Practical information Comoros

838  sq.mi

18 hrs, including a connection in Nairobi. Moroni is 5, 065 mi from London.

798000 hab.

On Grande Comore, the international airport of Prince Said Ibrahim is located 12 miles away from the capital, Moroni. Allow 20 euros for the trip in a taxi. If you are lucky, you will find a shared taxi that will be much cheaper. The two top-of-the-range hotels on the island go and meet their customers directly at the airport.

Comoros has never had any security problems, however, the archipelago has suffered the repercussions of its chronic political instability and notably the constant coups d'Etat (the last one was on March 21st 2000). During events like these, means of communication are usually interrupted, main roads are blocked, and it is almost impossible to get to the capital (Moroni), the seat of the government. It is also very difficult to have a good idea of the state of the situation while you are there, as alarmist accounts are quickly followed by reassuring messages. In fact, you could stay for a whole week in a luxury hotel (the Galawa Beach) on the northern coast of Grande Comore without even noticing the unrest wreaking havoc over the rest of the island. You would just be advised to not leave the premises, which would be completely secured against the exterior world.
For some years, people have been advised against going to the secessionist island of Anjouan, which is prone to sporadic unrest and which,since March 2000, has been subject to restrictions on flight connections and fuel supply.
Following the seismic activity of the Khartala volcano (on Grande Comore), you are forbidden from going on to the slopes of this volcano.

The country has three official languages. As opposed to Arabic, French is widely spoken. However, Comorian, which is a mixture of Arabic and Swahili is the official language most often spoken all over the archipelago.

A valid passport and visa are requested. This is issued once you are in the country, at Moroni airport.

Comorians are Sunni Muslims. Although Islam is recognised as the official religion, it is practised with moderation.

The currency is the Comorian Franc (KMF), which is indexed to the Euro. £1 Sterling = 544 KMF. Cash in Euros is widely accepted as payment if the amount is quite high, such as for hotel bills, for example. However, you must have local currency for all daily expenses and gift purchases on the markets. The best bet is to take cash or travellers cheques in Euros. When travelling around, bear in mind that the only banks are in Moroni (Grande Comore) and Mutsamudu (Anjuan).
Banks are open during the week from 7:30am to 1:30pm, except for Fridays when they close at 11:00am.

It is not easy to get from one island to another. Under normal circumstances (when there is no political unrest), the three islands are connected by an airline, which has one daily flight between Grande Comore and Anjouan, and two or three connections a week to Moheli.
You could say a lot about the condition of the boats shuttling between the islands, but at least they exist. Originally designed to transport merchandise, they function with the same frequency as the air transport, and are subject to the same disturbances in the case of political instability. The port of Grande Comore is at Moroni, Anjouan's at Mutsamudu, and Mohéli's at Fomboni.
The condition of the main road network on each island is acceptable. The roads crossing them are much more chaotic, and if you decide to hire a vehicle on Grande Comore - the only island where you will find a hire agency - it would be better to choose a 4x4. You should have an international driving licence. Hiring a shared taxi remains the most practical way of visiting the archipelago's three islands. This way, you can be sure of having a vehicle available, and you will have a driver who knows all the interesting places. If you would like to move around on public shared taxis, you should be aware that they only leave when they are full. Apart from the western coast of Grande Comore, which is very well serviced, it is very likely that you could find yourself without a means of transport for getting back from an excursion. Or, you would have to be patient until a taxi passes by again.
At Moroni (Grande Comore) and Mutsamudu (Anjouan), taxis do local trips for flat-rate prices.

No particular vaccine is required to be able to go to the archipelago. It is however recommended to follow an anti-malaria treatment and to get vaccinated against hepatitises A and B.
Tap water is rarely drinkable here, so it is best that you consume bottled mineral water only. Also, remember to bring a mosquito repellent as well as sunscreen.

Voltage is 110 and 220 V, depending on the area.

To call Comoros from the UK, dial: 00 + 269 (country code) + number of your correspondent.
To call from Comoros to the UK, dial: 00 44 + number of your correspondent without the initial 0.