Traveling in Mohéli, Comoros – Remote Ecotourism Destination in Africa

Comoros is already one of the most remote and unusual travel destinations in the world — a place most people have never even heard of. But if you’re looking for something even more off the beaten path, traveling in Mohéli is the ultimate adventure. Tourism here is almost non-existent, which means you won’t find big hotels, organized tours, or crowds of visitors — just untouched nature, quiet villages, and an authentic glimpse into local island life.

When I was traveling in Grande Comore, I knew I wanted to see more than just the main island. The Comoros archipelago consists of three main islands: Grande Comore, Mohéli, and Anjouan. I asked locals which one they would recommend and everyone recommended Mohéli.

So keep reading for my travel guide to Mohéli — one of the very few detailed Mohéli travel posts out there, as many travel blogs never cover destinations this remote and off-the-beaten-path.

Known for its pristine nature, rich biodiversity, and commitment to ecotourism, Mohéli instantly sounded like the perfect destination for me. At that point, I still had no idea what I was getting myself into — getting to Mohéli is an adventure in itself and turned out to be way more complicated than I had anticipated.

Taking the Boat to Mohéli

Once I decided to visit Mohéli, I began planning the trip and quickly realized how complicated it would be to actually get there.

Staff at Jardin de la Paix (my hotel in Moroni) told me it was impossible for me to take the boat — that as a foreigner, my only option was to fly. Apparently, for safety reasons, the government had restricted foreigners from traveling by boat.

As I told you earlier in this post, flying wasn’t an option, so I wanted to get opinions from other people. I was told that it’s fine, of course, you can take the boat.

I searched for information online and came up with Lonely Planet’s guidebook. This is what they had to say about the boats:

“Please note that the safety and quality of boats vary widely and some vessels are so shaky they are downright scary. Life jackets on any boat are a rare thing, and if the seas are too rough your driver will turn around. Try to see the vessel before you buy your ticket as some are true death-traps.”

While their warning sounded dramatic, I’d already learned that much of what Lonely Planet had to say about Comoros was outdated, overly negative, or just plain wrong.

The next morning, I woke up at 5 a.m. to start my journey to Chindini, the small fishing village where all Mohéli-bound boats depart. My new local friend, Ridjal, insisted on coming with me to help. I didn’t want to trouble him, but in the end, I’m eternally grateful — I honestly don’t think I would have managed without him.

So early in the morning, we took a taxi to Hotel Karthala, and then caught a minibus to Chindini. That’s when all the problems began. The people working on the boat told us I needed to have some kind of a permission to take the boat. So we took a taxi to a nearby village, Foumbouni, to get my permission there, just to find out that the permission office was closed. We found a police station and tried to ask there, but they couldn’t give me the permission.

At this point, I had no idea what to do — but Ridjal made phone calls for half an hour, and somehow he finally got me the permission! We headed back to Chindini to catch my boat. It still wasn’t so simple, and Ridjal had long conversations with the people working there. Apparently, I was supposed to pay 10€ for the permission, but somehow Ridjal spoke me out of this fee (I did, however, pay this fee when I was coming back from Mohéli).

A one-way boat trip costs around 20€ (the flight, by the way, is 50€) one way. You have to show your passport to them, and they write down your information details. In case you die during the boat trip I think. Okay, just kidding.

The “Death Trap” Ride

Then it was time to board the boat — or “the death trap,” as Lonely Planet calls it. The boat is basically an African minibus, but a boat version. By that, I mean a vessel built for 15 people can easily carry 30 passengers, plus live goats, chickens, and all their luggage. At least we were given life jackets!

On my way to Mohéli, I managed to snap a few GoPro pictures, as the sea was calm and it was smooth sailing all the way. The return trip, however, was a completely different story. The waves were much bigger, and everyone ended up soaking wet. I couldn’t even open my eyes because they stung so much from the salt water.

