Are you up for a laid-back island paradise to end all clichés? Head for Reunion Island. On this small gem of an Indian Ocean island, you can, of course, bask in the sun to your heart's content on warm sandy beaches by spectacular lagoons, sheltered by coral reefs, but don't miss the stupefying mix of alpine heights, moonscapes, and lush growth. You can lie back or go adventuring: this continent -like island has something to please every traveler.

Head west to the shores of a well-preserved lagoon, Saint-Leu, where you can savor a well-chilled guava drink, or take in the watersport scene at Boucan-Canot or Roches Noires - they're surfer favorites. If you're hooked on nature, give Grande Anse's untamed beach or Etang-Salé's black sand a try.
But you'll find the most spectacular scenery at the very center of the island. Hike up Piton de la Fournaise (Furnace Peak), Piton des Neiges (Snow Peak), or the Mafate and Cilaos cirques, where Réunion Harriers and White-Tailed Tropicbirds nest. Take a relaxed stroll through the lush, green, backcountry: along the Tampon's flowering slopes and the Plaine des Cafres' broom and arum lily moors, for exotic, sweet-smelling, surroundings. And don't miss Plaine des Sables. A breath-taking, moon-like, landscape of red and black scoria.

High above Saint-Denis, the capital, hotel Concorde Bellepierre is the ideal launch pad to go see the island. The hotel, enfolding a huge, panoramic swimming pool, affords an unparalleled view of the city and ocean. It is also the ideal place to explore Reunion Island's cuisine, offering a wealth of flavors from the shores of the Indian Ocean, and from Africa and Asia. Always on the lookout for new combinations, chef David Laval blends the island's cultures into subtle, novel dishes.