The must-see waterfalls on the island of Réunion.

waterfalls réunion

Spectacular waterfalls, between scenic roads and lush trails

In La Réunion, waterfalls are not just a backdrop: they set the rhythm of the roads, punctuate hikes, appear around a bend or at the bottom of a fern-lined ravine. Some can be admired in a few minutes from a lookout, others are earned after a walk through the undergrowth, a stream crossing, or a steep descent. The island concentrates a rare diversity: veils of water sliding over basalt columns, powerful falls after the rains, dark blue pools nestled in the rock, or even series of tiered cascades that accompany rivers for kilometers.

This article offers an overview of the most striking waterfalls, with practical advice for choosing according to your level, the weather, the season, and the mood of the day (swimming, photos, picnic, grand panorama). For a complementary selection and itinerary ideas, you can also consult this external guide: Top 5 beautiful waterfalls and pools in La Réunion.

The Bride’s Veil: the icon of the Salazie cirque

Impossible to mention Réunionese waterfalls without thinking of the Bride’s Veil. On the road leading to Hell-Bourg, this succession of threads of water descends along a verdant wall. The appeal is twofold: the panorama is immediate (you can stop in dedicated areas), and the look changes with the light and the amount of water. After a rainy episode, the veils multiply and the relief seems literally to be dripping.

It’s best to plan a stop early in the morning if you want to photograph without too much traffic, and at the end of the day for a softer atmosphere. Salazie is also one of the areas where you best understand the relationship between relief, rain, and ravines: water shapes everything, constantly. To extend your discovery of the area (villages, viewpoints, atmospheres), you can read The Cirque of Salazie on the island of landscapes and villages.

Grand Galet (Cascade Langevin): power, pools, and the road of the Wild South

In the South, Cascade Langevin—often called Grand Galet—impresses with its width and the force of its flow when the river is well fed. It’s a photogenic fall, framed by dense vegetation and dark rocks that heighten the contrast. Access is relatively easy by road, which makes it a classic, but it only takes visiting at off-peak times to regain a more peaceful atmosphere.

The area is also known for its pools upstream and downstream, where you can see typical scenes: families on picnic, swimmers when conditions allow, long-exposure enthusiasts to smooth the water. Be careful, though: after heavy rains, the level can rise quickly and currents become dangerous. Before swimming, assess the color of the water, the flow, and favor areas known to be calm. The golden rule: if you hesitate, you refrain.

Niagara: an accessible and friendly waterfall in the East

The Niagara waterfall, in the Sainte-Suzanne area, has the advantage of being easily accessible and suited to a short outing. The site has more of a stroll atmosphere than a big adventure, which makes it a practical option if you’re traveling with children or if you want to combine several visits in the day. The surroundings generally allow you to settle in, take photos, and observe the fall from different angles.

As often in La Réunion, the condition of the site and the quality of the experience depend on recent weather. After rain, the water can be more laden and the flow more spectacular; in a drier period, the waterfall remains pleasant but less thunderous. In all cases, plan for shoes that fear neither mud nor wet rocks: the edges can be slippery.

Bassin la Paix and Bassin Bleu: coolness and postcard scenery in the East

Two names often come up when looking for a nature spot easily combined with a day on the East coast: Bassin la Paix and Bassin Bleu (Sainte-Suzanne area). The appeal here is the contrast: dark water, volcanic rock, intense vegetation, and sometimes light effects that give an almost unreal aspect to the pools. People come as much for the pleasure of walking a bit as for the typical pool atmosphere of Réunion rivers.

These places remain sensitive to crowds and conditions: it’s better to favor weekdays and avoid the day after heavy rains if you’re looking for clear water. And, as everywhere, keep in mind that the mountain is in charge: a river can become more lively in a short time, even if the rain falls higher up, on the relief.

Anse des Cascades: the water that meets the ocean

Anse des Cascades, in Sainte-Rose, does not resemble the enclosed falls of the highlands. Here, the water emerges from the vegetation and stretches into multiple small cascades before reaching the sea. The place is particularly pleasant for a break: you come for the atmosphere, for the combination of coconut trees + rocks + sea spray, and for the feeling of being at the end of the world, on a coast where nature seems to speak louder than the rest.

The place lends itself to photos, picnics, and contemplation. On the other hand, it’s not the best spot if your absolute priority is swimming in a deep pool: the appeal lies more in the overall landscape, the coolness, and the uniqueness of the site, between greenery and ocean.

Rivière du Mât, Takamaka and the viewpoints: the grand spectacle in panorama form

Some of the most beautiful viewpoints over waterfalls in La Réunion are not necessarily earned through a long walk: they are admired from viewpoints, where you take in distant gorges and falls. The Takamaka area is known for its vertiginous landscapes, with deep ravines and falls that can be seen in the distance, sometimes in series.

The experience is different: you are not at the foot of the water, you are facing a life-size painting. For photo lovers, it’s an opportunity to play with layers of relief, clouds that cling to the ridges, and rays that break through. For another external selection, focused on inspiration and scouting, here is a useful article: The most beautiful waterfalls on the Île de La Réunion.

Cilaos: mountain waterfalls and a mineral atmosphere

The cirque of Cilaos offers another reading of water: more mineral, often more mountainous, with ravines cutting into steep slopes. The waterfalls sometimes appear as a backdrop, sometimes by the roadside, and blend into an atmosphere made of ramparts, forests in places, and open panoramas. It’s a terrain where viewpoints, short walks, and grand landscapes are easily combined.