The trip took a couple of hours (no idea how many exactly, as I never had the chance to check the time), and it was pretty uncomfortable — all the passengers were crammed onto narrow wooden seats and I was unable to move at all. On the way to Mohéli, we spotted some dolphins, which was a nice bonus. On the way back, though, all I saw were waves splashing my face.

My friend Ridjal had called one of his friends in Mohéli and arranged for him to pick me up. If you’re traveling to Mohéli, I highly recommend arranging for someone to meet you in advance, as there are no readily available taxis or minibuses like in Grande Comore. While a few do exist, they can be hard to find, and the port is quite far from Mohéli’s capital, Fomboni. Most buses also depart early in the morning, so without prior arrangements, getting around can be tricky.

Accommodation

When it comes to accommodation, I had found a website (since removed) that explained everything about Mohéli and listed things to see there. It mentioned that the European Union had helped Comoros build community bungalows and had educated local people about ecotourism.

However, I quickly discovered the information was outdated, and the accommodation was nothing like I had expected. No one seemed to know much about these community bungalows mentioned on the site, and it turned out they were barely in use anymore. When I arrived at the first one, we had to ask around to find someone who worked there. Eventually, they tracked down a person with the keys, and a lady came to clean the room — which looked like it hadn’t been used in a decade.

One reason I decided to travel to Mohéli was that, according to the website I had found, accommodation was supposed to be cheaper than in Grande Comore. Unfortunately, that turned out not to be true. I ended up sleeping in some of the worst places I’ve ever stayed. There was no electricity, no running water, and I couldn’t even lock my room. Inside, it was dark and depressing, with lizards, spiders, and rats (the biggest I’ve ever seen in my life!) running around. The whole place was messy and poorly maintained, both inside and outside. Sleeping was difficult when I knew there was a giant rat under my bed… and to top it off, I paid almost €30 for a room like this.

There is one more expensive option in Nioumachoua — Moheli Laka Lodge. When I was traveling in Comoros, I heard that no one was staying there and that they were about to close for the low season. But if you’re traveling to Mohéli now, I highly recommend booking this place. These days, you can even reserve it on Booking.com. It’s the place to be in Mohéli, and they organize diving trips, humpback whale watching, and other tours as well.

As of 2025, I also found another hotel you can book on Booking.com called Mohéli Vanilla Lodge. This is more of a budget option, and the rooms look nice!

The Natural Beauty of Mohéli

Despite the exhausting journey and the disappointing accommodation, traveling in Mohéli, Comoros was worth every challenge. The island’s natural beauty is nothing short of spectacular.

Here, you can:

• See ancient baobab trees scattered across the landscape.

• Spot Livingstone’s fruit bats, one of the rarest and largest bats in the world.

• Watch giant sea turtles laying their eggs on secluded beaches.

• Witness baby turtles making their first journey to the ocean.

• Encounter giant crabs scuttling along the shore.

• Explore unspoiled beaches where you might be the only person for miles.

It’s a dream ecotourism destination— if only the infrastructure matched the potential.

Should You Travel to Comoros and Mohéli specifically?

It’s a shame that the EU and the Comorian people put so much effort into building the community bungalows and developing an ecotourism project, only for there to be virtually no tourists at all today. The bungalows have been left without maintenance and are now in terrible shape.

With better-maintained accommodation and easier transport options, Mohéli could easily be one of Africa’s top eco-destinations. Reliable flights, safer boat options, and more tourist services could transform the island’s future.

Mohéli — and Comoros in general — has incredible potential to become a unique and beautiful ecotourism destination, but they’re simply not there yet. I’m grateful I got to visit at a time when there were no other tourists, but I can imagine the situation being very different in 30 years and maybe there will be bigger hotels. I’m not hoping for Comoros to turn into a mass tourism hotspot, but a steady flow of visitors could provide a much-needed boost to the economy in one of the poorest countries in the world. And beyond the economic benefit, I truly believe more people should get the chance to witness the island’s natural beauty and experience the unmatched warmth and hospitality of the Comorian people.

Also check out my other post: The Ultimate Guide to visiting Comoros!

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