Comoros – Islands of the Moon

Moroni

Situated at the foot of Mount Karthala, Moroni was founded in the 10th century by Arab traders and serves as capital of the Comoros – although it’s a fairly modest capital, with under 50,000 inhabitants. Once connected with Zanzibar via the ancient trading routes across the Indian Ocean, Moroni is somewhat reminiscent of its better known ‘neighbour’, with a fascinating old medina to explore – rather run down in places, but very atmospheric, and with the same carved doors that one can find in Stone Town.

There are many mosques, notably the Badjanani Mosque or Ancienne Mosquée de Vendredi (old Friday mosque), which is the oldest mosque in the medina.It was originally built in 1427, and a minaret was added in 1921. It’s worth just wandering around the streets, exploring the markets, and soaking up the atmosphere of this now sleepy backwater of the Indian Ocean – Moroni is filled with white-robed men, women in colourful wraps and narrow streets lined with traditional cafes and shops. Alternatively head to the harbour to watch the fishermen bring in their boats, and savour the stunning sunsets. Although there are few traditional tourist attractions, the city’s beauty and ambience more than makes up for this.

Grande Comore

Grande Comore is the largest and most developed of the three islands that make up the Comoros. Also known as Ngazidja, the island is fringed by beautiful beaches of different colours, from white sands to black volcanic hues. The island is also characterized – or dominated – by Mount Karthala, an active volcano which last erupted in 2005, destroying villages and agricultural land. Where possible, people grow food crops such as banana and breadfruit, as well as spices like vanilla and ylang ylang, for which the Comoros is best known. European sailing ships stopped here as early as 1570, when the island was ruled by twelve sultans.

Moheli

Moheli is much less developed, and far less populated, than the other islands of the Comoros, with a wild and rather charming feel to it. The ethnic background of the people here owes more to African and Polynesian roots than it does to the Arab world, and you’ll find that Moheli has a more laid back feel to it. The island is best known for its beaches, which are quite beautiful, and marine life here is superb – Moheli is home to the only national park in the Comoros, the Moheli Marine Park. Its 35,000 inhabitants make their livings from the land and sea – there are no modern industries here, and travelling in Moheli is like going back in time.

Anjouan

Anjouan is the prettiest island of the Comoros, with a picturesque capital, Mutsamudu, and an interior dominated by rivers, mountains and lakes. The air is heavy with the scent of ylang ylang and cloves, there are old Arab plantations, and old sultan’s palaces and mosques dating back centuries. Anjouan has always seen itself as rather separate from the rest of the Comoros, seceding from the union on a number of occasions. Many people here are Makoa, the descendants of slaces imported from Mozambique in the 15th century, or Wamatsaha, whose roots go further back to the original Malay-Polynesian settlers.