COMOROS – The Trip

Comoros June 16-17, 2023

Comoros are an island nation off the coast of East Africa, in the Indian Ocean between northern Mozambique and northern Madagascar.
Comoros has endured 20 coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared independence from Comoros. In 1999, military chief Col. Azali seized power. He pledged to resolve the secessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the 2000 Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new constitution and presidential elections took place in the spring of 2002. Each island in the archipelago elected its own president and a new union president took office in May 2002.
One of the world’s poorest countries, Comoros is made up of three islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources.
Volcanic islands, interiors vary from steep mountains to low hills. Highest point: Le Karthala (on Grand Comore) at 2,360 meters.
History. The islands of Comoros have been settled by a succession of diverse groups from the coast of Africa, Persian Gulf, Malay Archipelago and Madagascar. Swahili settlers first reached the islands as part of the great Bantu expansion that took place throughout the first millennium. From the 11th to 15th centuries, trade with the island of Madagascar and merchants from the Middle East flourished, smaller villages emerged, and existing towns expanded. Portuguese explorers visited the islands of the archipelago in 1505. By 1506, the Portuguese landed on the islands and began to challenge the Bajas (Bantu Muslim chiefs) and Fanis (lesser chiefs).

Capital. Moroni 11.69°S 43.26°E
Languages. Comorian, French, Arabic
Ethnic groups. Comorians 97.1%, Makua 1.6%, Others 1.3%
Religion. 98% Sunni Islam (Official), 2% Christianity
Area. 1,861 km² (719 sq mi) (170th)
Population. 850,886 (160th). Density 457/km² (1,183.6/sq mi) (27th)
GDP (PPP). $2.446 billion (178th). Per capita $2,799 (177th)
GDP (Nominal). $1.179 billion (182nd). Per capita $1,349 (165th)
Gini. 45.0 medium · 141st
HDI. 0.558 medium · 156th
Currency. Comorian franc (KMF)
Driving side. Right
Calling code. +269

Visa. Visa on arrival and costs Euro 30 or $50 payable in cash. They gave change. They asked for my hotel but did not ask for proof. They also did not ask for my outgoing flight. 45 days.
Money. Cormorian Franc (KMF). 1 US$ = 457 KF; 1 € = 492 KF; 1 CA$ = 342 KF
Easy to exchange in banks (when open) at the fair market rate. Exim bank ATM works for withdrawal but carrying euros is probably advisable. Payment systems such as PayPal don’t work for Comoros. Mvola system used.
SIM. Telmar SIM and 2 GB was 1500. Huri Comores Telecom in the terminal, 500 for SIM and another 1000 for 2GB of data, 4G speed was decent in cities and less available outside. Wi-Fi is not reliable so SIM necessary.
Climate. Tropical marine; rainy and hot season (November to May).

