Mayotte

A French overseas department in the Comoro archipelago, encircled by one of the world's largest enclosed lagoons, with turtles, humpback whales and a volcanic crater lake making for a unique island ecosystem.

Mayotte sits at the northern end of the Mozambique Channel in the Comoro archipelago and has been an overseas department of France since 2011. French and the euro are in general use; most locals speak Shimaore, and the population is predominantly Muslim. The territory consists of Grande-Terre (the main island) and Petite-Terre, a smaller island to the east, linked by a ferry of about 15 minutes. The airport is on Petite-Terre, and the capital, Mamoudzou, is on the east coast of Grande-Terre. Mayotte's biggest highlight is the coral barrier reef that rings the whole island and its lagoon of about 1,100 km², one of the largest enclosed lagoons in the world and now a marine nature park: swim with turtles at N'Gouja Beach, take a boat to the white sandbank, watch humpback whale mothers and calves in the lagoon from Jul to Oct, and dive the famous S-shaped pass. On land, you can walk around Lake Dziani, a volcanic crater lake on Petite-Terre, climb Mount Choungui or hike to Saziley Point. The climate is tropical maritime: the May–Oct dry season (the Southern Hemisphere's winter and spring) is cool with little rain and is the best time to visit, while the Nov–Apr rainy season is hot and humid, with a risk of cyclones. Plan on 4–6 days, using Mamoudzou or a beach hotel in the south as your base, and rent a car. Note: Cyclone Chido devastated Mayotte in December 2024, and some roads, hotels and tourist facilities are still recovering; there are also ongoing issues with security and water supply. Check the latest advice from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the prefecture before you travel. Entry requires the appropriate French visa (a Schengen visa does not automatically apply).

Top sights

• Plage de N'Gouja – Mayotte’s most famous beach, where green sea turtles graze in shallow seagrass beds. You can swim with turtles just a few metres from the s…
• Îlot de Sable Blanc – A pure white sandbar in the lagoon that appears and disappears with the tides, surrounded by bright blue shallow water. A boat trip to watc…
• Lac Dziani (Dziani Dzaha) – A volcanic crater lake on the small island of Petite-Terre, its water jade-green from algae. A circuit of the crater rim gives views of bot…
• Plages de Moya – A beach on the east coast of Petite-Terre at the foot of volcanic cliffs, where green sea turtles come ashore to lay eggs at night and laye…
• Mont Choungui – A 594-meter cone-shaped volcanic peak in southern Grande-Terre. From the summit you get 360-degree views over the lagoon, the barrier reef…
• Pointe Saziley – A coastal nature reserve at the southeastern tip of Grande-Terre. A hiking trail passes through dry forest and white-sand bays, with views…
• Passe en S – A rare S-shaped double channel through the barrier reef on the east side of the lagoon, and one of Mayotte's most famous diving sites.
• Îlot de M'Tsamboro (Chissioua Mtsamboro) – An offshore island in the northwest of Grande-Terre with uninhabited white-sand beaches and coral reefs, ideal for snorkeling and picnickin…
• Cascade de Soulou – A rare waterfall on the west coast that drops directly onto the beach. At high tide the water almost falls straight into the sea, and it's…
• Rocher de Dzaoudzi & Musée de Mayotte – A small rocky islet that was Mayotte's former capital, with colonial-era buildings still standing. The Musée de Mayotte is housed in the ol…
• Mosquée de Tsingoni – A mosque built in 1538, considered the oldest mosque still in use in France and listed as a French historic monument.
• Plage de Sakouli – A golden-sand beach on the east coast, ringed by baobab trees and close to Mamoudzou, ideal for swimming and seaside meals.
• Marché couvert de Mamoudzou – The capital's covered market, offering vanilla, ylang-ylang, tropical fruit and colorful salouva wrap skirts.
• Padzas de Dapani – A red eroded wasteland on the south coast, where bare red-soil gullies contrast sharply with the bright blue sea.
• Îlot Mbouzi – A national nature reserve island off Mamoudzou, known for its lemurs, seabirds and untouched dry forest.

Where to eat

• Le Citron Vert – An affordable Mahoran home-style restaurant beside Mamoudzou Hospital with generous portions, popular with civil servan…
• Le Boboka – A traditional Mahoran eatery in the old quarter above the Mamoudzou market, where you eat home-style food and drink fre…
• Le Moana – A long-established French seafood restaurant in central Mamoudzou, with a terrace overlooking the harbor and bay and th…