Comoros, officially known as the union of Comoros is an island country consisting of three major islands and other islets. The three major islands are Hgazidja (Grand Comore), Mwali (Moheli) and Nzwani (Anjouan). Grand Comore is home to the capital, Moroni.
The majority of its 800,000 inhabitants practice Islam. It has three official languages: Comorian, Arabic, and French. The climate of Comoro is tropical and it has two seasons, demarcated by rain. The rainy season is from December to April, with March being the hottest month. The cool dry season is from May to November. The dry season is a great time for hiking, as paths are generally dry and not slippery.
A lot of Comorian festivals are tied to religious observances such as:
- Mawlid Festival to celebrate the birth of the Islamic prophet
- Christmas
- Eid festivals
- New year
Comorians are friendly people and the island is safe, however, there’s a risk of natural disaster as there is an active volcano on the island – Mount Karthala. The cuisine of Comorians is influenced by their environment and a popular dish, Langouste is made with lobsters caught in Comorian waters. Comorian clothing is colourful, with women applying a paste of sandalwood and coral to their faces. Women wear long sari like dresses and the traditional menswear include a long skirt and shirt.
To get into the island, there’s an international airport close to Moroni, however, inter-island travel can be facilitated with ferries. Shared taxis are also a popular means of commute.
Some places of interest are:
- Mount Karthala, you can hike up to the highest point on the island which is home to rare species
- Itsandra, a white sand beach
- Volo Volo Market, this is the largest market on the island
- Moheli Marine Park, a protected area and the country’s only national park
- The Nouvelle Mosquee de Vendredi, where you can observe Comorian architecture
Comoros has a growing tourist industry, and
several hotels services have sprung up to cater for accommodation needs.
