Updated April 2022
Now, I don’t usually do loads of research before visiting a new place, but even I came up disappointed with the little amount of information for travel to the Comoros Islands on the Internet. I tried all my usual searches but I failed to find answers to most of my questions about travel in the country.
Luckily (most) everything with my trip worked out well, so guys, don’t worry about the lack of info out there about the Comoros and enjoy your trip!
Oh wait, I forgot for a second that this is a travel blog. Of course I’m going to share everything I now know about the Comoros in hopes of making your trip there even better. And I really do hope you plan a trip there, because this island country between Madagascar and Mozambique is simply magical.
And if you’re interested in getting off the beaten path in Africa yourself but are wary about going alone, my dear friend Helen runs guided small group Africa trips. I went on her two week trip to Uganda, Mozambique, and the Congo and it was seriously one of the best trips of my life.
How to get to the Comoros Islands
Island country off the coast of where? That sounds like getting to the Comoros will be two things: difficult and expensive.
But since so many people from the Comoros have family and work in France, there are actually some really good flight connections from Paris to Moroni.
My friend found a Kenya Airways flight for 500 euros from Paris, while my flight with Ethiopian Airlines was 650 euros. My total flight time including a layover in Ethiopia was 12.5 hours and both of my airplanes were brand new Dreamliners, so the journey was quite comfortable.
Transport: getting between + around the Comoros islands
How to get from Grande Comore to Mohéli and Anjouan
While getting to the Comoros Islands was quite easy, getting between the different islands is a bit more tricky.
Apparently the domestic flights there are incredibly unreliable, often being canceled or delayed (or even leaving early!) without warning. So while the manager at my guest house on Mohéli said that he could book a flight for me from Grande Comore, he recommended getting the boat instead.
There is a local boat you can book independently – just be aware that as a foreigner you’ll need to submit a copy of your passport for police permission to take the boat – but I opted to pay more to take the boat arranged by my guest house Laka Lodge, simply because it seemed less of a hassle.
The boats are speedboats with room for about nine people, and there’s a good chance you’ll get pretty wet during the journey. They put all the luggage at the front of the boat covered in a tarp though, so your clothes and any electronics should be fine.
I paid 150 euros round trip, which included the transfer from my guest house in Moroni (the ferry port is an hour south of Moroni in Chindini) and a car to my guest house on Mohéli. I believe flights cost just about the same.
Laka Lodge also said they could help me book a boat to Anjouan, but I ended up not having enough time to see the third island.
I would also give yourself at least a day or two to get back to Grande Comore before your international flight out, as the boats don’t run when the sea is too rough and there could be unexpected delays.
A French couple traveled back to Grande Comore on my boat, and while the staff at Laka Lodge had assured them they’d arrive in time for their flight home they still ended up missing it, so I really wouldn’t risk traveling the same day as your flight!
Transport around the islands
There are tons of shared taxis driving around Grande Comore, especially near Moroni. Just flag one down and tell them where you’re going, and if they’re not headed that way you’ll only have to wait a minute or two for the next taxi. Shared taxi rides around Moroni cost the equivalent of about 50 cents.
I arranged my taxis to and from the airport in advance through my guest houses for 10 euros. And I also arranged for a car to take me around the north of the island for a day, costing 40 euros for about 8 hours.
There seemed to be fewer taxis on Mohéli, so I would try to arrange a transfer to your guest house there in advance if you can.
Accommodation on the Comoros
Probably the trickiest part of planning my trip to the Comoros was finding accommodation.
So much of the information I found was out of date, the hotels listed on Booking.com seemed to have become really run-down, and I wasn’t sure which areas would be the best to stay in.
Grande Comore
First, I stayed three nights in this Airbnb outside of Moroni, which cost 35 euros a night. It’s run by a very nice woman who speaks good English, and she also helped me arrange things to do around the island during my stay there.
I had planned on recommending this Airbnb, but then on way back from Mohéli I spent 3 nights at a guest house in the Moroni center that was much nicer!
Villa Saifoudine is run by the sweetest couple, and the woman was born in Kenya and speaks perfect English (which was super helpful when I unexpectedly had to see a doctor in Moroni). A double or twin room for two people costs 44 euros, and for one person is 32 euros.
