Hand-picked by our editors — only the best 5 helicopter experiences from 12 reviewed.
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55 min
55-minute aerial journey spanning volcanoes, cirques, waterfalls, and lagoons across Réunion
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55 min
Soar above Réunion's volcanic peaks, cascading waterfalls, and three dramatic cirques on this aerial adventure
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45 min
Soar above three dramatic cirques and active volcanic landscapes in this unforgettable 45-minute aerial adventure
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The landmarks, rooms, and views travelers on this tour remember — all visible on a single visit.
A remote volcanic caldera accessible only by air or hiking. It features dramatic cliffs and isolated villages.
They complement each other; most visitors who do both call the aerial tour the more exhilarating perspective. A helicopter ride reunion island tour provides unmatched views of the cirques, while a catamaran offers a relaxing coastal vantage point.
| Feature | Top pick Helicopter Flight | Catamaran Cruise |
|---|---|---|
Perspective |
Panoramic aerial view | Water-level coastal view |
Visibility dependence |
High sensitivity to cloud cover | Low sensitivity to cloud cover |
Wildlife sightings |
None | Dolphins and whales (seasonal) |
Physical intensity |
Low (seated) | Low (seated on deck) |
Accessibility |
Requires boarding transfer | Standard pier access |
Cost perception |
High (premium pricing) | Moderate (standard pricing) |
| See tickets → |
Verdict: Select the helicopter ride reunion island tickets to witness the volcanic landscape from above, or choose the catamaran to experience the marine life and reef ecosystems along the coast.
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Arrive at the entrance, show your voucher on your phone, and walk in. Most tickets include priority or skip-the-line access.
Practical details for your visit straight from our verified partners — hours, access, rules, and how to get there.
Aéroport de Pierrefond, 97410 Saint-Pierre
Main office for all helicopter ride reunion island flights
Follow N1 or N2 to Aéroport de Pierrefond. Parking is available on-site.
Available from Saint-Pierre city center to the airport.
Casual, comfortable clothing is recommended for your helicopter ride reunion island tour. Avoid wearing hats or loose scarves that could become dislodged during boarding.
Passengers undergo a brief security check before boarding their helicopter ride reunion island. Large bags are generally prohibited in the cabin; storage is available at the terminal.
Photography is permitted during the flight, though passengers must remain seated with seatbelts fastened. Avoid using flash, as it can reflect against the cockpit glass.
While the terminal is accessible, boarding the aircraft requires the ability to climb a few steps. Please inform the operator of mobility requirements when booking your helicopter ride reunion island.
Phones must be set to airplane mode during the flight. Use them to capture aerial views during your helicopter ride reunion island tour.
Children are welcome on flights when accompanied by an adult. Infants must be seated on a parent's lap, and child-safe headsets are provided for the helicopter ride reunion island experience.
Eating and drinking are not permitted inside the aircraft. Water may be consumed while waiting in the passenger lounge at the terminal.
Animals are not permitted on helicopter tours for safety reasons. Service animals require prior authorization from the flight operator.
Flights are subject to weather conditions and may be rescheduled for safety. The entrance fee is 0 EUR, as there is no cost to enter the heliport area.
Aéroport de Pierrefond, 97410 Saint-Pierre
Main office for all helicopter ride reunion island flights
Get directionsBest time to go, insider tips, nearby landmarks, and the cancellation fine print — flip through to skim what matters to you.
How crowds, weather, and events shift across the year.
December to March offers warm, humid conditions with occasional rain. Morning flights are ideal for stable air.
June to September features cooler, drier weather. This period provides the best visibility for volcanic summits.
April, May, October, and November offer balanced weather. These months are excellent for booking your helicopter ride reunion island tickets.
Small details that turn a good visit into a great one.
Reserve your helicopter ride reunion island at least two weeks in advance. Flights fill up quickly during peak seasons.
Aim for the 06:30–11:00 window. Air currents are typically calmer during these hours.
Keep your schedule open in case of weather-related reschedules. Safety is the priority for all helicopter ride reunion island tours.
Minimize personal items to ensure a smooth boarding process. Leave large backpacks in your vehicle or at the hotel.
Consult with the operator regarding cloud cover over the volcanoes. Clear skies are essential for the best experience.
Non-bookable sights within a short walk — free to visit, easy to pair.
A sandy stretch perfect for relaxation after your flight.
Cultural site showcasing the history of local rum production.
Botanical garden featuring local flora and spices.
Flexible, no hidden fees.
Cancellations made at least 48 hours before the scheduled flight are eligible for a full refund. Requests submitted within 48 hours may be subject to a fee.
Hand-picked options within walking distance — pick a district for vibe, or a specific hotel for convenience.
Upscale hotel located near the Saint-Pierre waterfront.
High-end retreat with scenic coastal views.
Variety of options near the airport for easy access.