Day 1 Fri June 16
I had a big decision to make – either continue in Madagascar and deal with all the transportation issues to see 1 or 2 WHS and regions or just give up. I gave up and booked my flights to Comoros and then China leaving on the 15th instead of the 16th. 
Flight TNR-Moroni (HAH). Kenya Airlines TNR-NBO @16:25-19:45 KQ257 3’20”. 14’25” layover. June 16 NBO-HAH@10:30-13:00 KQ264 2’30” US$470. My layover in Nairobi Airport was quite nice. The wifi is free, has no limit and I spent all evening doing website work and playing bridge. I set up my mat and sleep sheet in a fairly quiet place by the Artcafe and had a good sleep.
The Kenya Airlines stewardesses are the nicest. On entering the plane, I mentioned that Comoros was the last of the 54 African countries and the stewardess made a big deal of it by offering the alcoholic drink of my choice and bringing fresh fruit and cake, then took several photos of the occasion.
One day in Comoros is more than enough. By changing my arrival day to the 16th, I was able to book the last of the three rooms in Farida Lodge. It was an easy decision to avoid any guides – the reports (especially Said) are terrible.
After I made my flight reservations to China, BMO blocked my credit card and the deposit for Farida didn’t occur and the booking was cancelled. I emailed and phoned and ensured the reservation was still there.
Getting from the airport into the city. 18km. A taxi at the airport offered 20€ and quickly came down to 10 (I hate this and simply refuse to deal with taxis that overcharge tourists). I had read that the cheapest way in is to walk out to the highway and take one of the share taxis. I was picked up in 2 minutes.
This was the craziest taxi ride of my lie. There were 6 Muslim women in the car ranging from 30 to 60 – 3 in the back, 2 in the second row and one in the front. I got in the second row next to a heavy woman about 30. She started to stare at me. I laughed. The front passenger started to stroke my right leg. The one next to me put her hand on my crotch and started working my penis. The one in front held up 6,000 CF (about $13) saying that I could have her for that. The older lady in the second row started to make masturbation signs. The one on my crotch didn’t stop and I made no protest. The whole car was laughing uproariously all the time. I grabbed her breast. She started to stroke my hair and made kissing motions (although we never kissed). I put my hand inside her long cloak and bra and was stimulating her nipple. 18 km is a long way for all this but it kept up. They eventually drove right to my hotel. I had lost the 10€ bill and paid US$5. That was the end of it. Crazy.
I dropped my luggage off and headed into town to do business, but primarily to find a car rental. An Exim bank ATM was only 200 m from Farida and I made a major mistake by miscalculating the exchange rate. I ended up withdrawing over 700€ when I only needed 100!! It was 2.2km to Al Halif Car Ltd but 3 taxis would not take me as they couldn’t read Google Maps and didn’t know the business. Translation didn’t help. I finally persuaded one to take me. I mistakenly gave him 2000 (about $5) when 500 would have been enough.
Renting a car. Al Halif had no cars and said that no one would rent for less than three days. I walked south along the main street to Telmar.
SIM card. I stopped at Telmar and bought a SIM and 2GB for 1500.
I went to Zara Restaurant, apparently the best Western food in Moroni and had a mediocre pizza saussion (hotdog meat) and only ate 2/3s 4100 CF.
Then returned to Farida Lodge. The only other guests are non-talkative Chinese.
Moroni is an unattractive small city with poor architecture and a lot of garbage. The small fisherman’s beach near Farida is heaped with plastic trash. Virtually on one speaks English and Google Translate is necessary for any interaction.
ON Farida Lodge. On the beach in the centre of Moroni. The cheapest place to stay in Comoros, and one of the nicest. The lady is very nice but speaks no English (like almost everyone else in Comoros). €39

GRANDE COMORE (Moroni)
MORONI (pop 54,000 2011). The largest city, federal capital, and seat of the government of the Comoros and the capital of the semi-autonomous island of Ngazidja, the largest of the three main islands of the republic.
In the twentieth century, it was now the capital of Ngazidja, but not the country which was located at Dzaoudzi on Mayotte, and in 1958 its population was still only 6545 when the capital was moved from Dzaoudzi to Moroni, and the town slowly grew to become the largest in the country.
The city is on the western coast of Ngazidja. Moroni has a rocky volcanic coastline, mostly without beaches.
The historic town centre, the Medina, contains a maze of narrow alleys and ancient buildings but is poorly maintained. There are many mosques, notably the Badjanani Mosque or Ancienne Mosquée de Vendredi (old Friday mosque), which is the oldest mosque in Medina. It was originally built in 1427, and a minaret was added in 1921.
The 300-seat theatre of the Alliance Franco-Comorienne serves as a venue for national and international performances, ceremonies, conferences, film screenings, and seminars. Other venues include the 700-seat Al-Kamar, the 500-seat Palais du Peuple, and the 300-seat Foyer des Jeunes de Foumbouni.
Moroni has a few hotels and nightclubs. Pollution, and traffic for such a small capital town. 2 markets: Ancien Marche & Volo volo.
Sunni Muslims account for 98%, and there is a minority of Roman Catholics. The official languages of the Comoros are Shikomori (a Bantu language closely related to Swahili), Arabic and French.
Economy. Goods produced on the island are vanilla, soft drinks, processed and distilled essential oils, metal and wood products, and processed pozzolana (cement). The tourist infrastructure is poorly developed. There are several markets in Moroni, including the old market and the larger market at Volo Volo in the north of the city.
Transport. Prince Said Ibrahim International Airport (HAH) about 15 km (9 mi) north of the town. There are no direct flights to Europe. Air Austral and Kenya Airways. Local airlines, Int’Air Iles and AB Aviation operate. Ewa Air (hub Mayotte) had no flights from Tana.
There is a major harbour with regular transport to the African mainland and the other islands in the Comoros archipelago, as well as Madagascar and other Indian ocean islands. The port is not suitable for large ships.

