The Comoros Islands, scattered off the coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean, is not your typical destination spot. If you want to drop off the face of the Earth for a bit or if you want outrageous locals to pass the time with then book your flight now. You won’t find the standard hallmarks of tourism here; this is as remote as remote gets.

Those who make it here will tell you it lives up to the paradise hype: banana and palm trees, ylang-ylang, and the scent of cloves on the air. The people are Muslim, with a heavy Swahili influence, and the culture is rather traditional. Meaning that there’s no alcohol and dress is modest. Its odd nickname, Cloud Coup-Coup, comes from its history of over 20 coups since gaining independence in 1975.

There are four developed islands offering white sandy beaches, hiking in rainforests, giant fruit bats, volcanoes, and more. Because there is a lack of tourism infrastructure, don’t expect navigating Comoros to be easy. But there’s a definite exciting unpredictability here and even the most stoic will find themselves feeling adventurous on the islands. Let’s have a look at the best places to visit in Comoros!

Mohéli
Mohéli is the smallest and yet the most fascinating of the Comoros Islands. When people talk about wanting to drop off the face of the Earth, this is the place. There are very few inhabitants on the island and thanks to this it’s largely undeveloped and completely wild. To the point that it’s a little backwards – a bit stuck in the past. You’ll find the country’s only national park here: Parc Marin de Mohéli. Nature lovers will want to check out the craggy islets that dot the island. The locals call it Mwali or Moili and it’s a great place for spotting marine life like sea turtles, whales, and dolphins. There is so much pristine beauty here that visitors don’t usually mind the lack of modern amenities. Mohéli is considered by many to be the highlight of the Comoros Islands.

Fomboni
The largest city on Mohéli is Fomboni, a quiet and unassuming little place. There’s a nameless main street through town, a market, and a jetty worth checking out. The locals here tend to be more reserved than their neighbours on Anjouan and Grande Comore but they’ll give you a friendly welcome for sure. It’s a great place to watch the locals be local and get a sense of what life is like on Mohéli.

Anjouan
The locals call it Ndzouani, and this Comorian island is the stuff that fantasies are made of. Anjouan is nicknamed “The Pearl of the Comoros” because of its Robinson Crusoe qualities. If you want remote, unspoilt, and gorgeous, you’ll find it here. You’ll find old Arab plantations and the scent of cloves and ylang-ylang on every breeze. You’ll find the locals hard-working and intensely proud of their little island. Travel up into the highlands for cooler air and to watch the mists roll across the rainforests.

Grande Comore
At 60km across and 20km wide, Grande Comore is the largest of the Comoros Islands. It’s also the most developed with the most stable economy. One of the most popular towns, Moroni, is located here. As you travel the island you’ll find again and again that the dark and intriguing solidified lava and the contrasting white sand beaches make a stunningly beautiful landscape. Grande Comore is a great spot for honeymooners or couple hoping to get away from their busy lives. Most of population lives on the west coast, but if you travel south you’ll find a lovely agricultural landscape filled with vanilla, coconut, banana, and cassava plantations.

Mount Karthala
The largest active volcano in the world is Mount Karthala located on Grande Comore. It stands at just over 2300 metres and has consistently erupted every 11 years since the beginning of the 19th century. The last eruption was in 2005 and lasted 14 days! The volcano did quite a bit of damage in 2005, but the country has recovered nicely. You’ll love the bizarre yet spectacular landscape that the lava creates and it makes the hiking rather unique. You can climb to the volcano’s rim, but be warned, it’s a difficult two day trek.

Moroni
The capital of Comoros is Moroni, located on Grande Comore Island. There’s a romantic and distinctly Arabian vibe here and you’ll feel like you’re in a different world compared to the rest of the islands. The narrow streets are filled with quaint shops and cafes and the locals wear traditional dress. Enjoy the Volvo Market and pick up some great souvenirs, spices, and handicrafts from local artisans. Check out the medina near the Friday Mosque and get lost in the winding alleyways. Like the rest of the Comoros, there aren’t a lot of traditional tourist attractions, but the beauty always more than makes up for it.

Mayotte
Mayotte is probably the most traditional tourist spot in the Comoros. Still governed by the French, many think that the island is overpriced and out of sync with the remote paradise vibe the rest of the island have. But you’ll find unbelievable turquoise waters, white sand, and top shelf snorkelling, sailing, and diving here. Not surprisingly, there’s a large ex-pat community here and there’s a bit of tension between the Mahorais and the other islanders, but thanks to French rule, there’s a great deal of stability and infrastructure here.

Petite Terre
This is where you’ll find most of the ex-pats in Comoros. The island has two villages: L’Abattoir and Pamandzi. You can visit the volcanic crater of Dziani Dzaha, the rock of Dzaoudzi (a less dramatic version of the Rock of Gibraltar), and the archaeological site known as Bagamayo, where artefacts from a 10th century Shirazi settlement continue to be discovered. It’s a bit high end for budget backpackers, but if you’re able to splurge, you can’t go wrong with the amazing French cuisine that you’ll find on the island – think crab and frog legs!

Mamoudzou
Mamoudzou is where you’ll find the restaurants, businesses, and shopping on Mayotte. It’s a large town and many areas are neglected, but this is still the best place for shopping and eating on the island.

