Why Comoros for a Honeymoon
Go to the Comoros for the wildlife and the solitude. Mohéli, the smallest and greenest island, is largely protected as a national park. Green and hawksbill turtles nest on its beaches, Livingstone's fruit bats roost in its forests and humpbacks breed offshore in the austral winter. Off the fishing village of Nioumachoua, a string of small rocky islets holds seabird colonies and empty coves you can reach by pirogue.
Grande Comore gives you the volcano. Karthala is one of the largest active craters in the world. The overnight climb is a real expedition. Moroni's old medina, with its carved wooden doors and the white Friday mosque by the harbor, rewards a slow afternoon.
Be honest with yourselves about comfort. Power cuts happen, hot water is not a given outside Moroni and service runs on island time. Couples who enjoy that kind of trip tend to rave about it. Couples who need an overwater villa will be miserable here. That is fine.
Safety and Health
The US State Department rates the Comoros Level 2, which means exercise increased caution, citing crime and civil unrest. Day to day, most travelers describe the islands as calm and friendly, with little street crime. Political tension flares mostly around elections. Anjouan has a history of separatist unrest, so avoid demonstrations and check news before you travel there.
The bigger practical issue is distance from help. The US has no embassy in Moroni. The embassy in Antananarivo, Madagascar, covers the country and has said it has very limited ability to assist US citizens on the islands. Medical care is basic, so buy travel insurance that includes medical evacuation.
Malaria is present on all three islands. Talk to a travel clinic about antimalarials and use repellent and nets. If you're pregnant or hoping to be soon, check CDC travel health notices for the Comoros before you book. Drink bottled or filtered water. Karthala is active, so check that the volcano is open to hikers before booking a trek. Cyclones are possible from December to April, another reason to favor the dry season.
Best Time to Visit
The dry season, roughly May to November, is the time to go. Days are sunny, humidity drops and nights in July and August can feel almost cool, with lows near 19°C (66°F). This is also humpback season: whales move into the channel from about July to October. Boat trips out of Mohéli and Grande Comore regularly find them.
December to April is hot and wet, with highs around 31°C (88°F), heavy downpours and a real risk of cyclones. Roads on Mohéli and Anjouan get muddy and boats stop running in rough seas.
Check the Ramadan dates before you lock in a trip. Many restaurants close during the day and the mood is quieter, which some couples find moving and others find limiting. Ramadan moves about 11 days earlier each year, so check where it falls before you choose dates.
Where to Go
Mohéli is the honeymoon island. Our Mohéli guide covers the marine park, the night turtle watch at Itsamia, the islets off Nioumachoua and the handful of small lodges that make it work. If you only have a week, spend most of it here.
Grande Comore is where you land. Give it two or three nights for Moroni's medina and market, a swim at Maloudja near Mitsamiouli in the north, the volcanic coast at the Dragon's Tail and, if you are fit, the Karthala climb. Itsandra Beach just north of Moroni is the easy sunset spot.
Anjouan is the most dramatic island, a jagged green ridge nicknamed the Island of Perfumes for its ylang-ylang distilleries. Hikers come for waterfalls and the crater lake at Dzialandzé. It also has the shakiest politics and the roughest roads, so treat it as an add-on for adventurous couples rather than a base.
Sample 10-Day Itinerary
Days 1 to 3: Grande Comore. Arrive in Moroni and sleep off the flights. Walk the medina and the harbor at the end of the day, then drive north to Maloudja for a beach day. If the volcano is open and you want a challenge, swap the beach for an overnight Karthala trek with a local guide.
Day 4: Fly to Mohéli on the short hop to Fomboni, or take the speedboat from Chindini on a calm morning. Transfer to a lodge near Nioumachoua.
Days 5 to 8: Mohéli. Snorkel the lagoon, take a pirogue to the islets and spend one night at the Itsamia turtle beach with a village guide. In season, add a morning whale trip. Leave one day open for nothing at all.
Days 9 to 10: Back to Moroni for a last market run and your connection home. Flights between islands do change, so do not schedule your Mohéli return on the same day as your long-haul departure.
Budget and Costs
The Comoros are not cheap for what you get, mostly because so little is built for tourists and so much is imported. Treat these figures as rough guides only.
The best hotels in Moroni and the top lodge on Mohéli typically run from about 60 to 150 US dollars a night for a double, often with breakfast. Simple guesthouses and homestays cost less. Meals at local restaurants are inexpensive, while hotel dinners with imported wine cost far more.
The big costs are getting there and getting around. Long-haul fares via Addis Ababa or Nairobi often land well above 1,500 dollars per person from the US. Inter-island flights, private drivers and boat trips add up quickly. For a comfortable 10-day trip with a driver, guided excursions and the better rooms, a couple might budget roughly 250 to 400 dollars a day on the ground. Bring euros in cash. Cards are accepted in only a few places and banks can charge steep fees.
Getting There and Around
There are no nonstops from the US. The most direct routes run through Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airlines, which has nonstops from several US cities, or through Nairobi on Kenya Airways, which flies nonstop from New York JFK. Regional routings through Dar es Salaam or Réunion are other options. Schedules change often, so check current routings when you book.
Prince Said Ibrahim International Airport (HAH) sits north of Moroni. On the islands, a small local airline links Grande Comore, Mohéli and Anjouan, usually several times a week. Expect delays and the odd cancellation. Speedboats cross from Chindini on Grande Comore to Mohéli in about an hour, but take them only in calm weather with a life jacket.
Hire a car with driver rather than driving yourselves. Roads are narrow and unlit at night. On Mohéli there are no rental agencies, so your lodge will arrange transport.
Culture and Etiquette
About 97 percent of Comorians are Sunni Muslims. Island life follows the call to prayer. Dress modestly away from the beach: shoulders and knees covered for both of you, with loose clothing in villages. Public kissing or cuddling is not accepted, so save the honeymoon affection for your room or your lodge. Swimwear is fine at hotel beaches but cover up when you walk through town.
Alcohol is served at hotels and a few restaurants that cater to foreigners. Drinking in public is disrespectful. Ask before photographing people, especially women. Avoid handing out sweets or money to children.
Greetings matter. Each island has its own dialect of Shikomori. A few words of French go a long way. If you are lucky enough to see a grand mariage, the elaborate Comorian wedding that can last days and cost a family its savings, watch respectfully from a distance unless you are invited in. Fridays are quiet, with many businesses closed around midday prayers.
Quick tips
- Carry clean euro notes in cash; Moroni has only a handful of ATMs and they often fail.
- Learn basic French and the local greetings, since English rarely gets you far.
- Ask a travel clinic about antimalarials, pack long sleeves and leave a spare day for inter-island flight changes.