The house is beautiful, with a really nice terrace and very clean rooms, and it’s just a five-minute walk from the city center. The breakfast was delicious, and you can also arrange in advance to have a 3-course dinner there for 20 euros, which I would recommend doing at least once!
You can see Villa Saifoudine (and hear why I had to go to the doctor) in my third Comoros vlog:
Mohéli
There are a few different hotels on Mohéli, but the only one that seems to be catering to foreign tourists is Laka Lodge.
I spent four nights at Laka Lodge, and staying there definitely felt like the beach holiday portion of my time on the Comoros.
They have a private beach and organize lots of activities during the day, so you can do things like go diving, snorkeling, swim with humpback whales (in season), go on a hike, see the Livingstone’s fruit bats, and wake up early to see sea turtles laying their eggs.
My friend and I each paid 80 euros for a double bungalow, which also included 3 meals a day. Annoyingly I didn’t realize until the last day that we could have each had our own single bungalow for 15 euros more – so if you don’t want to share a bed with someone book single bungalows instead! And then most of the boat excursions cost around 40 euros. Now you can book Laka Lodge on Booking.com, which is way easier than when I visited and had to email the property.
Right now Laka Lodge is managed by an American guy who’s clearly very passionate about bringing tourism to the country. He was also incredibly helpful via email while I was planning this trip, so I’d say it’s worth staying at Laka Lodge just to get his advice and recommendations for your visit to the Comoros.
I mean, not that you really need more reasons to stay at Laka Lodge. Seriously, it’s in one of the prettiest beach settings ever!
Things to Do in the Comoros
I was in the Comoros for 10 nights, spending three nights on Grande Comoroe, four nights on Mohéli, and another three nights on Grande Comore. I would have loved to also have visited the third island of Anjouan, but since the flights and boats aren’t 100% guaranteed to always run between the islands I didn’t want to risk missing my flight home.
This post is already getting really long, so I’m sharing all my favorite things to do on the Comoros in a separate post here.
Language
Everyone on the Comoros speaks Comorian and French (and some Arabic), and a lot of young people seem to speak some English as well. I imagine it would be a bit more difficult visiting the Comoros without any French knowledge, though I visited with a Norwegian friend who doesn’t speak French and he seemed to do just fine when I wasn’t around. I think the main difference was just that he wasn’t really able to chat with people, but he could get around just fine.
So if you want to be able to talk to locals I would definitely try to brush up on your French, or at least learn a few key phrases in French, but you should also be able to get by okay with English.
Food
Nothing I ate on the Comoros was particularly exciting or new, but I also never had a meal I didn’t enjoy.
The best meal I had was the 3-course Indian dinner at Villa Saifoudine.
I also went to Le New Select Restaurant several times, partly for the yummy food (especially the chicken curry) and partly because they have WiFi (none of my guest houses in Moroni had Internet). The staff here doesn’t speak English, but Christian went without me once and managed to order something delicious, if unexpected.
My favorite restaurant in Moroni was probably Le Sim Sim on Itsandra Beach, Moroni’s public beach. They have a big menu and even serve alcohol and the staff speak English, but mostly I just loved how lively the beach always got at night. It’s the perfect place to people watch.
I also stopped for a sunset drink at a restaurant nearby Sim Sim called Le Coraya, which has a nice view right on the water.
There are a lot of restaurants in downtown Moroni, so if you just wander around you should easily find a place to eat.
On Mohéli all my meals were included with my stay at Laka Lodge. Breakfast consisted of fruit, eggs, toast, and coffee grown on the island, lunch was a salad and main meal, and dinner was a starter, main and dessert. I know some people didn’t love the food there (Christian wasn’t a fan) but I thought all the meals were delicious.
What to wear in the Comoros as a woman
Comoros is a Muslim country, so I always covered my knees, shoulders, and chest in public. I did see some female tourists in Moroni wearing shorts and tank tops, so you can probably wear what you want here, but personally I felt more comfortable being a bit more covered up considering the local women were all totally covered.
