Full Helicopter Flight Over Reunion Island from St Pierre
Full Helicopter Flight Over Reunion Island from St Pierre
There are scenic flights, and then there’s a helicopter ride over Réunion Island. If you’ve ever wanted to feel like a movie star—or a very important potato sack being whisked away by air—then buckle up, because this is the kind of experience that makes you reevaluate what’s possible on planet Earth.
Starting from St. Pierre, the adventure begins with a quick safety briefing. Translation: They make sure you know how not to fall out of the chopper while your jaw drops at the views. As the rotors whir to life, there’s an unmistakable feeling that you’re about to see something outrageously cool. Spoiler alert: You are.
Volcanoes, Waterfalls, and the ‘Are We Still on Earth?’ Effect
The moment you take off, the Indian Ocean’s turquoise waters stretch out like an endless postcard, but it’s inland that truly messes with your perception of reality. First up is the Piton de la Fournaise, one of the world’s most active volcanoes. From the air, you get a glimpse of just how dramatic and wild Réunion actually is. One minute you’re flying over rolling, green hills, and the next it’s stark, barren lava fields, as if you’ve teleported to Mars somehow.
Then come the waterfalls. Oh, the waterfalls. If you thought Instagram had shown you everything worth seeing, this flight begs to differ. The Trou de Fer canyon, in particular, looks like someone took a giant knife and carved a deep gash into the earth, then decided, “Eh, let’s add a few hundred waterfalls for good measure.” The cascading water plunging into the abyss below? Absolutely surreal.
Cirques: Nature’s Version of an Over-the-Top Amphitheater
Réunion’s cirques—Mafate, Salazie, and Cilaos—are massive, naturally-formed amphitheaters that put every concert venue to shame. Each has its own unique personality: Mafate is so remote that it’s only accessible by foot or helicopter (talk about exclusive real estate), Salazie is lush and green like something out of a fairytale, and Cilaos is surrounded by jagged peaks that make you wonder what epic battles took place here in a past life.
Flying over them, you’ll start to feel like a kid seeing magic for the first time. The landscape is so dramatically carved, so impossibly beautiful, that it genuinely feels like it shouldn’t exist outside of a CGI-heavy blockbuster.
The Grand Finale: That ‘I Just Did That’ Feeling
As the helicopter swoops back toward St. Pierre, you realize you’ve just taken in one of the most jaw-dropping sights in the world—and you didn’t even have to break a sweat. Hiking? Who needs it when you can soar over the island like an eagle with VIP privileges?
The landing brings you back to reality, but let’s be honest: Your mind is still somewhere up in those peaks, hovering over waterfalls and cirques, trying to process the sheer awesomeness of what you just saw.
So, if you ever find yourself on Réunion Island and someone suggests a helicopter tour, don’t hesitate. Do it. Future-you will high-five present-you for making the best travel decision of your life.