Day 2 Sat June 17
I wanted to hire a driver to take me around Moroni for a couple of hours, but no one will do it. I have never seen a place where people don’t want to work. 
The kitchen help moved my computer and it turned off. I got upset and tapped her on the shoulder. The woman here demanded that I leave or she would call the police. The male owner is in France and can’t deal with it. What a bizarre place.
I went down to the Exim bank and changed back all the francs I had stupidly withdrawn (630€!!) She required my exit flights and a lot of forms.  As it would probably be impossible to exchange them out of the country, this was the important task of the day.
I contacted Amour Comoros to find a driver. They didn’t have one but he phoned around and found a guy to drive me for a few hours to see the following sites. He spoke no English but Google Translate worked well. 2 1/2 hours cost me 40€, a very good payday for this guy and his ancient car. He drove very slowly barely crawling over any bump in the road.
After seeing the mosque and medina, we stopped for a sandwich and drove to the airport. 
Kapviridjohe Palace. In the NM Vestiges of the Past, it is about 7 km south of the city in Iconi. It sits on the ocean and is small with only ruins and walls. There is a list of all the rulers. Google said it was closed but the gate was open. Free
Karthala Forest (Mkazi – Site Belvedere). We drove up. There is an old ruined building but is surrounded by forest.
Ancienne Mosquée de Vendredi is a mosque for hosts the Friday noon prayers known as jumu’ah. In early Islamic history, the number of congregational mosques in one city was strictly limited. As cities and populations grew over time, it became more common for many mosques to host Friday prayers in the same area. The full Arabic term for this kind of mosque is masjid jāmi‘ (مَسْجِد جَامِع), which is typically translated as “mosque of congregation” or “congregational mosque”.
This mosque was built at the beginning of the 19th century. The 1899 photos of the Resident of France Pobeguin do not show the existence of this mosque.
It is located in the center of a district of the capital called Badjanani. It is built according to an Arab-Muslim architecture. It is like all mosques, a sacred place for Muslims, but also a tourist site. Currently, another mosque is built a few meters from this one, but we still continue to maintain it well and to frequent it en masse. Friday for the week, and the day of the ide for the year, constitute the great occasions when one can see this very full mosque. Its exterior color has always been white. This mosque has a large minaret that can be spotted from afar.
It sits on the road across from the water and forms the west wall of the medina. It is two-story with a rectangular prayer hall on both levels and a balcony with nice arcades on both levels. It was closed but I went into the upper prayer hall and saw the bottom well through windows. It has lovely arched columns. Open only on Fridays?
Note that Google Maps shows a mosque with the same name about 9 km northeast of Moroni city.
We then toured the medina. It is pedestrianized with many narrow tiled lanes. Most of the buildings appear to be homes with few shops and all are made of coral rock often with cinder block second levels. Inside is a nice small mosque with green columns and nice carved wood door frames. There were very few people here except at the mosque.
On the other side of the medina across the street is a very large one-story mosque with two minarets, arched arcades and a big square prayer hall. It was empty. The mihrab was a large plain arch.
I all the mosques, the women’s area is in a back corner and screened off by a continuous coloured cotton cloth.