And while local women will swim fully clothed, I was told to at least wear shorts and a t-shirt when swimming at a public beach (though a lot of the beaches I visited were deserted anyway).
Other things you should know about the Comoros
Finally I’ll just say that while the Comoros have so much to offer tourists, the country isn’t really set up as a tourist destination (at least not yet!).
In many ways this is a good thing, but it also means that you’ll need to have a little more patience when getting places or trying to get things done. And while the beaches and water here are beautiful, you’ll also see lots of trash by the side of roads and smoke from people burning trash.
16 Hours in Belgrade
Nynke says
Sounds like a whole bunch of good tips! Maybe one day I’ll use them…
Please do keep vlogging! Movement and sound do help to show what places are like, and it’s really nice to get a bit of an extra story or extra details on what you did on your trip. And on that note: so glad your injury healed all right (did you ever find out what caused it?) and your luggage quota was not used for nefarious purposes! And thanks for filming the fruit bats – pretty special!
Nynke says
Oh, and by the way, I think that language in the guest book was probably Ethiopian!
Silvia says
Yes, I think so too! I realized that while waiting in Ethiopia during my layover.
Silvia says
I never found out what it was that bit me! I guess it will always be a mystery. I’m just very happy that it all cleared up.
Dominique | dominiquetravels.com says
That guy with the mask dragging the boat looks super scary! 🙂
Rosie says
It looks so beautiful, that sunset photo is seriously incredible. I don’t think I’d ever heard of these islands until I read your first blog post about it. It’s nice that it’s not properly set up for tourists yet.
Silvia says
Yeah, there is something really nice about visiting a place that isn’t quite set up for tourism.
Sven says
Headed to Mohéli in 10 minutes, thanks for your posts!
Victoria @TheBritishBerliner says
‘Loved reading your tips. Very thorough and detailed.
p.s. Would you have any idea why that fellow was wearing some sort of mask?
Stuart says
Looks amazing Silvia.
Can you recommend the person that you did the driving tour with?
Mount Karthaza – Can you recommend hiking?
Thanks,
Stuart
Enrique says
I had the opportunity to travel there in three business trips in 2012-2014. Beautiful country. Very friendly people. The native language that locals speak is Swahili.
I stayed at the Retaj hotel. It’s not bad, they have free internet. However at that time the internet was intermittent. Not to mention the blackouts, almost 3 or 4 a day.
With better infrastructure, the country could be a great tourist destination. Beautiful country.
jussy says
hello, the 65 euros was it for your entire stay or per night
Aparna says
Very nice and informative article
Müller says
the comoros Archipelago is very beautiful. I have been there last year and i was very positiv surprised to see this beautiful Island. People are very friendly and you are invited everywhere in the Island to take part in Weddings to eat, to dance and sing with local people. It is amazing
Edward Siu says
It sounds a great place to visit. I work with a bunch of Comorian guys and they are super friendly.
Luis Carlos Tabares says
nice post, thanks for the information.
Zaheed Joosub says
I would like to visit that country ii wish you had pictures of the accommodation and the restaurants, what type of food they serve as well.
hope i can communicate with you directly.
frank clayton says
Hi Sylvia, Just enjoyed your Comoros Islands article, me dreaming about seeing the endemic birds there some day. Reading about you and seeing your pic made me think that my masters-student-in-Arctic-Biology-student Danish-American daughter and you ought to meet. She’s in University at NMBU in Aas, Norway, but is in and out of Tromsoe, especially summers, doing some of her reseach. She is also a wild woman, doing wnter ski trips across Svalbard with polar bear camp visits. I’m telling her she should drop by next time she’s in Tromsoe, and you two might wish to adopt each other as sisters. You can see her Facebook page: Line Klausen. You look like you should be her twin sister. I visited her in Tromso, when she spent a school year there. Going to visit her in Aas in November, before the snow gets too deep. I’m a dancer, too, but more of a contra dancer, which you know of, being from Worcester.
Sambi Fils says
Wow I like what I am reading here about my country. I am from Comoros islands but living in chicago USA. I am from the small island Moheli that have the nice beaches. So if you need more information, you can contact me.
