The Marine Park Association in Réunion Island is pleased to propose you a free guided tour across the lagoon of l'Hermitage, to admire the fish and corals. The challenge is to make us feel responsible of our actions to preserve the lagoon. All you need to know.

The rallying point is found next to the beach restaurant, "Le Toboggan" in Saint-Gilles-les Bains. Only a mask, a snorkel and a pair of flippers are enough to be able to contemplate the wonderful coral reef world in Réunion Island.

The underwater track goes through five buoys, five viewpoints of the lagoon fauna and flora. Guided by Sully, a former fisherman, we head for an hour trip in the blue turquoise water.

Protect the endangered lagoon

One can admire the corals, particularly the branchy and tabular acropora. The coral is precious, besides it is forbidden to collect and stamp on it. One can also have a look at the proliferation of sponges that live on the debris through the gullies and seaweed which are a real plague. Ultimately, enjoy a detour via the marine phanerogram seagrass bed which abounds in fish.

It is important to note that the creatures living in the coral reef are extremely dependent on each other. The slightest mistake in their well organised lives may lead to the death of corals and fish alike. In short, the death of the lagoon itself leads to an end of the beach and the danger of floods. A disaster which absolutely needs to be prevented.

Multicoloured fish living in the lagoon

Truly speaking, this lagoon is awesome. Our guide continues the tour with the famous holothurians and sea cucumbers. Although they are not so beautiful and look a bit like static snakes, they do an essential task in the lagoon. Using their tentacles, they sift the sand. The sea cucumber is also known as the "sea hoover." . "Without them, there would have been 10m of mud in the lagoon in the long run, implying they are indispensable," underlies our guide.

One is allowed to touch them during the tour. "The sea cucumber is soft and the holothurians are a bit sticky. We won't touch them any longer otherwise they'll emit a sticky substance which is difficult to remove."

The rest of the visit is exclusively sightseeing. The fish living in the lagoon are spectacularly colourful. From the chromis viridis (blue or green with three black strips) to the triggerfish (of all colours) or to the surgeonfish (yellow or black), there are so many reasons to marvel at this wonderful show.

Do not touch!

The creature that you must absolutely avoid is the stonefish. Looking like a chameleon, it merges into the coral reef landscape and lives near rocks covered with seaweed. It is venomous and lethal. But please note that it is particularly rare to spot it across the lagoon. One more thing: "You are more likely to die along the road rather than being stung by a stonefish," qualifies Sully.

Other hazards exist across the lagoon, such as the spiny sea urchin, the jellyfish or the cone. In order to avoid them, do not walk on the corals or touch them, rather explore the lagoon whilst snorkel on the surface. It's in this way that you'll preserve the richness of the coral reef.