SULTANATS HISTORIQUES des COMORES. Tentative WHS (31/01/2007). 8th century settlement of the Comoros by man, from the eastern coast of Africa. In the 13th century, the Shirazi allied themselves with the natives through marriages and founded sultanate clans to dominate the traditional chiefdoms.
Archaeological sites from the thirteenth and sixteenth centuries include royal palaces, religious buildings, fortifications and public places. Access is through two monumental masonry doors, decorated with symbols. Iconic and Itsandra Mdjini are the cities that hold the most bangwe and monumental gates.
The five cities all have narrow alleys, carved doors, mosques, palaces, defensive walls, mausoleums and spaces.
Medina of Moroni. The 14th century has remained the capital of modern times. The city lost some of its monuments during the colonial period. In the central core, the medina, the old houses of two, three or four levels, are stuck to each other, leaving only small alleys of barely one meter, sometimes covered. Several houses still retain their beautiful doors carved in relief and the slabs of lava slabs connected with lime mortar, placed on decorated wooden beams. The old mosques, often small in size, there are dozens of them in the medina. The Friday mosque, whose mihrab bears the date 880/14/26, has undergone many modifications and additions by adding rooms side by side in the direction of the width. The old part is recognizable by the painted beams of its ceiling and by the polygonal columns.
The ensemble formed by the Friday mosque and the port with dhows constitutes a very characteristic example of island life in the Comoros.
Medina of Mutsamudu. A small 14th-century maritime city, is very condensed, with very narrow and sometimes covered streets. The old town or Medina includes a set of residential and commercial buildings, princely palaces, places of worship and tombs of political or religious figures. This set is structured by sets of very narrow streets, generally parallel to the shore, connected by perpendicular stairs. The buildings have undergone various modifications, since their establishment from the 14th century. The palaces, including that of Ujumbé, combine all the traditional architectural characteristics. The walls which protected the city against incursions exist only in a few places.
The citadel was built from 1782 to 1789 on the hill of Sinéjou which dominates the town. This fortress is surrounded by a crenellated wall pierced with loopholes flanked by a keep of two square towers. 280 steps connect the citadel to the palace.
Medina of Domoni. Has old princely residences of extraordinary beauty. A palace built around the 13th century is fairly well preserved. Three from the 16th century have magnificent niche panels and polychrome ceilings. The defensive walls still exist almost everywhere around the city and cut across the peninsula which protects the port.
Itsandra Medina. One of the small 14th-century maritime towns. The cradle of Swahili civilization, it was for a long time the capital of Ngazidja and had the first seaport. Today this city is full of several historical and tourist attractions: a fortress built in the 17th century, linked to the city by an alley with stairs and bordered on both sides by a wall 130 meters long. A few pieces of the ramparts that surrounded the walled city, dotted with observation holes, are still visible. There is the Chingo nyamba, a house with a roof in the form of a turtle shell, from the 13th century; the house of the Saint, Al Habib Omar Bin Sumet and several mosques which span from the 14th to the 19th century.
The city also has several public squares, from the 17th and 18th centuries, surrounded by monumental gates and masonry benches.
Iconi Medina. 12th century village old-fashioned Arabesque medina with a labyrinth of houses and a nice Grand Mosque. The ruins of the palace of the sultans of Bambao still stand five meters from the sea. The city is full of ruins of ancient palaces and public squares lined with monumental highly decorated gates.

ECOSYTEMES TERRESTRES ET PAYSAGE CULTURAEL DE L’ARCHIPEL des COMOROS. Tentative WHS (31/01/2007). Comoros volcanic origin and its age (between -3.5 and -2 million years depending on the island) make it one of the most recent land surfaces on our planet. Over a horizontal distance of about fifteen kilometres, it represents diversity, ranging from abyssal depths of -3,000 m to mountain peaks. from 2360 m.
The tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests vary according to island, exposure and altitude. The result is landscapes of exceptional beauty: sea-mountain contrast, steep and rugged slopes covered with exuberant vegetation, waterfalls and canyons, beaches and reefs.
Humans over more than a thousand years have developed agroforestry cultivation areas in the natural forest environment, constituting a remarkable living cultural landscape.
Comoros has a large number of endemic species, subspecies and genera (Coelacanths, Livingstone’s fruit bats, birds, lizards, orchids ) or the most important of the Indian Ocean (Marine turtles, dugongs).

Mount Kartala. Moroni is situated at the foot of Mount Karthala, 10 kilometres (6 miles) northwest of the volcano’s crater. Kartala (2,361-metre, 7,746 ft; highest point of Comoros) is a quaternary volcano covering the island of Ngazidja. Erupts approximately every eleven years over the past two hundred years. The eruption of 2005 caused the displacement of a large number of people due to volcanic ash.
With its caldera 3 km in diameter, it is the largest crater of active volcanoes in the world. The Kartala forest begins at an altitude of 1000 m. It is a humid and mountainous forest, with layers of rainforest and fog forest. The upper part includes heather moorland and herbaceous lawns around 2000 m. The Kartala forest is of global interest because of its exceptional diversity and the high rate of endemism of its plant and animal species depending on the exposure and the altitude: black parrot.
6-8 hours walk up on a well-maintained path; possible as a day tour or as an overnight tour of 2-3 days. There is a permanent camp below the crater with tents. It is also possible to visit the sulphur springs further along (additional 2-3 hours of walking). Guides available. A 2-day trek with accommodation, food, water, guide costs EUR 100 per person. May be the highlight of Grande Comore. Can do without a guide as the Maps.me trail is accurate.
Nabhane guide 100€. French speaking. 00269 4495387. Start at 7 from the trailhead behind Mvouni village. Climb 300m to 2400m in ~5h covering 13.3km. Add an hour and ~2.5km to go down from the crater rim to visit the edge of the massive new crater. Start early to avoid the heat. To climb the crater, Maps.me is not fully reliable for the first portion, the turn left up to the crater occurs a few hundred meters before the Maps.me trail. The start of the trail is filled with trash but the view up on the crater rim is worth it, also the historical site where local women jumped and committed suicide rather than being used by Malagasy invaders.

