Comoros: The Forgotten Archipelago Nation of Africa

“How did you even hear about Comoros?”, asked my fellow passenger in utter disbelief when he learned that I had picked Comoros as a holiday destination. I was on a flight out from the capital city, Moroni, after spending a week in this beautiful but remote archipelago nation of Africa.

I asked him in return where he was from and whether he was traveling for business or leisure. “For holiday,” he said, before adding casually, “I’m the Former President of the Comoros Islands”.

So Why Comoros? Really?

Comoros is one of the least visited countries in the world with a local population of less than a million people. Nestled between Africa’s east coast to the left and Madagascar, it comprises three islands – Grande Comore (Ngazidja), Anjouan (Nzwani), and Mohéli (Mwali). Once a French colony, Comoros gained independence in 1965 and has a strong French, Arab, and African influence on its culture, language, food, and tradition. The country is predominantly Islamic and French is the second most spoken language after Comorian, a blend of Arabic and Swahili.

The confluence of cultures makes it unique. Where on the one side it is part of the Arab League, the country is practically unheard of to the rest of the world. Those are one too many good reasons to make it to my travel list.

So, I made my way to Comoros in December last year after spending a week in Zanzibar. This was my first international trip since the world shut down in March 2020. It had been a whirlwind of emotions holding a boarding pass, making my way to the immigration, going through security checks, and walking in the massive Duty-Free zone in Dubai. The sights and the sounds of the airport terminal felt therapeutic.

In a mask-free Zanzibar, a week of sun, sea, and Vitamin D had done me well. I soaked up the island vibes, walked barefoot along never-ending stretches of the beach, and went skinny dipping on a full moon night. I felt ready for the next, lesser-known destination – the Comoro Islands.

“Baggage Delay is Normal”

It had been somewhat last minute and a rather unplanned decision to spend the week in Comoros. My friend from Dubai was to arrive the following day. My Air Tanzania flight via Dar es Salaam was rather smooth. I had in hand my 100 USD worth of a negative PCR test result to show after I landed at the Moroni airport.

My driver from the Airbnb apartment in Moroni was waiting for me at the arrivals. I proceeded to the new terminal to get my on-arrival tourist visa, which took a few verification calls to my host and answers to random questions in French that I didn’t fully comprehend. 30 minutes and 30 Euros later, I had the Comorian visa stamped onto my passport. All I had to do now was go back to the baggage carousel in the old terminal and pick my bag.

In the short time that I was gone for my visa, the old terminal had turned into a battlefield. There was utter chaos. People crowding around the carousel flinging wrong bags onto the belt before rushing to grab their own. Mine was nowhere in sight. After patiently sifting through a pile of abandoned ones scattered around, I was convinced mine wasn’t going to arrive. Not today, at least. My driver helped me lodge a complaint with a man sitting in the corner, fervently scribbling away baggage numbers and descriptions for over 30 other passengers who hadn’t received theirs. At least I wasn’t alone in this. C’est La Vie.

On the way from the airport, I picked up a 15 Euro local Huri SIM card for the week to come. At the apartment, my host met me with a warm smile, right before he informed me that the shower mixer wasn’t working and therefore, there was no hot water. I smiled in despair.

“Baggage delay is normal. You may get it in one or two days,” he said casually, as he walked me up to my room in a building under construction. He had run out of money to complete the works, but the rooms, he said, were “great”.  In front of me was a bare shell with a bed and unwashed sheets and pillowcases, a balcony without a railing, and no nets, fans, or AC. He offered to let me use the shower in his apartment two floors above mine. I declined politely, looked up available rooms online, and checked into one of the only three hotels on the Grande Comore island – The Golden Tulip Grande Comore Moroni Resort and Spa.

The day ended after a hearty Comorian meal of fish masala curry and rice at an eclectic local restaurant in the city centre – Chicha Ibiza.

Onwards and upwards.

Moroni with Said – Our Guide, Hustler, and Friend

At breakfast, a man hung around in the hotel lobby as I walked past him towards the restaurant. He introduced himself as a local guide and followed me to the table. At first, I was hesitant, but Said spoke good English and this was the first time in 24 hours that I was having a full-blown conversation with a local. It was refreshing. He worked out an exciting 2-day itinerary around the island of Grand Comore, promised to help me with my luggage woes, and most importantly, knew everything I needed to know about COVID-19 testing for my onward travel!

Later that morning, the Air Tanzania office in Moroni informed me that the next flight from Dar Es Salaam would bring in my bag too (woohoo!), but the manager refused to confirm if my bag had actually been located at the airport. I didn’t have a choice but to wait, so wait I did. My kind friend, in the meanwhile, brought with her a basic survival kit to last me another day.