Réunion Island rises 3,070 meters from the Indian Ocean floor in a geological blink — the island is less than three million years old, and Piton de la Fournaise remains one of the planet's most active shield volcanoes, erupting on average once every nine months. The island's interior is a knot of eroded calderas and knife-edge ridges that no road can cross: the cirques of Mafate, Cilaos, and Salazie are amphitheaters carved by water and time, their villages reachable only by helicopter or on foot. Forty percent of the island holds UNESCO World Heritage status, recognized not for a single monument but for an entire living landscape of peaks, forests, and lava fields that continue to reshape themselves. Helicopter ride reunion island tours depart from Aéroport de Pierrefonds on the southern coast, where operators maintain daily schedules from 06:30 through the afternoon. Morning departures between 06:30 and 11:00 offer the clearest air and the least thermal turbulence over the highlands, critical when flying through the narrow corridors between basalt walls. Flights range from twenty-minute volcano overflights to fifty-five-minute grand tours that trace the perimeter of all three cirques, the active crater of Piton de la Fournaise, and the lagoon-fringed west coast. Corail Hélicoptères, the island's longest-operating aerial tour company, flies Airbus H125 single-engine helicopters configured for five passengers, each seat positioned for unobstructed downward views through frameless doors or bubble windows. The volcano itself is a textbook example of hotspot volcanism: magma rising from a mantle plume beneath the lithospheric plate, building the island layer by layer as the plate drifts southwest. Piton de la Fournaise has a summit caldera 400 meters across, enclosing the active Dolomieu crater, which collapsed in 2007 and now drops 300 meters to a floor of hardened lava. Helicopter ride reunion island operators maintain no-fly cones around the summit during eruptions, but between events pilots descend to within 150 meters of the crater's edge, close enough to see the oxidized reds and yellows of sulfur deposits against black basalt. The eastern flank of the volcano is a river of cooled lava flows, some dating to weeks ago, others centuries old, descending through forest and farmland to the sea. The cirques present a different kind of verticality. Mafate, the most remote, holds no roads at all — its 800 residents receive mail and supplies by helicopter, and its forty hamlets cling to ledges above valleys that drop 1,000 meters in less than two kilometers. Cilaos sits at the head of a canyon so tight that the access road requires twenty-three hairpin bends to climb four kilometers. Salazie opens slightly wider, its waterfalls — including the 300-meter Voile de la Mariée — visible from the air as thin white threads against dark cliffs. Helicopter ride reunion island tours cross these landscapes in minutes, compressing what would take hikers days into a single sweeping transit, the scale of the island's topography legible only from above.
"The cirques of Mafate, Cilaos, and Salazie are amphitheaters carved by water and time, their villages reachable only by helicopter or on foot."
A step-by-step walkthrough of the visit — what you'll see, how long each stage takes, and the details that matter.
You arrive at Pierrefonds helipad forty-five minutes before your scheduled departure, where ground crew weigh passengers and assign seats based on aircraft balance — the lightest passengers typically sit in the rear, the heaviest up front beside the pilot. You're issued noise-canceling headsets with integrated microphones, allowing you to hear the pilot's narration over the rotor wash. The H125 lifts vertically from the tarmac, pivots south, then climbs eastward toward the volcanic highlands, the coastal plain dropping away beneath you in a patchwork of sugarcane fields and red-roofed villages. Ten minutes into the flight you cross the forest line at 1,200 meters, entering the realm of tree ferns and tamarind stands, the canopy unbroken except where landslides have torn vertical scars down the ridges. The helicopter banks left into the Rivière des Remparts gorge, a canyon so deep that sunlight reaches the bottom only at midday, then climbs again to cross the shoulder of Piton de la Fournaise. The crater appears suddenly — a black bowl rimmed with ochre and rust, steam venting from fissures along the northern wall. You descend to circle the caldera twice, close enough to distinguish individual lava flows by texture: smooth pahoehoe, jagged aa, the glassy sheen of recent eruptions. The return leg traces the coast, where black sand beaches meet turquoise reef breaks, before descending back to Pierrefonds, your total flight time just under fifty minutes.
The facility is open daily from 06:30–20:00 for scheduling and operations.
No, there is a 0 EUR entrance fee to access the helipads, though flight costs vary by operator.
The best arrival window is 06:30–11:00 to ensure optimal weather and visibility.
Yes, children are welcome and must be accompanied by an adult for the duration of the flight.
Yes, but phones must be set to airplane mode during the flight to avoid interference.
Flights cancelled due to weather are eligible for rescheduling or a refund based on the operator's policy.
Large bags are prohibited, but storage is provided at the terminal for your convenience.
Yes, you are encouraged to take photos throughout your helicopter ride reunion island tour.
The terminal is located at Aéroport de Pierrefond, 97410 Saint-Pierre, accessible by car or taxi.