Kartala Agroforestry Cultural Landscape. The centuries-old use of forest and agricultural resources on the slopes of Mount Karthala, in particular on its western facade (Iconi, Moroni, Itsandra) had the first effect of the disappearance of the primary rainforest. On the lower parts of the volcano, villages have forest production (wood, medicinal plants) and food production (tarots, cassava, banana trees, mango trees, coconut trees, and other fruit trees). Three main stages: upper large trees: wild species, or mango trees, coconut palms; intermediate banana trees, papaya trees and other shrubs; and lower vegetables like cassava, tarot, sugar cane, etc. This limits rain erosion. Paths are bordered by dry stone walls (lava blocks) and small terraces.
High on the volcano grows heather, vegetables and cattle that keep the landscape open. There is little erosion. The west facade of the volcano is more watered than the east facade Mohéli. Includes a ridge rainforest, with one level of fog forest on the mountain ridge of Mzé Koukoulé which crosses Mohéli from west to east. It stretches from the Gnombeni Canyon in the east (Djandro plateau) to Haouabouchi in the west. It is rich in tree species, epiphytic species (lichens, ferns, orchids), palms and lianas including plants of aromatic and medicinal interest.
This rainforest constitutes the reservoir for rivers that dig deep valleys (3 to 400 m high). The most important are those of Drondoni-Foungui, Fomboni and Gnombeni.
Animals (fruit bats, lemurs, lizards), the nesting site of an endangered sea bird: the Audubon’s shearwater and a very small population (about ten individuals) of the extremely rare Livingstone’s Fruit Bat.
The crater lake of Dziani-Boudouni is the only large body of fresh water in the Comoros. It is home to a large colony (1% of the world population) of Little Grebes, Ducks and many other migratory birds.
Hauts d’Anjouan. Due to the significant clearing that the island of Ndzouani has undergone, the forests are degraded with no scraps left. The original forest is only on the highest peaks and steepest slopes limited to about 500 hectares of natural rainforest (pluvial) and nephelophile (fog) forests, surrounding Mont N’Tringui. Home to endemic orchids, selaginella, in tree ferns and tree heather and two species of endemic giant bats,  the Livingstone’s Fruit Bat and the Comoros Founingo or Blue Pigeon, several species of birds, and reptiles.
Lac Sale* – Lac Sale is a 40-minute walk around an iconic crater lagoon right by the ocean. Salt-water lake was adjacent to the beach beyond Mytsamiouli in Grand Comore. Impressive sight from the rock between the lake and the sea, very close to the national road.

Ecosystèmes Marins de l’Archipel des Comores. Tentative WHS (31/01/2007). Located in the Indian Ocean and north of the Mozambique Channel, the waters that bathe the Comoros archipelago are characterized by a diversity of facies (rocky, sandy, muddy) and depths to several thousand meters with complex and original marine species and ecosystems.
Uninterrupted volcanic activity for ten million years complements a biological reef-building activity. Mangroves form the boundary between land and sea. They occupy sandy-muddy soils rich in alluvium and are home to significant biodiversity (oysters, sea cucumbers, crabs, periophthalms, Aquatic birds and dugongs). Also includes beaches of coral or volcanic sand, lagoons and coral reefs.
Coelacanth Marine Park. Off southwestern Grande Comore (Ngazidja), volcanic caves about 300 m deep shelter the famous coelacanth ( Latimeria chalumnae ), a living fossil, endemic and endangered species which is of immense ecological and scientific interest, on a scale global. Whales and dolphins concentrate and reproduce here.
Mohéli Marine Park. 40,400 ha off south Mohéli. Between the fringing reef and coast, angiosperms serve as pasture for dugongs, sea turtles
Mangroves and Bimbini Lagoon. The Bimbini peninsula borders a large lagoon bounded by a coral reef. Great diversity of mangroves and marine species living in the lagoon.