Small mercies…sigh.

We spent two full days exploring Grande Comore’s volcano lakes, beaches, and historic sites. For the most part, we followed the tracks of our friend, traveller, and blogger Adam Hickman, whose post on Comoros enlists all the beauty there is to take in on the main island. All along, our guide Said had been great company. He was informative, funny, and patient.

Of the many fascinating sights and smells, the one that captured me most was the fragrance of Ylang Ylang, which hung ever so lightly in the air as we passed by huge plantations on the island. Comoros is the top producer of the Ylang Ylang essential oil, which is an important ingredient in many fine fragrances. Think Chanel and Dior! Vanilla is another major export from Comoros to the world. Not something I knew beforehand!

Fun Fact: The French introduced Ylang Ylang on the island of Reunion in the 1700s and in the early 1900s, its cultivation spread to the nearby islands of Comoros and Madagascar.

Getting to Mohéli

The islands of Comoros are accessible by internal flights, ferries, or Kwasa Kwasa, which are small run-down passenger boats that rock their way through the choppy waters of the Indian Ocean for two or three long hours on days that they actually make it to the other side. Surely not for the faint-hearted.

Therefore, for the second leg of our trip, and after much research and deliberation, we chose to fly to Mohéli instead of taking the risky Kwasa Kwasa for a fraction of the amount. Of the three domestic airlines, the timings of AB Aviation suited us best. It is also the only airline which has an online booking portal as opposed to booking via travel agents, making it less expensive and therefore, our obvious choice.

Lazy Days in Mohéli

Laka Lodge is the only resort worth checking into on the island of Mohéli. The eco-lodge has a private beach and a cove to the left. It was going to be our sanctuary for the next four days. The two-hour drive from the airport to the Lodge was fascinating. Lush green, winding, and scenic.

Not surprisingly, we were the only guests at the lodge, which could mean one of two things. We’d get all the attention from the staff or no f*cks given because it’s tedious to run full operations for just two guests. Thankfully, it was the former.

The crew was great. They cooked up a storm for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on all days – replete with drinks and desserts. They were friendly, chatty, and attentive. Occasionally, they’d serve us fresh coconut water off the palms on the property or show us around and let us feed the cute makis of Mayotte, the shy little brown lemurs.

We booked a couple of tours during our stay. One was a forest hike (priced at 20 Euros) to climb to the habitat of the world’s largest fruit-eating bat – Livingstone’s Bats. The two-hour morning hike took me through vast plantations of cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, and black pepper, before arriving at the roosting site of the Livingstone’s Flying Foxes. The bats have a wingspan of up to 1.4 meters, which was quite spectacular when they flew over my head.

The other tour was to explore the splendour of Parc Marin de Mohéli or Mohéli Marine Park, which is the reason for most tourists to visit the island. It was founded in 1995. Turtle nesting and the reefs around Mohéli are one of a kind. For 35 Euros per person, we reserved a half-day snorkeling tour around the Mea and Wenefou islands, enjoying the reefs that boast some of the highest marine biodiversity in the world. Time stood still as we explored the underwater world before relaxing on the white sands under the tropical African sun for hours on end.

The evenings that followed were typically spent atop a small hill near the Lodge for views across the marine park. Somewhere on this forlorn point on the map, cut out from civilization, watching these beautiful sunsets after lazy days on the beach as the bats glided past us, felt like a perfect ending to what had been an eventful year. I felt ready for 2021.

The flight back to Moroni and then to Dar Es Salaam enroute Dubai was nothing out of the ordinary, except for the former rank of the gentleman seated beside me and his question on why Comoros. I smiled and replied, “Why not?”

“The islands have plenty to offer. There is not enough information out there about the stark contrasts in culture, food, language, and the natural beauty that the country has in abundance. I’m glad I chose to come here”, I added. He smiled gently before handing me his phone to take a few photos from my window seat as we both watched the islands disappear in the clouds beneath us.

Visa, Flight and COVID-19

Most nationals, including Indian passport holders, can get a tourist visa on arrival for 30 Euro or 50 USD. I flew in from Zanzibar via Dar Es Salaam. From Dubai, Turkish Airlines commenced flights to Moroni via Istanbul in Jan 2021.

COVID-19 Testing Centre in Moroni city centre charges 36,000 CF (Comorian Franc) or 60USD or 120USD for a 3-day turnaround. You can (not-so-officially) expedite the process to 1 day for double the amount – 120USD.

Travel Date: December 2020

*These are first-hand experiences, findings , views or opinions , which are purely my own. They are not paid for or promoted content.