Anse des Cascades

Anse des Cascades is a small, sheltered cove on the wild east coast of Réunion, just south of Piton-Sainte-Rose. The cove is overflowing with beautiful scenery all packed into a small space, with a waterfall and the dripping cliff on one side, a palm grove and its picnic kiosks in the middle, and a little traditional fishing port dotted with boats on the other, all surrounded by black volcanic rock and crashing surf. You can wander the grove to shoot the falls against the palm trunks and mossy rock, or head down to the slipway and the port for the boats and the cove with its crashing waves. Because the water seeps out through the lava rather than tumbling over the top, the falls flow year round, so you are not hoping for a recent rain. The waterfalls and grove sit in soft shade that suits them, while late afternoon adds warm back light and mist through the palms. The coast here faces east, so early morning is the time ideal time to capture the cove and the black rocks, with the sun coming up straight out of the Indian Ocean. After you are done shooting the cove make sure to follow the coastal path north along the jagged lava cliffs for rugged sea views toward the 1977 lava flow and the little church the lava spared just inland. Entry is free with a couple of parking areas, but the narrow single-lane road down to the lower parking lot jams up on busy weekends, so it is easier to park higher and walk down. The grove is damp and green enough that the mosquitoes can be overwhelming. (Sainte-Rose, Réunion, France)