The driver returned me to the airport at 12:45 for a 2 3/4 hour tour.
This airport not only doesn’t allow fluids (many in southern Africa do) but not even empty bottles. They took my lighter. There is no money exchange and this money is useless anywhere so I had to buy stuff – 2 cartons of cigarettes, 8 Bounty bars and some nail polish (dark red) as I want to start doing my toenails again.
I am happy to be leaving Comoros after only 24 hours. There is little to see here (the volcano hike would be the highlight as it has a huge caldera), it is impoverished with expensive accommodation and garbage everywhere.

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ANJOUAN & MOHELI
Marine Ecosystems of the Archipelago of the Comoros (31/01/2007)
Terrestrial Ecosystems and Cultural Landscape of the Archipelago of the Comoros (31/01/2007)
Historical Sultanates of the Comoros (31/01/2007)
Cultural Landscape of the Perfume Plantations of the Islands of the Moon. Tentative WHS (31/01/2007). The cultural landscape of the Perfume Plantations of the Islands of the Moon. The cultivation of perfume plants is the major economy of the Comoros archipelago and in particular of Anjouan. Established by the French colonists, the production of essential oils and fragrant products is a cash crop, in particular ylang-ylang, a tree with a very long production cycle, occupying a lot of space. Planting trees (ylang-ylang, cloves, bitter orange, bergamot trees, etc.) or perfume plants (lemongrass, jasmine, geranium, basil, vanilla, etc. ), but also the forest areas necessary for the production of wood for distillation, the distillation (still) and storage areas (store, planter’s house). A combined work of nature (slopes, forest, water) and men (cultivation methods, introduced species) resulting in an original cultural landscape. of exceptional and universal value. planter’s house). The production area of ​​perfume plants occupies a large area of ​​the archipelago and particularly of the island of Anjouan. It is still an essential activity for a large fraction of the population. It has contributed to the reputation of the Comoros Archipelago in the world and therefore represents a combined work of nature (slopes, forest, water) and men (cultivation methods, introduced species) resulting in an original cultural landscape. of exceptional and universal value.
France is attached to the agricultural sector of essential oils (ylang-ylang, jasmine, basil, sour orange …) intended for luxury perfumery. The Comoros Archipelago, and particularly Anjouan, has also contributed to the remarkable growth of the perfume industry in France.

ANJOUAN (pop 277,500). The area of the island is 424 km2.
In 1997, Anjouan and Mohéli seceded from the Comoros and declared themselves the independent State of Anjouan. An independence referendum was subsequently held in October, with over 99% voting in favour. The island then asked to be integrated again into the French Republic, but France refused. The government was overthrown in 2001 and was reunified with Comoros in 2002. Comoros invaded in 2008.
The island is known for its steep, mountainous terrain and black sand beaches. Mount Ntringui is the highest point in the island of Anjouan with an elevation of 1,595 m (5,233 ft) above sea level. The second most important (and the most populous) city in Anjouan is Domoni. The main strategic area is the airfield at Ouani, with its 1.5 km runway, and the bay with the coastal road from the chief town Mutsamudu in the east out to the city of Sima in the west.
The main religion is Sunni Islam. Although there are many mosques, religious observance is not strict.
80% work in agriculture and related industries and farm ylang-ylang, vanilla, and cloves. The main food staple is rice, most of which must be imported. Anjouan is the world’s primary exporter of ylang-ylang oil, an ingredient in almost all perfumes. Rent a 4×4 car with a driver and drive around the island, taking in a small waterfall, old towns and views of mountains and beaches. EUR 70 for a day trip with 4×4 and driver (ask at Al Amal Hotel).
Anjouan Airport (AJN)
World of Nature
Lake Dzialandzé Ramsar Site
Dzia Landzé Lake
Anjouan extreme west 

MUTSAMUDU (pop 25,471.2010). The capital and largest city of Anjouan. It has the only deep water port in Comoros, an ancient citadel, and narrow streets with many shops and small crafts.
Grande Mosquee de Moutsamoudou

