Pointe des Galets

Port de la Pointe des Galets is normally known simply as "Le Port".

The ship is scheduled to dock at Pointe des Galets. St. Denis is 8 miles away, a drive of approximately 30 minutes. A compulsory free port bus takes passengers beyond the port gates, where a small visitor-information booth supplies maps and a few taxis and tours wait just outside.

Take care: most cabs either ask 100 Euro per hour or will only tour on the meter. A journey to St. Denis costs about 45 Euro, and drivers often have no change or do not accept credit cards.

Local bus # 2 stops directly opposite the cruise terminal and runs to central downtown St. Denis. Its scenic coastal route takes 30 minutes, but buses are often full and the next one may take a long time to arrive.

Authorities also run a shuttle to the nearest beach in St. Denis. A return costs 5 Euro and takes about 30-40 minutes each way.

Réunion—French: Réunion, formally La Réunion, and previously Île Bourbon—is in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar, about 200 km (130 miles) south west of Mauritius, its nearest island.

Reunion Island combines an active south-coast volcano, 17 miles of warm, welcoming western beaches, and mountains and forests between them, offering holidays from relaxing to truly insane. Those seeking to "chill out" can do so here, while travellers who favour an adrenaline rush over a sunburn have endless options. Hiking the island’s distinctive "cirques", canyoning its many waterfalls, scuba diving and surfing the clear waters around this tiny 30-mile-wide island are among the adventure activities for vacationers hoping to do something a…

Le Port combines a major port—continually unloading containers from huge cargo ships alongside endless warehouses—with a pleasant place to live, with royal-palm-lined avenues and a pedestrianised shopping area. Sometimes innovative and daring architecture is joined by an important culture and multimedia scene: the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and its new premises; lively associations for animation, art and culture ("Village Titan"); the increasingly famous Ecole de l'image et du multimedia (ILOI); a library, multimedia library and cyber center.

Le Barachois is a waterfront promenade for an easy walk, with Indian Ocean views and historic cannons.

Handicrafts include embroidery, vanilla, spices, rum, and goods made from seashells and plant fibers. The port terminal has some souvenir shopping, while St. Denis is the main shopping area. Most shops close from noon until 4:00 PM for lunch.

The currency is the Euro. Most shops take international Visa and Mastercard, although most require a minimum card payment, usually €15. There are many ATMs, known as "gabier", which do not charge for their use.

Réunionnaise Creole is the country’s main language, but French is spoken more commonly.

Emergency services: 112 can be dialled from any mobile phone, even one not connected to a GSM network.

WiFi is excellent at the port gates. Open WiFi is also available at City Hall—the Hôtel de Ville de Saint-Denis—on Ave Victoria.

Lunch closures for shops usually run from 12:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.