Bob says
Hi Sambi. I’m traveling to the Comoros at the end of June. I would be grateful if you would contact me, as I am also having great difficulty finding information online. My address is rpec86 at yahoo dot com.
Gibbz says
Great vlog.Thank you.I was thinking of visiting the Comoros but based on the info here I decided not to.Too much effort to get around and I wouldn’t have the time or patience.
Hans says
Dear reader,
Traveling to the Comoros indeed needs to bring a good mood, a good reserve of flexibility and adaptive skills and patience with you to our not yet discovered destination.
I am the manager at the Laka Lodge in Mohéli, the smallest island of the Comoros archipelago. Not many people publish about the Comoros and how to travel. I would certainly like to thank Silvia for the effort she made to assist travelers to the Comoros. Since then many things a have changed and for example flights are not that unreliable anymore as they were. Also in 2017 it must have been a moment or a particular week when the flights were disrupted and you were advised to take the boat. We do indeed always keep the boat option in reserve or organise boat crossings with our own boat directly to or from our beach. But that comes with a cost and to have break-even towards flying your should preferably be with at least 3 or 4 paying passengers.
When you will write us an email to info ((…@…)) lakalodge.com we will send you a full information package and assist you with organising your entire trip from the moment you step off to plane in Moroni until you leave with a smile being happy to have lived a special experience.
Indeed the Comoros is not yet a destination prepared for tourism and still a lot needs to be done to better present all the beauty the islands can offer.
The 400km² marine park of Moheli is a jewel, now UNESCO certified and is also a HOPE SPOT.
Preparing your travel to Moheli and your stay with us.
You can find more information about Laka Lodge on our website Laka Lodge and on Facebook and Instagram where we also published lots of pictures.
Immigration requires arriving passengers to present a printed copy of hotel reservations, tickets of international arrival and departure flight, PCR Certificate for those passengers who are not vaccinated and who will also have to obtain a PCR Covid-19 negative certificate on departure. Fully vaccinated passengers do NOT need to present a PCR but need to present proof of vaccination.
International flights
You may book your tickets online at Air Austral (UU), Kenya Airways (KQ), Ethiopian Airlines (ET), EWA Air (ZD), Air Madagascar (MD).
Domestic flights
We can assist you with booking and purchasing the tickets for your domestic flights. Full advance payment is required. We apply a service fee of 10€ per ticket. We cannot take any responsibility for flight cancellations or delays. Booking and paying the tickets well in advance is necessary to benefit from the lowest fares and because the flights are often fully booked. Return tickets cost about 200EUR in Economy.
There is currently only one local airline operating: RKomor.
Currently there are flights, every day to and from Moheli apart from Fridays. Usually flights are scheduled in the morning before noon. Luggage limitations 20kg. Extra luggage is charged at 3 euros per kg. Hand luggage maximum 5kg.
We can also assist you with booking a hotel room and airport transfers if you require an overnight stay or transit through one of the other islands of the archipelago.
Dining Options – our dietary preferences
As we are located in a small and remote village, there are few dependable outside restaurant options. Therefore, we generally offer accommodation on a full-board basis. We offer a daily menu consisting of fresh and local ingredients. Our meals include local and international dishes based primarily on the wide variety of fresh fish and seafood available in the sea around us. If you have any special dietary needs (vegetarian, vegan, food allergies, etc.) please inform us in advance so that we can prepare an individualized menu to exceed your dining expectations and ensure that you enjoy your island adventure to the maximum!
Scuba Diving
Mohéli Laka Lodge Diving is the only diving operation on the island and the first to explore and document the undiscovered waters of Mohéli. Since its creation in 2013, we have identified numerous attractive dive sites, while many others are still waiting to be discovered on the vast unexplored reefs of the Parc National de Mohéli which comprises a vast area of 400km² – 100,000 acres. We offer guided dives for certified divers and introductory dives (PADI Discover Scuba Diving) all year round. PADI certification courses up to Divemaster level are offered during the high season between July and November. We organize up to three dives per day of which possibly one evening/night dive. Night dives are of an exceptional beauty.
