Mayotte

Introduction

lac de retenue d'eau

© pakalito

Mayotte, though very much a part of the Comoros, separated itself from its brothers by maintaining ties with France following independence in the 1960s. The association with France has seen the island prosper to a greater extent than the rest of the Comoros and recent changes in legislature have seen the island woven even tighter into the French fabric.

That is the politics. To the politically-unaware observer, however, Mayotte would rightly appear just another island in the Comoros Archipelago. Grand Terre, the main island, is surrounded by a coral reef that boasts excellent snorkelling and diving potential. It is this waterfront attraction that makes Mayotte, like the rest of the Comoros, a fantastic but underrated destination.

Brief History

In 1500 the Maore or Mawuti sultanate was established on the island. In 1503, Mayotte was observed by Portuguese explorers, but not colonized. In 1832, it was conquered by Andriantsoly, former king of Iboina on Madagascar; in 1833 conquered by the neighbouring sultanate of Mwali; on 19 November 1835 again conquered by the Ndzuwani Sultanate but in 1836 regained its independence under a last local Sultan.
Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other Comoros in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelago that voted in referendums in 1974 and 1976 to retain its link with France and forgo independence (with 63.8% and 99.4% of votes respectively). The Comoros continue to claim the island, and a draft 1976 United Nations Security Council resolution supported by 11 of the 15 members of the Council would have recognized Comororian sovereignty over Mayotte, but France vetoed the resolution. The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a series of resolutions on the issues, whose tenor can be gauged from their title: "Question of the Comorian Island of Mayotte" up to 1995. Since 1995, the subject of Mayotte has not been discussed by the General Assembly.
A referendum on becoming an overseas department of France in 2011 was held on 29 March 2009. The outcome was a 95.5 per cent vote in favour of changing the island's status from a French "overseas community" to become France's 101st département. It will then get the same healthcare and welfare system as France but will also pay more taxes. The non official traditional Islamic law that is still applied in some aspects of the day to day life of some people will be progressively abolished and be completely replaced by the already existing uniform French civil code.

Geography

Mayotte is an island of volcanic origin in the northernmost Mozambique Channel, about one-half of the way from northern Madagascar to northern Mozambique. Mayotte has an area of 374 square kilometres, and a coastline of length 185.2 km. The terrain of the islands is undulating, with deep ravines and ancient volcanic peaks. The lowest point is the Indian Ocean, and the highest is Benara, at 660 metres above sea level. The main island, Grande-Terre (or Maore) is 39 kilometres long and 22 kilometres wide. Because of the volcanic rock, the soil is relatively rich in some areas. A coral reef encircling much of the island ensures protection for ships and a habitat for fish. Dzaoudzi was the capital of Mayotte until 1977. It is situated on Petite-Terre (or Pamanzi), which at 10 square kilometres is the largest of several islets adjacent to Maore.

Islands

Two main islands make up Mayotte.

• Grande-Terre (or Mahoré) is the main island.
• Petite-Terre (or Pamanzi) is a small island to the east of the main island.

Several small islets are located around each island.

Towns

• Bandele
• Dzaoudzi, once the capital of the Comoros, is on a rocky outcrop on the island of Petite-Terre
• Mamoudzou is Mayotte's capital and is located on Grande-Terre
• Sada

Sights and Activities

Mont Choungui

Go hiking to the top of Mont Choungui and enjoy the fantastic views of the island and the surrounding ocean. When the weather is clear you will be able to see other islands of the Comoros as well.

Diving

Mayotte might not be the world's most famous spot to go diving, but there are some spectacular spots to enjoy the reefs, corals and numerous colourful species of fish here. Of course, just relaxing and snorkelling is equally as pleasant.

Wildlife

For such a small place, the island and its waters have a diverse habitat. Sea turtles on the southern beaches, calving humpback whales in August and September and lemurs and makis in some more remote parts of Mayotte.

Moya Beach

A beautiful stretch of white sand and turquoise waters, Moya Beach used to be the place where three old craters were. Nowadays, one is a sulphuric lake and the two others are immersed in the sea to form Moya Beach itself.

Events and Festivals

There are various festivals in Mayotte, which are celebrated with great fanfare and enthusiasm. Some of the important festivals that are celebrated here include New Years Day (1 January), Christmas (25 December), Easter Monday, Abolition Day (27th April ) among others.

Weather

Mayotte has a warm and humid climate, with some relief of the heath by breezes from the Indian Ocean. Temperatures generally are around 30 °C during the day, and still above 20 °C at night. November to April is slightly warmer, May to October a bit cooler. Rain is present during all months, but is more and heavier from November to May. August to October is the driest period and temperatures are fine as well, making this the best time to travel to Mayotte. Hurricanes are possible from December to February, so it is best to avoid this time.

Getting There

By Plane

Dzaoudzi Pamandzi International Airport (DZA) receives all international flights. It is located at the south tip of Petite-Terre. Reckon an hour by taxi and ferry to reach the capital. In 2022 a taxi from the airport to the ferry pier costs €5.60 M-Sa daytime, €8.20 Sunday or at night.