Mt Ntingui
The highest mountain on Anjouan is Mt Ntingui. It stands at almost 1600 metres and it’s a challenging trek to the top. Because of the weather, the peak is often cloud covered, but if you’re one of the lucky ones, and the cloud clears, you’ll get a phenomenal view of the four islands in the archipelago. To reach the top you’ll hike through lush green forest and have a chance to spot some of the exotic bird species here.

The Grand Marriages usually takes place from the months of July-September, after the “small wedding” in about 10-20 YEARS or until the couple has saved enough money for this, a “Grand Marriage” must take place to obtain a social status. This is a week or two celebration usually occurs between the months of July-September, but preparations for the wedding take about a minimum of 6 months to 10 years. As per tradition, the Grand Mariage should cost more than the grand wedding of a relative or a friend that took place before yours and it could cost up to 20,000 euros. Comorans take pride in this Grand Mariage, they would save over time and spend it one lavish wedding.

If you marry outside this custom, you would not gain any respect from the people and the community even the President of the Republic. Comoran women want a grand marriage more than men, as it just not helps them acquire high social status, but they would gain a huge sum of fortune from the groom. Comoran ranks as #1 in countries that have influential women and women are highly respected and honored in their country.

In the first week, the bride prepares the groom’s attire for the grand marriage, if the groom has multiple wives every wife must prepare an outfit.

The renovation or furnishing of the house as if it’s a new house for both the bride and the groom. In regards to social status, this tradition weighs heavily on Comoran men, if they hold the grand wedding they would have the right to wear the traditional clothes, from the headpiece, robe, “Beye” and other items that he can’t wear unless he’s held a grand marriage.

The key element for Comoran woman’s grand marriage preparations is her beauty, the “Mesenzal” ritual will take place, this preparation could take a week to 6 months depending on their social status for the bride to shine and be as beautiful as the moon.

Djaliko Day is the end of the 1st week of the wedding preparation, the groom together with the village people visits the bride’s family first then the groom’s family, distribution of money for public projects is done the visitation to each other’s family and on the old times the couple will feed the village instead of handing out money or both.

Thursdays in the first week of this wedding festival are dedicated to women and Fridays for men. People from other tribes will start coming in, the men and women will dance and chant on the way to the bride’s house to congratulate her. The wedding will take place after the guests from other towns and tribes arrive, and relatives in other countries have called or sent their congratulatory messages. The wedding will take place, and everyone is invited, even tourists are welcome to witness.

After the wedding, the groom will move to the bride’s house instead of the bride moving into the groom’s house. The groom will be bringing his belongings and the clothes prepared by the bride on his arrival to the house. Village people and guests from other tribes will be dancing and chanting along the way, this marks the final stage of the wedding.

The largest island in the Comoros archipelago, Ngazidja has a rich heritage going back to the ancient sultans. You can experience the country’s full charm during a visit to the capital, Moroni. Explore the medina with its narrow streets, the lively old market, Badjanani Square, its mosques and its venerable royal palaces, and the port with its dhow building areas.

The union of Comoros is a group of three. The island of grand comores, moheli and anjouan. The island of Mayotte is part of Comoros island but not of the union. Situated in the Mozambique channel on the east coast of Africa, the union is member of african union.

The insularity of the Comoros leads to many areas of natural beauty and an incredibly unusual landscape. The rate of endemism of terrestrial and marine fauna and flora, including algae, is very high. So it’s understandable that the Comoros sees ecotourism as a top priority.

NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE COMOROS – DISTINGUISH FEATURES
DENSE FOREST
The forest is dense with a very varied make-up and numerous endemic species and subspecies.

THE TERRESTRIAL FLORA OF THE COMOROS ISLANDS
The flora is part of daily life and is used in many different spheres. Plants are used for food, for medicine, in artisanal cosmetics, in perfumes and decoration. There are more than 2,000 species of flora in the Comoros. The ylang ylang used in the perfume industry is an asset of the archipelago.

A UNIQUE COASTLINE AND EXCEPTIONAL MARINE BIODIVERSITY
The volcanic activity designed the coastline. Mangroves can be found across the islands. They are productive, providing organic materials and a habitat suitable for many species. Terrestrial, freshwater (birds, etc.), marine wildlife (fish, crustaceans, molluscs and various other invertebrates) are in the mangroves.

CORAL REEFS IN THE COMOROS ISLANDS
Coral reefs are appealing for tourists. They are extraordinarily colourful, forming intriguingly shaped habitats and are home to numerous species of wildlife. The reefs are a fascinating world to explore when diving and are an important tourist draw for our visitors.

TERRESTRIAL FAUNA
Just like the flora, the fauna is diverse and balanced, although there are few large mammals. There are more than 24 species of reptiles including 12 endemic species. 1,200 species of insects and a hundred species of birds can be observed.

MARINE FAUNA
Coastal and marine fauna of the Comoros is varied and includes species of global significance. The islands’ seas and coasts are home to truly extraordinary sights. There are about 820 species of saltwater fish, including the coelacanth, along with sea turtles, humpback whales and dolphins.

THE MARINE FLORA
Plants are both interesting and environmentally important because they support many fixed organisms and give refuge to many marine species.