay. Otherwise, I stayed an average of 3 to 4 days with Canadians. Hitchhiking, I traveled from Quebec to Vancouver, for example. It was amazing.

As for Réunion, I was planning to offer locals (non-professionals) 30 to 40 € for half-board, but apparently, that’s not the norm—maybe I should offer 100 € per day instead.

I’ll think it over so I don’t end up in a tough spot. Maybe I’ll decide to go back to Canada instead 😏