MOHELI (pop 38,000). The smallest of the three major islands. Its capital and largest city is Fomboni.
Giant Sea Turtles lay eggs every day at Itsamia. Basic accommodation by a community project is available at EUR 25 per room.
Saint Antoine Ridge hike is a medium to slightly difficult hike (depending on the season) up on a mountain ridge to an old house of a colonial French person. A large part of the hike is just going up, but parts of the hike are on the ridge which is supported left and right by trees (so you are walking on roots).
Moheli Marine Park. Dive into the Marine National Park with Laka Lodge.
Dolphins off the coast beyond Hahaya
Beaches near Mitsamiouli (Galawa, Planet and Maloudja). Basic beachfront shacks are available on Maloudja Beach for EUR 30 per night.

GET IN
By plane. Kenya Airways now flies direct from Nairobi thrice a week, connecting with London, Dubai, Mumbai and Paris flights.
East African Air Express (now Fly540, sister company to Flysax) connects to Mombasa, Nairobi, Dubai. Ethiopian Airlines from Addis Ababa. Air Tanzania flies direct twice weekly from Dar es Salaam. Turkish Airlines flies from Istanbul through Seychelles
Air Madagascar flies almost daily from Madagascar
Air Austral via Reunion. Flies from Paris and Marseille with the change of planes in Saint-Denis, Reunion.
Ewa Air via Mayotte
By boat. Some freighters leave from Zanzibar and Madagascar for Moroni. These are cheaper than flying usually, but take longer and departure dates are less reliable. Passenger boat movements & prices to Madagascar from Anjouan can be found at www.sgtm.com.

GET AROUND
Moroni to/from the airport or Mitsamiouli 700 in a shared van, walk 5min out of airport parking to the main road to catch. Overall cheap transportation options around the island if you’re happy to wait for cabs or vans to fill up
Two companies are offering domestic flights in the Comoros. On Grande Comore, all flights depart from Hahaya Airport (about 30 30-minute drive from Moroni). A return flight between the islands costs around €90-€120).
R-Komor is the only flight option, their ticketing office is in a blue run down room next to a non-descript mosque around a 300m walk from the airport
Grande Comore-Anjouan 3-4 flights daily 86K (~175€) return flight
Grande Comore-Moheli ~1 flight daily
Anjouan-Moheli 46.5K Wed only & Moheli-Anjouan Mon only
Inter Iles Air +269 771 00 03 (Anjouan) – contact@interilesair.com. Contact and flight schedules are subject to change depending on the number of passengers (especially on the route Moheli – Anjouan it can be a last-minute decision if there is a direct flight or you need to fly via Moroni)
AB Aviation Booking Website Flights can be booked via their booking site, schedules are reliable.
By car. It is possible to rent cars on Grand Comore. Share taxis act as the de facto bus service around the islands. Renting a car is only possible if rent for 3 days, enough to drive around the whole island 3 times. Try Al Halif Car Ltd (the woman there spoke unusually good English.
Private car for a day about 25K + tax
Moroni city shared taxis ~350, to Iconi ~600
Mitsamiouli-Lac Salé return private cab 10€ (5K) for 1h
By boat. Passenger boats for 200+ leave about 4 times per week between Moroni, Grand Comore & Mutsamudu, and Anjouan for 30-35 euros second/first class taking 5 to 6 hours. Boards with boat departure times (very approximate!!) & prices are posted outside ticket offices around the port in Moroni & along the Corniche in Mutsamudu.
SGTM Maria Galanta https://www.sgtm.com/. Comfortable boats go from Moroni (Grand Comore) to Mutsamudu (Anjouan) to Dzaoudzi (Mayotte). Can be booked out weeks in advance. 50€
Speedboats leave for Moheli from Chindini, Grand Comore & from Mutsamudu in front of Hotel Karama.

