Once known as the Islands of the Moon, this group of four islands in the Indian Ocean midway between Madagascar and Mozambique is more rustic and less visited than the Seychelles—but just as beautiful. Fields of cloves and vanilla beans scent the air; swift-running streams rush down mountainsides to long, sandy beaches; and maze-like Muslim villages have mosques and bustling markets.
But there is unrest in paradise. The population is very poor, and there are unresolved questions of national identity, including a number of political coups. Two of the islands were in political limbo, having declared independence from the Republic of Comoros, while a fourth (Mayotte) remains under French administration. The largest island, Ngazida (
Grande Comore, in French) is an active volcano that may or may not soon erupt.
Travelers to the isles will find sea life from whales to shrimp, coral reefs and the world’s largest crop of ylang-ylang, used in perfume manufacture. There are also rare and endangered creatures—a bat with a four-foot wingspan, birds with names like Comoro Blue Vanga and Karthala Scops Owl, and the coelacanth, a large and very ugly fish thought to be extinct.
Thus far, the political unrest hasn't directly affected travelers, other than increasing the encounters with red tape. However, the potential for outbreaks of civil disorder in urban areas remains high.
The four islands lie at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel, roughly equidistant from Madagascar and Mozambique. All of the islands are fairly mountainous; Anjouan is the most rugged.
Grande Comore is the largest and home to the country's highest peak, Mount Karthala.
The Comoros archipelago was first occupied by black Africans, but Muslim sultans, the Portuguese and ultimately the French ruled the islands until 1975. Following its formal withdrawal from the Comoros, France gave each island a choice in deciding its future: Only Mayotte voted to remain with Paris and declined to join Grande Comore, Moheli and Anjouan in the Federal Islamic Republic of the Comoros.
In 1978, a mercenary named Bob Denard and 46 other soldiers of fortune overthrew the fledgling Marxist government and installed the country's first president, Ahmed Abdallah. It was just the beginning of mischief by Denard, who settled down in the islands and lived peaceably until 1989, when President Abdallah was assassinated by his own guards.
With suspicions pointing toward Denard's involvement, the mercenary was deported to South Africa. There Denard lived quietly until 1996, when he led a group of mercenaries on a second invasion of the islands. Within a few hours, the mercenaries had toppled the government and taken the president hostage. Denard held on for six days, until French marines and the Foreign Legion finally arrived to chase him out.
However, the islands' troubles were far from over. In 1997, Anjouan and Moheli declared themselves independent from the Republic of the Comoros, a claim that was not recognized by Grande Comore or by the United Nations. After negotiations Moheli rejoined the Republic of the Comoros in 1998 and tried to act as a mediator between Grande Comore and Anjouan. In 2002 Moheli ratified the new constitution of the Union des Comores, which granted the islands a larger autonomy.
Anjouan continued with its secessionist policies and even asked to rejoin France, a plea which then-president Jacques Chirac chose to ignore. After several failed attempts by the Republic to reassert control by military force, a coup took place in 2001.
The inhabitants of Anjouan (and to a lesser extent Moheli) continue to vote with their feet, or rather boats, as they try to reach French Mayotte with their makeshift small canoes (called kwassa-kwassa) to escape the economic hardship caused by all the political turmoil.
In March 2008, Anjouan was invaded by 1,500 troops of the African Union, which included soldiers from Sudan, Tanzania and Senegal, with logistical support coming from Libya and France. Dozens of casualties were reported. In June 2008, a presidential election on Anjouan was won by Moussa Toybou, a newcomer to politics.
The three Comoros islands are each governed by a local president and parliament, with the federal presidency rotating among them. Mayotte seems to be less impressed and has rejected any ideas of the African Union to join the Republic of the Comoros. It instead pushes for a full integration into France as an overseas collectivity.
Scuba diving and snorkeling, deep-sea fishing, cruises, island culture and relaxation are the Comoros' chief attractions.
The country will appeal to well-traveled visitors who are already in the area and who want to relax on unspoiled islands. Don't expect immaculate surroundings, five-star hotels, great shopping or varied nightlife.
The white-yellow paste that Comorian women smear on their faces has no religious or tribal significance. The sandalwood-based paste is essentially a beauty mask thought to improve the skin. Comorian women often wear sandalwood masks in public.
The Comoros once ranked as the world's leading producer of the essence of ylang-ylang, an oil used in the perfume industry, as well as the world's second-largest producer of vanilla. The demand for these products, however, has decreased significantly, resulting in a steep decline in the economy of the islands.
Action Comores, an ecology organization, is particularly concerned about the survival of the Livingstone flying fox. This species of fruit bat, one of the largest in the world, is found only in the mountain forests of Anjouan and Moheli.
The waters off the Comoros appear to be the stomping grounds of coelacanths, prehistoric fish believed to have become extinct more than 290 million years ago until a live specimen was caught in 1938. Since then, fishermen have dragged in more than 100 others. Coelacanths are approximately 5 ft/1.5 m long, weigh around 110 lbs/50 kg and have fins that resemble legs.
When not terrorizing the Spanish Main, the notorious pirates Captain Kidd, Davy Jones and Blackbeard cruised around the Comoros.
The prices in Comoros are fairly reasonable—compared with the prices in many former French colonies.
The Comoros is a great place to begin a shell collection—but be aware that the collection of three species of shells is illegal (Chariona tritonis, Cypraecassis rufa and Cassis cornuta).
If you're lucky, you may encounter a "great marriage" celebration. These parties, thrown by the groom of the upcoming marriage, last several days, and entire villages often gather to dance, eat and lavish gifts on the bride.
