In true French style, the recreational emphasis in Réunion is on sweat, adventure, and pushing beyond conventional limits. There are established clubs for just about every sort of activity you can imagine. However, more than anything, Réunion's geological history has made it a haven for the serious and occasional trekker. There are dozens of day hikes and multi-day hikes throughout the island. The volcano and high-rugged cirques of Cilaos, Salazie and Mafate are superb. The terrain has also led to an explosion of interest in mountain biking and the appropriate vélo tout terrain or VTT is easy to rent for half or full-day excursions. Diving is concentrated around St-Gilles-les-Bains, as is snorkelling, swimming and other water activities. The only surf spots are also around St-Gilles-les-Bains. For adventure seekers, there's the exhilaration of canyoning, challenging you to abseil down rugged gorges and cliffs into water holes or lagoons below.

Major festivals in Réunion involve exhibitions with competitions, sports events, music, dancing and various other activities. The Indian community is principally made up of Tamil Hindus and they hold some amazing rites, including cavadees and fire-walking ceremonies. The Hindu temple in St-André is the most popular location for these events. Towns and villages across the island take turns at celebrating over a week or weekend; the excuse is to honour their primary product, which can be anything from chou chou to sugar cane. Examples include the Fête de la Vanille in Bras-Panon, celebrating vanilla for 10 days in mid-May; the Fête du Safran in St-Joseph, celebrating saffron for 10 days in August; the Fête des Letchis in St-Denis, celebrating lychees for one week in mid-December.