Itinerary
3 days Grande Comore only (see below)
6 days Grande Comore + Anjouan OR Moheli
10 days+ Grande Comore + Anjouan + Moheli
Guides. Don’t fully book a driver for the whole time – Day by day is much better
Said: +269 364 43 30. Not a guide, but more of a driver. Doesn’t offer information and is unsatisfying. All his day trips are half-day trips as back at 2 pm. Speaks good English and is communicative and welcoming. Asked €150 but will do for €100. €30 to pick up at the airport. The guesthouse costs €25/night if you book directly, €40 if you book via Said.
Day 1: see north of Grande Comore with first-class beaches. Chindini Beach, a long whole day drive and nothing to see. Moroni town. Medina and a market and another market where we just sat in the car – could not roam around, but not too much traffic and no parking.
Adore Comores. Main tour company in Comoros (Jon, American). Guide, Issa, speaks English fluently. WhatsApp is +269 361 60 10. €440 for the trip. I didn’t use them as all their drivers were busy but he was very helpful in finding a driver to take me around Moroni and the area.
Hassan seemed to be a bit clueless.

Talk. French is the language of administration and education, and Arabic is the language of religion. Comorian (also known as Shikomor) – a Bantu language closely related to Swahili – is the language of the people spoken by nearly 97%.
Costs. Because the Comoros are isolated islands, prices tend to be more expensive than the rest of East Africa.
Sleep. The cheapest hotels or bungalows in Moroni (the most expensive lodging region of the Comoros) may cost €20 or as little as 10 if you bargain hard. But generally very expensive. 
Golden Tulip. The fanciest hotel in Comoros (USD 125 per night) but not a great place at all – cleanliness poor and especially poor service. Dishes on the menu are not available, and waiters are untrained. Has a giant tortoise and another tortoise roaming the grounds. Food and service were average. Taxi to the area where the Golden Tulip is costs €20
Villa Saifoudine: 20K+ (40eur+),
Farida Lodge: great seaside terrace & English-speaking owner’s son. Good wifi, laundry service and cold water shower: 15-20K (39€). The son was in France so I dealt with the older lady who is unilingual. The cheapest place in Moroni but a little out of the way. An Exim bank is 200 m north.
Hotel Les Arcades 2 star CAD$82 Ok – better than Tulips
Hotel La Grillade CAD$98
Hotel Moifaka 20K (40eur)
Auberge Ylang 17.5K (35eur)
Auberge Rehemane 17.5K (35eur)
Hotel Zilimadjou 15K (30eur)
Pension Faida. Guest House. Don’t advertise. Negotiate a price $30?. Cook for guests sometimes. Very basic, with no AC.
Retaj hotel. 3 star CAD$127
In a pinch, you can probably find a friendly local who will welcome you into their home for the night. Ask if they prefer you to pay them for food and/or lodging. Sometimes people are welcoming you as an honored guest and it would be odd to pay.
Food. Les Saveurs des Iles offering authentic (AFAIK) local fares for 4-5K. Jardin de la Paix has nice vibes with plates for 5-10K but underwhelming. Zara was recommended as the best restaurant (they had a buffet and ok pizza) but not great.

Health. Malaria is no longer prevalent in Comoros due to an experimental treatment given to all residents, however, it is still advisable to sleep under a permethrin-treated mosquito net and take an anti-malarial while visiting. All visitors should wear mosquito repellant during the day because dengue fever is a problem seasonally.
Stay Safe. Cyclones are possible during the rainy season (December to April). Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano. Civil war possible; Anjouan island most at risk (clashes between rebel and African Union forces).
Homosexuality is illegal and punished with 5 years of prison or a fine.
Respect. Although the Comoros are a rather liberal Muslim country, it is disrespectful for women to expose their shoulders, much of their chest, knees, and especially stomach and lower back. Public affection between men and women is not acceptable, though one may rarely see a Comorian man and woman holding hands briefly (in the nightclubs some locals seem to ignore Muslim convention).
It is a big mistake to hand out candy to children on the street. Since locals are unused to tourists, this rarely occurs and they are usually just happy to talk with you, children included. Once tourists begin handing out gifts and money, locals will see Westerners as rich and free with money, destroying many opportunities for a human connection with them. Children will harass tourists for candy and money (they occasionally do now). Tourists who do this are showing themselves to be disrespectful of locals (by assuming that money/candy is what they want from tourists and by putting that in between them rather than making an effort to get to know locals) and ignorant of the consequences of their actions.
Since, allegedly, it was discovered that a Western man, a resident of Grand Comore for 14 years, had been making pornographic videos and photographs, as well as violating children on the islands, the residents are quite averse to being filmed or photographed. Individual reactions may vary upon being photographed, but visitors must be advised that taking unauthorized photographs of the locals will, at best, offend an individual and, at worst, cause potentially violent reactions in the subject.