From Saint-Denis, the island's capital, Saint-Philippe is approximately 88 km (55 miles) — around 1.5 to 2 hours by road depending on traffic. From Saint-Pierre it is a much shorter run of roughly 35 km (22 miles), typically around 30 to 45 minutes. Having a private driver means you travel direct, with no transfers or timetables to worry about.
A half-day gives you time to see the coastline highlights — Cap Méchant, the Route des Laves, and Le Souffleur. A full day lets you add the spice garden, a walk through Mare Longue forest, and a stop at the Baril les Bains sea basin. If you are combining Saint-Philippe with other stops along Réunion's scenic south coast, build in a full day so you are not rushed.
Public transport to and around Saint-Philippe is limited, and the key natural sites are spread along the coast and inland tracks. Arriving with your own private driver gives you the flexibility to stop where the scenery catches your eye, linger at the lava fields, and set your own pace — without being locked into a group itinerary or dependent on infrequent bus connections.
The Route des Laves traces the path of past eruptions from Piton de la Fournaise down to the sea, with interpretive panels explaining what you are looking at. Cap Méchant offers a striking viewpoint over the wild, wave-battered coastline. When the swell is strong, Le Souffleur d'Arbonne sends a dramatic jet of seawater through a natural rock channel. The Jardin des Parfums et des Épices is a botanical garden where you can walk among Bourbon vanilla, cinnamon, and endemic island plants. And the Mare Longue forest — one of Réunion's last primary tropical forests — has marked walking trails through ancient basalt and tangled roots.
Saint-Philippe rewards travelers who want something beyond beaches and resort towns. It is ideal for nature lovers, geology enthusiasts, and anyone curious about what a living volcanic island actually looks like up close. The combination of dramatic coastline, primary rainforest, and active lava landscape makes it one of the most genuinely untouched corners of Réunion — and a day trip that feels nothing like a standard tourist excursion.
Saint-Philippe sits at the heart of Réunion's "Wild South," where the lava flows of one of the world's most active volcanoes, Piton de la Fournaise, meet the Indian Ocean. You get black lava coastlines, ancient tropical forest, a fragrant spice garden, and dramatic sea blowhole all within a compact area — a concentration of raw natural variety that few day trip destinations anywhere can match.
Daytrip is a private car service platform that connects you with local drivers who will transport you door-to-door. We also give you the opportunity to explore sights/attractions along the way. We drive, you discover.
Daytrip offers private door-to-door transfers with optional sightseeing stops, hourly driver hire, and curated day trips — all with local English-speaking drivers and operating across 130+ countries.
For private trips, you can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before departure.
Yes! Book a private, door-to-door airport transfer with a local English-speaking driver. Enjoy fixed and transparent pricing, no hidden fees, and the option to pay in advance without the hassle of exchanging cash at a foreign airport.
You will receive the vehicle that best fits the number of travelers in your group, ranging from a sedan to a van for groups of up to 7. Depending where you travel, you can book anything from a sedan comparable to a Toyota Corolla to a Mercedes V-Class to a Classic Cuban Car. While the exact model may vary, we always ensure that the vehicle provided meets your needs in terms of safety, reliability, and comfort. You may be upgraded to a larger vehicle class free of charge depending on availability. Since our largest vehicle seats 7, for groups larger a combination of vehicles will be used. We will send you the exact vehicle details a few days before your trip.
Everywhere except the USA, drivers will supply appropriate child seats (just let us know during booking). In the USA, certain states require you to supply your own child seats.
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So, so happy I stumbled upon this website to book two private transports while visiting Lima, Peru. They were both one-way trips approximately 3 hours in length. Great communication as soon as everything was booked via email and I then downloaded their app. I had a few issues with the app and the customer service was awesome trying to assist me in getting it corrected. Honestly impressive customer service which gave you a positive feeling that you made the right choice. Both drivers were right on time - No issues whatsoever! Can't say enough about the service and ease of everything when travelling so far away. Great job to the daytrip team! Would strongly recommend.