To guarantee availability, dives and the rental of equipment need to be booked in advance (15€/day).
All divers need to be able to comply with the medical questionnaire prior to diving. Please read it carefully and if directed by the questionnaire (if any of the questions in the questionnaire are answered ‘’yes’’), make sure to bring a valid medical statement from your doctor. The medical statement has to be no older than 12 months. The failure to comply with the above conditions will disqualify you from diving.
If your last logged dive is older than 2 years you will need to make a refresh dive to refine and check your skills before engaging in fun dives.
A valid scuba diving insurance is mandatory. You can eventually subscribe a DAN (Divers Alert Network) insurance online before your arrival. We will not accept divers who are not ensured. Certified divers will need to present their certification cards.
Excursions and hikes
On our website http://www.lakalodge.com you will find a description of the excursions and other eco-tourism activities we can organize for you. During your stay, we can prepare a picnic or sandwiches to take with you on your adventures. Let us know a day in advance. The hiking trails in the primary forest are very primitive, therefore we recommend you come with appropriate footwear and long trousers for these excursions.
Local Culture
Mohéli is home to a colorful, vibrant, and conservative traditional culture. In order to show respect to our local hosts, and to earn their respect in return, when travelling in the Comoros please avoid public displays of affection and dress in conservative manner. Laka Lodge is home to one of the only private beaches in the Comoros, therefore on our private beach and in the boat for marine excursions, wearing bikinis and western-style swimwear is possible. When walking in the village or on the public beach, please wear at least a shirt with sleeves and trousers, a skirt, or a wrap. Local women usually wear a shawl or scarf to cover their head or wrap around their shoulders. Demonstrating respect for their traditions is a fun component of your ecotourism experience and will earn you a deeper level of trust and connection during your interactions with the wonderful Comorian people.
Visa
Visas are valid for 45 days and cost 30€ per adult (everyone over 16 years old). The visa can be obtained directly at the airport. Passports must be valid for six (6) months after your date of arrival.
Vaccination
To enter the Comoros there are no vaccinations required. Arriving and departing passengers who are not vaccinates are required to present a Covid-negative certificate that is not older than 72 hours. Fully vaccinated passengers do not need to present a PCR.
COVID-19 prevention measures
Our clients should comply with measures we have taken to avoid COVID-19 further spreading. We require to apply social distancing and wearing a face mask when this is necessary and at all instances when it is not possible to keep at least a 1.5m distance.
At the lodge we have a lot of space on the beach and the restaurant areas and we have also taken measures to guarantee hygiene while our personnel that is in direct contact with the clients should wear face protection masks. We advise our guests to travel the same or next day of arrival by plane or boat to Moheli and on the way back eventually leave Moheli the same day as the departing international flight so to spend as little time as possible in more populated areas.
It is not authorized to invite other people to enter the lodge or to organise meetings of any kind inside our premises.
Malaria
Currently the prevalence of malaria is relatively low in Moheli but prophylaxis is advisable when travelling to the Comoros. It is wise to bring a good mosquito repellent spray or liquid with you. Always use your mosquito net in the night and cover your legs and arms with light cotton clothing in the evening.
Laka Lodge on Google Earth – Facebook – TripAdvisor
Plenty of photos can be found on Facebook, Laka Lodge Diving and on Instagram. Introduce our GPS coordinates 12 21.954S, 043 42.857E in Google Earth to see where we are located and see the incredible nature all around us! You can also read the reviews of our visitors on TripAdvisor.
Flight
There are normally flights every day. A return ticket costs about €200/p. One way €100/p. There are also flights between Anjouan and Moheli.
Flight schedules are often changing and flights are often scheduled only one month in advance.
– Check-in : two hours before departure
– Luggage : 20kg ; 5kg hand luggage
– Flight duration : 25 minutes
– Extra luggage : 3€/kg
– In most cases flights are scheduled in the morning
Boat
The “kwassa-kwassa” – when people first saw them they said « c’est quoi ça ? » 😊 – What is this? -, are open fishing boats (without a roof) of about 7.50m with wooden benches . The crossings are now well supervised by the Coast Guard. Below is a picture taken recently by customers when they made the crossing, departing from Shindini.
