What You're Actually Dealing With
What Actually Catches People
The Comoros has very little tourist-targeted crime. What it does have is a set of logistical and safety risks that can turn serious if you're not prepared. These aren't scams in the traditional sense. They're the realities of travelling in a country with almost no tourism infrastructure.
The boats connecting the islands are small, often overcrowded, and frequently lack proper safety equipment. Capsizing and drowning deaths are documented. The U.S. government requires special permission for its own staff to travel between islands by boat. The open sea crossing can be rough, particularly during the rainy season (November to April). This is not a theoretical risk. Fatalities have occurred within days of tourist arrivals on multiple occasions.
- Only travel by boat in good weather. If the sea looks rough or locals are hesitant, wait. Missing a day is better than the alternative.
- Check that the vessel has life jackets visible and accessible for every passenger. If it doesn't, do not board.
- Never board a vessel that appears overloaded. If the boat is already full, take the next one or arrange a private transfer through your accommodation.
- Consider domestic flights instead, even though cancellations are common. AB Aviation operates between the islands and a one-way ticket costs around €100.
There is no Western-standard hospital in the Comoros. The facilities in Moroni can handle basic issues. On Mohéli and rural Anjouan, medical care is essentially nonexistent for anything beyond the most basic treatment. Power outages affect what little hospital infrastructure exists. The nearest U.S. consular services are in Madagascar. Medical evacuation is the only option for serious injuries or illness and can take 24 hours or more to arrange.
- Travel insurance with medical evacuation coverage is absolutely essential. Verify that it covers the Comoros specifically and that the evacuation coverage is at least $100,000 USD.
- Bring a comprehensive first-aid kit: wound care, antibiotics if your doctor will prescribe them for travel, anti-diarrhoeal medication, rehydration salts, pain relief, and any personal medication in original packaging with prescriptions.
- Know the number of your insurance provider's emergency line and keep it accessible offline. Mobile signal can be unreliable.
Crime in the Comoros is genuinely low by any measure. Violent crime against tourists is almost unheard of. What does occur is opportunistic petty theft: bags left unattended on beaches, unlocked hotel rooms, valuables left visible in vehicles. The poverty rate is significant (roughly 18% of the population lives below the international poverty line) and visible foreign wealth can create temptation. But this is a minor concern compared to most destinations.
- Lock valuables in your bag or suitcase at your accommodation. Most guest houses don't have room safes, but a small padlock on your bag goes a long way.
- Don't leave belongings unattended on beaches. This is the most common context for theft.
- Keep photo ID (a copy of your passport) on you at all times. Local authorities can ask you to prove your identity.
There are no meters in taxis and no ride-hailing apps. Prices are negotiated before each journey. Foreigners will be quoted higher prices. This is neither unusual nor aggressive, it's just the way it works in a cash economy with no fixed fare system. The overcharging is typically modest. Shared taxis (taxi-brousse) are how locals get around and cost a fraction of a private hire.
- Agree the price before getting in. Ask your accommodation what a fair fare should be for your destination, then negotiate accordingly.
- If you want to experience local transport, the shared taxi-brousse system is cheap and functional. You wait at a stop, the car fills up, and you go. It's slow but it works.
It is illegal to photograph government buildings, military installations, and public infrastructure including ports. This is enforced. Authorities can confiscate your equipment and detain you. It's also considered disrespectful to photograph people without asking first. This is a conservative Muslim country and cultural sensitivity around photography is real, particularly with women.
- Never photograph government buildings, military sites, ports, or any official-looking infrastructure. When in doubt, don't shoot.
- Always ask permission before photographing people. A smile and a gesture toward your camera is usually enough. Most Comorians are happy to be photographed if you ask.
Piracy has been reported in the waters around the Comoros, though it primarily affects commercial shipping and small private vessels rather than tourist ferries. The risk is low for the average visitor but worth knowing about if you plan any private sailing or offshore excursions.
- Stick to established ferry routes and organised boat trips arranged through your accommodation.
- If you're sailing privately, check maritime advisories and avoid travelling alone in small vessels.
Three Islands, Three Worlds
Each island in the Comoros has its own character, its own challenges, and its own reasons to visit. Most travellers only see Grande Comore. The ones who make it to Mohéli and Anjouan are the ones who come back changed.
