Top 5 best scooter rentals on Reunion island

Réunion is not the kind of island you tick off from a bus window. Its roads climb from black-sand coastline straight into volcanic crater country, and a scooter is what turns that into a single unbroken day out — one hour you are parked outside a café on the seafront in Saint-Paul, the next you are threading hairpin bends toward the crater village of Cilaos, or watching steam drift over the crater at Piton de la Fournaise. Few places pack this much scenery into so short a ride.

The island itself makes the case for two wheels better than any brochure could. Réunion covers barely 2,500 km², yet its roads are dense, narrow and often congested through towns like Saint-Gilles and Saint-Paul, where parking a car eats up half your afternoon. A scooter slips through that traffic, tucks into a tight parking spot, and still has the nerve for mountain switchbacks that would wear out a car and simply don't exist on any bus route. If you want to rent a scooter in Réunion, this is exactly the terrain it was built for.

Top 10 things to see in Réunion by scooter

1. Piton de la Fournaise — the island's active volcano, reached via the RN2/RF Volcan road up to Pas de Bellecombe, one of Réunion's essential rides.
2. Cirque de Cilaos — a mountain road with hundreds of hairpin turns climbing to a spa village tucked inside the crater.
3. Cirque de Salazie and Hell-Bourg — a green, waterfall-lined route past the Voile de la Mariée to one of France's officially prettiest villages.
4. Plage de Boucan Canot — a lively west-coast beach with beachside bars, an easy hop from Saint-Gilles for sunset.
5. Plage de l'Ermitage / Saint-Gilles-les-Bains — the island's lagoon beach and main seaside hub, ideal for a coastal cruise.
6. Saint-Paul seafront and market — a historic west-coast town with a lively market, easily linked into a coastal loop.
7. Cap Méchant — a dramatic stretch of black lava coastline on the south coast, worth the stop for the view alone.
8. Plaine des Sables — a lunar plateau on the way to the volcano, unlike anything else on the ride.
9. Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix viewpoint — a panoramic overlook of the Plaine des Cafres along the volcano road.
10. Grand Bassin viewpoint — a waterfall and remote village reached via a scenic mountain road, with a viewpoint stop worth the detour.

What do you need to rent a scooter in Réunion?

As French overseas territory, Réunion follows mainland licence rules. For a 50cc scooter (up to 45 km/h) you need the AM category licence, available from age 14, or you qualify automatically if you already hold a car or motorcycle licence. For a 125cc scooter you'll need an A1 motorcycle licence, or a car licence held for at least two years plus a short mandatory training course. Rental agencies on the island often set their own minimum age, typically 18. Non-EU visitors should carry an International Driving Permit alongside their home licence. Expect a refundable deposit, usually taken by card pre-authorisation and returned when the scooter comes back undamaged — confirm the exact amount with your chosen operator.

How much does it cost to rent a scooter in Réunion?

Prices for a 50cc scooter start around 5 EUR per day in low season, rising to 15–30 EUR per day in high season; larger or 125cc models run higher, and premium touring scooters can reach 35–60 EUR per day at peak times.

• Cheapest: February to May and September to November, when the island is quieter.
• Priciest: July–August, during Southern Hemisphere winter and French school holidays, plus mid-December to early January.

When to book a rental scooter in Réunion?

If your dates fall in July, August or over Christmas and New Year, book well ahead — these are the busiest and most expensive weeks, and the best scooters go first. Outside those windows, from February through May or September through November, you'll find lower prices, lighter traffic and more availability, so a rental can often be arranged with just a few days' notice.

Local traffic rules in Réunion

France drives on the right, and Réunion follows the same rules as the mainland. Helmets are compulsory for every rider and passenger on a scooter, and must be ECE-approved with four reflective stickers. CE-approved gloves are a legal requirement too, and dipped headlights must stay on at all times, day and night. Speed limits are generally 50 km/h in towns and up to 80–90 km/h on open rural roads, though mountain routes like the volcano road demand a much more cautious pace regardless of the posted limit. The blood-alcohol limit is 0.5 g/l, dropping to 0.2 g/l for riders still in their first three years of holding a licence.

Most of our scooter rentals in Réunion come from operators with years of local experience, offering a well-maintained scooter, helmet, insurance and friendly service from the moment you arrive. If you want to rent a scooter in Réunion, just use the search form at the top of the page. Have a nice trip!

Types of scooters available

On our website you can rent the following types of scooters: classic scooter, Vespa, moped, motoroller, motoscooter, with a sidecar, with automatic or manual gears, three-wheeled scooters, large, maxi-scooter, touring, scooters with a windscreen and a roof, underbones, electric scooters.

Models of scooters available

On our website you can hire scooters from the following manufacturers: Adly, Aeon, Aprilia, Piaggio, Bajaj, Benelli, Beta, BMW, Derbi, Gilera, Honda, Kawasaki, Kymco, LML, Malaguti, Peugeot, PGO, Suzuki, SYM, TVS, Vespa, Yamaha.

Which insurance is provided with my rental scooter?

Usually basic third-party insurance is included in the rental price. If you wish to have more protection you can purchase additional CDW insurance, which limits your risk to the amount of your deposit. If you wish to rent a scooter without a deposit and with zero risk, you will need to add full insurance to your reservation.

Extra services available

When you make an online scooter reservation you can also order the following extra services and equipment: integral helmet, GPS navigation, intercom, unlimited mileage, top case, side cases, boots, jacket, gloves, individual guide or tour, map, full insurance, one-way rental, delivery to your hotel, delivery to your address, delivery to the arrival point of your choice.

Why use BikesBooking.com?

• Find the best deals for scooter hire;
• Compare prices of scooter rental companies;
• Read reviews of previous customers;
• Reserve a scooter online with the Best Price Guarantee!

Most of our local moped rental companies have many years of experience and will provide you with a well-kept scooter, helmet, lock, top case, GPS, insurance and friendly service. The number of companies we work with is increasing every day, so if you want to rent a scooter, just use the search form at the top of the page. Have a nice trip!