If you are preparing a day or a short stay in this sector (roads, hikes, spots), this internal guide will help you structure your discovery: Discovering the Cirque of Cilaos on the île de.

Mafate: water at the heart of the itinerary

In Mafate, waterfalls and cascades take on a wilder dimension, because access is on foot (or by helicopter, but the spirit of the place is clearly walking). Here, you don’t do a waterfall between two visits: you cross a living relief, you follow paths along ravines, you hear the water before seeing it, and you understand why locals talk about the seasons, rains, and fords as everyday elements.

Depending on the route, you will encounter more or less significant flows, pools, small falls, and sometimes passages where the water dictates the rhythm. The interest is also immersion: water becomes a guiding thread of the hike. To prepare a walking exploration of the cirque, you can consult Exploring the Cirque of Mafate on the île de on foot.

Three bonus waterfalls to add to your itinerary

Grand Bassin: a world apart in the heights

Grand Bassin is often cited as an experience that is as human as it is natural. You descend by a path that quickly changes atmosphere, until reaching a village and a narrow valley. The waterfall and the basin of the area are a reward, but the whole route counts: the transition between the highlands and the valley floor, the coolness, the vegetation, the silence punctuated by water.

Allow extra time and plenty of water: the climb back up can be strenuous depending on the heat. And if the ground is wet, be extra cautious on slippery sections.

Falls near forest roads: quick pleasure, maximum vigilance

One of the great pleasures of La Réunion is also discovering unnamed or little-known falls, visible from a forest road or a small stop. It’s tempting to get closer, to climb down onto a rock to gain a better angle… and that’s precisely where accidents happen. Wet volcanic rocks are treacherous, and some banks collapse. Keep a safe distance, especially with children, and do not venture off the obvious paths.

After the rain: the show… and the risks

The day after a heavy rain episode, the island can offer an incredible spectacle: water threads everywhere, ramparts streaked with temporary falls, swollen rivers. But it’s also the time when ravines are most dangerous, when landslides can occur, and when visibility at altitude degrades quickly. To enjoy without exposing yourself, favor lookouts and roadside viewpoints rather than descents toward the pools.

Practical tips: when to go, what to bring, how to enjoy without putting yourself in danger

Choose the right time. Waterfalls are more powerful during the rainy season and after showers, but safety comes first. For clearer water and more stable conditions, the drier season is often more comfortable, even if some falls will be less full. The ideal is to alternate: one or two big viewpoints after the rain (without approaching the rivers), then accessible pools when the flow returns to normal.

Minimal equipment. Shoes with good grip, light rain protection, water, snacks, and a bag that can handle humidity. For photos, a microfiber cloth (spray arrives fast) and, if you like long exposures, a small stable tripod. Add a swimsuit if you’re aiming for the pools, but don’t make it mandatory: many sites are more beautiful to contemplate than to consume.

Respect the places. Riverbanks are fragile. Stay on the paths, leave nothing behind, and avoid soaps/shampoos in the water. Waterfalls are also habitats: birds, insects, endemic plants. The more discreet you are, the richer the experience.

Create a waterfall itinerary over 3 to 7 days

3‑day option. Day 1: East (Bassin la Paix / Bassin Bleu + Niagara). Day 2: Salazie (Voile de la Mariée + villages). Day 3: South (Grand Galet + Anse des Cascades). This gives a nice variety: pools, panoramas, and coast.

5‑day option. Add a day of lookouts (Takamaka) and a day in the highlands (Cilaos) to vary the relief. You’ll have a balance between easy access and more mountainous landscapes.

7‑day option. Include a trek (or a long hike) to Mafate, or a descent to Grand Bassin. This is the immersion option, the one that turns the search for waterfalls into a complete adventure.

For other scouting ideas and an overview of sites across the island, this external guide can complement your preparation: The Many Waterfalls of the island of Réunion.

Taking gourmet breaks between two swims

A day spent running between water points whets the appetite: between walking, humidity, and altitude changes, you burn energy quickly. One of the island’s pleasures is precisely to alternate nature and local tables: caris, rougails, bouchons, samoussas, and all those addresses where you recover gently after a trail. To help you choose where to enjoy yourself by area, you can consult Where to eat the best local specialties on the island of.

Experience the island differently: producers, fruits, know-how

Between two waterfalls, take the time to stop: a small farm, a roadside stand, a visit to an artisan. Réunion is also discovered through tastes and gestures. Pineapple, vanilla, turmeric, honey, jams, infused rums… These stops add depth to the itinerary and create memories as strong as the landscapes. For visit leads and concrete ideas, here is an internal resource: Discover the island's local producers for visit ideas.

Where to stay to easily reach the most beautiful sites

The right home base changes everything: leave early, avoid traffic jams, come back to rest after a wet hike, dry your gear, set off again at daybreak for a lookout… If you want to organize your stay with lodging designed to explore the island at your own pace, you can book via Our Seasonal Rentals in.

Remember: the most beautiful waterfalls are also the ones you'll see at the right time

In Réunion, waterfalls are numerous and changing: the same cascade can be thin and delicate one day, massive and noisy the next. The trick is not just to tick off names, but to adapt your itinerary to the weather, vary the experiences (lookout, pool, hike), and prioritize safety. By doing this, you will see not only the must-sees, but also unique moments: a shaft of light on a ravine, mist rising, a fleeting rainbow at the foot of a fall, or the simple pleasure of a cool swim in a calm pool.