The largest island and your entry point. Moroni is the capital: a small city with an atmospheric Arab-influenced medina, the white-colonnaded Ancienne Mosquée du Vendredi (one of the oldest mosques in the Indian Ocean), and the chaotic Volo Volo market where spices, fabric, and fresh fish compete for space. The island is dominated by Mount Karthala, a 2,361-metre active volcano that you can hike in two days with a local guide. The crater is enormous, smoke still drifts from it, and the views from the top make you feel like you've reached the edge of the world. The northern beaches around Mitsamiouli and the Trou du Prophète are beautiful, empty, and backed by nothing but palms and volcanic rock. The seafood, grilled fresh at a beachside stall, costs almost nothing.
- Most ATMs are in Moroni. Withdraw all the cash you'll need for the smaller islands before you leave
- The Karthala volcano hike requires a guide. Don't attempt it solo. The path is unmarked and the weather changes fast at altitude
- The Retaj Moroni Hotel does not serve alcohol. If that matters to you, know it in advance
- The road from Moroni south to Chindini (the ferry port) is about an hour. Allow extra time, the road is rough
Mohéli is the reason to come to the Comoros. The smallest island, the least populated (35,000 people), the most wild. The Mohéli Marine Park is the country's only national park, and it's one of the best places in the world to swim with humpback whales (July to October). Sea turtles nest on Itsamia beach every single night of the year. You can watch a mother lay her eggs at midnight and, if the timing is right, escort hatchlings to the tideline at dawn. The critically endangered Livingstone's fruit bat, one of the largest bats on earth, lives in the forests above Ouallah village. The island is quiet in a way that is hard to describe to people who haven't experienced it. The main town, Fomboni, has one nameless main street, a market, and a jetty. That's it. That's the whole thing.
- There are no ATMs on Mohéli. Bring all the cash you need from Grande Comore
- Accommodation is basic but functional. Laka Lodge on the west coast is the most established option and can arrange boat transfers, whale watching, turtle visits, and diving
- The crossing from Grande Comore takes about two hours by speedboat. Only travel in calm weather. Fatal accidents have occurred
- Cycling around the island is possible and rewarding. The roads are virtually empty
Nicknamed "the Pearl of the Comoros," Anjouan is the lush one. Waterfalls, clove plantations, ylang-ylang distilleries that supply the global perfume industry, and mountain valleys thick with vegetation that makes the air smell like something between a florist and a spice market. Mutsamudu is the main town, built around a historic citadel that once defended against Malagasy raiders. The medina is full of carved wooden doors and narrow lanes. Hike to the Tatringa waterfall, where the French once had a distillery producing essential oils for perfume houses. Mount Ntingui (1,595m) offers panoramic views that take in the entire island and open ocean in every direction. Domoni, on the east coast, has 11th-century mosques and 16th-century palaces in various states of beautiful decay.
- Accommodation in Mutsamudu is limited. Book ahead, especially during busy periods
- There is at least one ATM in Mutsamudu, but don't rely on it. Bring cash from Grande Comore as backup
- Anjouan is more conservative than Grande Comore. Dress modestly, especially outside the beach areas
- The vanilla lobster at restaurant Le Sultan in Moya is worth arranging your schedule around
Before You Go: The Checklist
- ✓ Get travel insurance with medical evacuation coverage. This is not optional. The Comoros has no capacity for serious medical treatment. Verify your policy covers the Comoros specifically.
- ✓ Take antimalarial medication. Sleep under a treated mosquito net. Use DEET repellent from dusk. Malaria is present on all islands and can be fatal.
- ✓ Bring euros as your backup currency and withdraw all the Comorian francs you'll need for Mohéli and Anjouan before leaving Grande Comore. There are no ATMs on Mohéli.
- ✓ Never board an inter-island boat that looks overloaded or lacks visible life jackets. Check weather conditions. Ferry accidents have killed people. Flying is safer, though less reliable.
- ✓ Dress conservatively outside beach areas. During Ramadan, do not eat, drink, or smoke in public during daylight. Ask before photographing people. Never photograph government or military buildings.
- ✓ Learn basic French phrases. English is rare outside a handful of young people. French is the working language for anything involving hotels, transport, or emergencies.
- ✓ Bring a complete first-aid kit, all personal medication in original packaging, a head torch (power cuts are frequent), and a portable battery pack for your phone.