The island of Mayotte is claimed by the Comoros, but is administered by France.
Comoros has endured 20 coups or attempted coups since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Moheli declared independence from Comoros. In 1999, military chief Col. Azali seized power. He pledged to resolve the secessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the 2000 Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new constitution and presidential elections took place in the spring of 2002. Each island in the archipelago elected its own president and a new union president took office in May 2002.
One of the world's poorest countries, Comoros is made up of three islands that have inadequate transportation links, a young and rapidly increasing population, and few natural resources.
Highest point: Le Karthala (on Grand Comore) at 2,360 meters.
There are freighters that leave from Zanzibar and Madagascar. These are cheaper than flying, usually, but take longer and departure dates are less reliable. To catch these you must find the boat captain at the harbor and discuss prices. If you bargain very hard, you may get passage for 100 euros.
Contact and flight schedules are subject to change. Find here more information: [http://www.lakalodge.com/eng/Download/Flights.pdf]
A return flight between the islands costs between 75 euros (Air Services Comores) and 85 euros (Comores Aviation). On Grande Comore all flights depart from Hahaya Airport (about 40 minutes drive from Moroni).
It is possible to rent cars on Grand Comore for approximately ?30 (or KMF 15,000) a day. It is also possible to take taxis (standard fare from the airport to Moroni approx: ?15) or attempt to hitch-hike. If hitch-hiking (especially as a Caucasian tourist) some fee may be demanded. As the locals have no access to public transport and children have to walk to and from school, tourists with a car may wish to consider aiding hitch-hikers. Petrol costs less than ?10 per bottle.
The island of Grand Comore has no public transportation system and no buses. Hitch-hiking is the most common mode of "public" transport.
More convenient are large ferries (two or three per week) from Moroni to Foumboni on Moheli. Prices are posted at 8,000 KmF, slightly negotiable.
There is also a boat that runs from the east coast of Grand Comore to Anjouan. It is a larger, safer ferry boat.
Each island has its own dialect. The greetings below are not necessarily direct translations.
Greetings nearly always follow this pattern:
Note that any series of words with ''habari'' in it requires a response of ''salaama''. Shikomor has various extensions of the ''habari'' greeting to indicate time of day, such as ''habarizaho'' or ''habarizasobwuhi''.
Other necessary words:
Most handicrafts and tourist curios for sale at Volo Volo market in Moroni are made in Madagascar, and sold by Malagasy expatriates in the market. Local crafts are hard to find, but some are available at CNAC in Itsandra. Unique Comorian gifts can be found in other parts of Volo Volo market. Consider locally grown spices and essential oils, homemade lamps and vegetable peelers, or products made from coconuts.
Do not buy shells from vendors on the beach.
Visitors are advised not to eat any of the local food unless it has been cooked through. One speciality available on the island is the jackfruit, a large, green fruit (about 1.5 - 2 feet in length) with a taste resembling lychee.
European restaurants will serve alcohol, too.
Learning facilities on the islands, like most facilities, are underdeveloped. There a several schools on the island of Grand Comore, and one college. These are all severely lacking in resources and funding.
The third poorest country in the world, workers can expect to earn around $1 - 1.5 a day for basic employment.
Cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April).
Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano.
Civil war possible; Anjouan island most at risk (clashes between rebel and African Union forces).
Healthy food is not difficult to find. Eat many fruits and vegetables as well as rice. During some time of the year vegetables might be only available in small quantities in Moheli. A healthy and delicious local dish is madaba (pounded and boiled manioc leaves). But madaba takes hours to prepare, so you may not find it in restaurants. If you are fortunate enough to stay or eat with a local family, you might get to try madaba. Vegetarians should be aware that on Grand Comore locals put fish in the madaba, while on Moheli they do not. Women may experience cessation or alteration of their menstrual cycle due to poor nutrition if they stay in the Comoros for several months or longer.
Non-Muslim religious proselytizing is illegal, as is giving Bibles to locals. Locals are very tolerant and friendly towards non-Muslims, but avoid appearing as if you are trying to convert them.
Drinking alcohol in public is disrespectful, though it occurs in nightclubs. Restaurants generally do not serve alcohol unless they cater to foreigners.
To greet an elder, you say "kwesi". The elder says something like "mbona, mkana baraka" to which you respond "salaama".
It is a big mistake to hand out candy to children on the street. Since locals are unused to tourists, this rarely occurs and they are usually just happy to talk with you, children included. Once tourists begin handing out gifts and money, locals will see Westerners as rich and free with money, destroying many opportunities for a human connection with them. Children will harass tourists for candy and money (they occasionally do now). Tourists who do this are showing themselves to be disrespectful of locals (by assuming that money/candy is what they want from tourists and by putting that in between them rather than making an effort to get to know locals) and ignorant of the consequences of their actions.
Since, allegedly, it was discovered that a Western man, resident of Grand Comore for 14 years, had been making pornographic videos and photographs, as well as violating children on the islands, the residents are quite averse to being filmed or photographed. Individual reactions may vary upon being photographed, but visitors must be advised that taking unauthorised photographs of the locals will, at best, offend an individual and, at worst, cause irrational and potentially violent reactions in the subject.