Réunion Island

Réunion is the Indian Ocean's wild card: a French island built by volcanoes, where the drama is vertical rather than beach-flat. Three colossal natural amphitheatres, the cirques of Mafate, Cilaos and Salazie, plunge into green depths crossed only by hiking trails and helicopters. Mafate has no roads at all, its villages supplied by air, its gîtes welcoming trekkers with Creole curries and rum arrangé. Piton de la Fournaise, one of the planet's most active volcanoes, lets you walk across its lunar caldera between eruptions. Then the island remembers it is tropical: waterfalls pouring through jungle, vanilla plantations, lagoon snorkelling at L'Ermitage, and boulangeries selling perfect croissants under palm trees. Réunion pairs beautifully with Mauritius next door, adding adventure to indulgence. Europe's wildest corner is nowhere near Europe.