There are no direct flights from Europe or the Middle East. From Paris ORY or CDG fly Air France via Saint-Denis on Réunion, and from Amsterdam fly KLM / Kenya Airways via Nairobi.

Air Austral fly twice a day from Saint-Denis, taking 70 min to Mayotte, so the journey time from Paris is about 18 hours.

Kenya Airways fly four days a week from Nairobi, taking 2 hr 30 min to Mayotte. Journey time from Amsterdam on connecting days is 16 hours.

Ewa Air is a Mayotte-based airline, with flights from Antananarivo, Nosy Be, Antsiranana (aka Diego-Suárez) and Mahajanga on Madagascar. They also fly from Anjouan and Moroni on Comoros.

By Boat

SGTM ferry sails four days a week from Mutsamudu on Anjouan, Comoros. It takes 3 hours to Dzaoudzi and in 2022 an adult single fare is €185. The ferry pier is the same as for La Barge to Grande-Terre. From Moroni on Grand Comoros change ferries at Mutsamudu.

Cruise ships occasionally visit Mayotte.

Getting Around

By Car

Car rental is available on Mayotte but relatively expensive. Most roads are tarred but some are potholed. Traffic drives on the right and you need an international driving permit.

By Bike

Renting a bike is also possible.

By Bus

Taxi-brousses are the way to get around Mayotte. They are cheap and abundant and a great way to meet locals.

By Boat

Ferries ply the waters between Petite-Terre (where the airport is located) and Grande-Terre.

Red Tape

Roughly the same conditions as for France, though of course the Schengen Visa doesn't apply here.

Money

See also Money Matters

As an overseas collectivity of France, Mayotte has adopted the Euro (ISO code: EUR, symbol: €) as its official currency. One Euro is divided into 100 cents, which is sometimes referred to as eurocents, especially when distinguishing them with the US cents.

Euro banknotes come in denominations of €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €200, €500. The highest three denominations are rarely used in everyday transactions. All Euro banknotes have a common design for each denomination on both sides throughout the Eurozone.

The Euro coins are 1 cent, 2 cents, 5 cents, 10 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents, €1 and €2. Some countries in the Eurozone have law which requires cash transactions to be rounded to the nearest 5 cents. All Euro coins have a common design on the denomination (value) side, while the opposite side may have a different image from one country to another. Although the image side may be different, all Euro coins remain legal tender throughout the Eurozone.

Work

Voluntary service: Volontariat Civil à l'Aide Technique (VCAT) Conditions: you must be French or from another EU-member state or a country belonging to the European Economic Area. You must be over 18 and under 28 years old (inclusive). You must not have had your civic rights revoked by a court or have been convicted of certain offences.

Language

French is the official language and is spoken by roughly 35% of the population. More commonly-spoken are Mahorian (a dialect of Swahili) and Malagasy.

Eat

The local cuisine of Mayotte is a blend of Indian, African and Arabic and, of course, French. A meal wouldn’t be complete without spices like cardamom, coriander, cloves, nutmegs and cinnamon that are added to daily menus of meat and rice eaten by the local populace. A lot of seafood is cooked the French way. The cheap local produce of vegetables makes Mayotte something of a gourmet heaven.

There’s a large selection of restaurants ranging from luxurious to local on the island. At the upper end of the spectrum, most of them are attached to hotels. Many say that the cuisine served in the local ones are unmatchable in ambience and taste.

Sleep

There are now only 9 hotels in Mayotte, two upscale. In contrast, the B & Bs and guest houses is growing fast and some are good or very good level.

Health

See also Travel Health

Proof that you had a yellow fever vaccination is required upon entering Mayotte when you have been in a yellow fever country within 7 days of entering.

It's a good thing to get your vaccinations in order before travelling to Mayotte. The general vaccination against Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio (DTP) is recommended. Also both hepatitis A as well as typhoid would be recommended.

If you are staying longer than 3 months or have a particular risk (travelling by bike, handling of animals, visits to caves) you might consider a rabies vaccination. Vaccination against Tuberculosis as well as hepatitis B are also sometimes recommended for stays longer than 3 months.

Like most African countries south of the Sahara, Malaria is prevalent in the country. Don't underestimate this tropical disease and take precautions. Buy repellent (preferably with 50% DEET), and sleep under a net. Dengue sometimes occurs as well.

Finally, other possible health issues include diarrhea and other general travellers' diseases like motion sickness. Watch what you eat and drink and in case you get it, drink plenty of fluids (to prevent dehydration) and bring ORS.

Safety

See also Travel Safety

Crime levels are low, but you should take sensible precautions against pick-pocketing and mugging. Avoid walking alone at night on beaches or in town centres.

As a result of its colonial history and the ongoing political debate regarding the separate status of Mayotte, there are regular reports of demonstrations and there is anti-French sentiment throughout Comoros. Remain vigilant, maintain a low profile while moving around and avoid any crowds or political gatherings. Monitor local media to keep up to date with local developments. Avoid taking pictures of official buildings.

Cyclones can occur during the rainy season.

Keep Connected

Phone

See also International Telephone Calls

The country calling code to Mayotte is 262

External Links

• Official Governmental Website
• Official Tourism Website