Any crossing by sea also depends on the weather. Often you have to leave early in the morning, when the sea is still calm with departure from Moroni at 05:00 to arrive around 07:00 at the boat departure. The crossing times also depend on the tide and the currents.
For the boat crossing you have the choice between a public or private boat.
Departure from the South of Grande Comore at Uroveni (about 2 hours by car from Moroni) and then 2 hours crossing by boat; can be longer depending on weather, tides and currents. Boats depart between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. depending on the tide; it is preferable to be there at 08:00AM, 09:00AM at the latest. Early in the morning the sea is often calmer and the crossing more pleasant. On the way back we leave Laka Lodge at 08:00AM latest.
• Option 1: Transport by public kwassa to or from Huani/Moheli. Cost: around €45 per person, one-way. To be paid directly by the passenger on site. Add transfer by car to/from the boat departure point and on Moheli to/from the lodge
• Option 2: Transport by boat to or from Laka Lodge beach: 390€ in total for two people, one-way ; includes municipality tax, baggage tax, police permit, coastguard permit and travel expenses of the coastguard and the police on arrival or departure from our beach. This route may not always be possible when the weather is not too good and in this case it will be a crossing to/from Huani.
Price for 3 passengers : 420€ or 140€ per person
Price for 4 passengers : 460€ or 115€ per person
From 5 passagers to maximum 11 passagers : 100€ per person All prices subject to changes according to fuel prices.
The Moroni-Uroveni or Uroveni-Moroni taxi is not included and costs 85€ each way or 2 euros/person in a bush taxi (be careful, the bush taxis are a great adventure experience but they are always full, slower and sometimes a lot of noise on board …). The boat crossing is really magnificent; when departing Grande Comoros, remember to look back to see the Karthala disappearing into the horizon and then the beauty of the island as you approach Moheli and drive along the untouched coastline. If you arrive from Moroni at 6 a.m. you can easily find a kwassa. Check weather conditions for example on WINDY ; pack all your luggage in plastic bags (e.g. large garbage bags), wear a waterproof “kawé” or other light coat protecting against wind and water, use sun protection +50, wear a well-fastened cap, cover your arms, legs and feet (wear long trousers and socks. If you are prone to seasickness, only one solution: always fix your eyes on the land or on the horizon when you are on the high seas and never lose sight of it; try to detect dolphins which are often present at about halfway through the crossing between the islands.
Communication
It is advisable to purchase a local SIM card and a data bundle (about 1EUR per 1Gb) and to ensure that you can be reached by WhatsApp.
Dorothy says
Thank you for all of this helpful information!
Linn Krogh Hansen says
Interessant! Æ vurdere å reise til Komorene i januar. Takk for gode tips!
Elisa says
The Comoros are beautiful, I visited them in 2016 for two weeks and I absolutely enjoyed my stay, even though it’s sometimes hard to get around. I wouldn’t recommend going if you don’t speak french because to be honest I didn’t meet any local that was able to speak english. And I always like to talk with locals to learn about their culture :-).
You forgot to mention the Karthala vulcano, definitely worth a climb if you like nature and (endemic) wildlife! (Not easy though)
Gerald says
I have been to Comoros a few times. The Big Island and Anjouan. I absolutely want to get back there. I have a good friend that is from there. I love that it’s not like being in a tourist trap. The people are amazing and I always felt welcome.
I recommend hiking up to the top of the volcano. You get to go through the rainforest belt and the grassland like higher ground. Fresh fruit growing wild is best you’ll ever have. Anjouan, was absolutely amazing!! I think it may be an older Island. Very high cliffs and thick vegetation. I liked the food. I ate restaurant food and local home cooked. All was good!!! The traditional ginger cakes sold along the streets are very good!!
Go! If you are at all able. Find a local that you can communicate with and let the good times flow!!!
Oh, travel between Islands can be a challenge. So be patient.
David Low says
I am living in Malawi just now, so a visit to Comoros is tempting. However, would it be more difficult with a baby (currently 6 months)?
Silvia says
I don’t know – I’ve never traveled with a baby