Mohéli · Protected area
Mohéli National Park
Deserted islets, mangroves, seagrass beds and reefs: the first marine park in the Comoros is a model of community-led conservation.
Mwali · The nature island
Mohéli
The smallest and wildest of the Comorian islands. Forests, mangroves, turtle nesting beaches and the memory of Queen Djoumbé Fatima: Mohéli is an open-air biosphere reserve.
Arriving on Mohéli is like stepping into a garden. The island, sparsely populated and barely urbanised, has kept much of its forests and mangroves. Its south coast is protected within Mohéli National Park, the country's first marine park, and the whole island has been recognised since 2020 as a biosphere reserve by UNESCO. Its main town, Fomboni, still has the feel of a large village.
Mohéli
Geography
Stretching about forty kilometres from west to east, Mohéli is crossed by a wooded ridge that peaks at Mzé Koukoulé (790 m). Older than Grande Comore, it is cut by valleys and fringed with coastal plains. In the south, a string of islets faces the village of Nioumachoua, and mangroves spread across the bays. In the south-east, the crater of Lake Dziani Boundouni attracts many water birds.
Mohéli
History
Long within the orbit of Anjouan, Mohéli came in the 19th century under the rule of a prince from Madagascar, Ramanetaka. His daughter, Queen Djoumbé Fatima, reigned amid the rivalries between France, Britain and Zanzibar, and travelled as far as Paris to defend her island. Mohéli became a French protectorate in 1886. In 2001, it was in Fomboni that the agreement creating the Union of the Comoros was signed.
Mohéli
Culture & traditions
People speak Shimwali. Life revolves around fishing and farming villages, where the traditions of the archipelago (weddings, Mawlid, dances) are lived in a more intimate way than on Grande Comore. Village associations are at the heart of nature conservation: they train the eco-guides of Itsamia and manage the park's fishing zones.
Mohéli
Nature
Mohéli is one of the last refuges of Livingstone's fruit bat, a giant bat, and is home to the mongoose lemur. The beaches of Itsamia are among the most important nesting sites for green turtles in the western Indian Ocean, and humpback whales visit its waters from July to October.
What to see on Mohéli
Our detailed guides to the must-see places.
Mohéli · Wildlife
Itsamia, the turtle beach
Every night, green turtles come to lay their eggs on the beaches of Itsamia. A rare spectacle, supervised by the village eco-guides.
Mohéli · Hiking
Forests and Lake Dziani Boundouni
Under the canopy of Mohéli live species found nowhere else. A hike to a crater lake, to meet the giant fruit bats.
Spots & tips
Deserted islets, turtle nesting beaches, fruit bat forests and the whales of the marine park: Mohéli, the nature island, and its secret addresses.
The Nioumachoua islets
Opposite Nioumachoua, south coast
A handful of uninhabited islets ringed by reefs: picnics, swimming and snorkelling in the heart of the national park. On one of them, ruins recall the former isolation of people with leprosy: Ouénéfou, the lepers' islet.
Tip: Trips are booked in the village, with the boatmen and the park guides.
See the place page
Itsamia, the night of the turtles
South-east of the island
Green turtles come in large numbers to nest on the beaches of Itsamia. Founded by the villagers in 1991, the ADSEI association protects the nesting sites and welcomes visitors in its community bungalows, with guides from the village.
Tip: No white torches or flash near the turtles: follow the guides' instructions.
See the place pageLake Dziani Boundouni
South-east of the island
An old crater with sulphurous water and no fish, credited with healing virtues; it is a Ramsar site. Read the legend: Lake Boundouni, the healing water.
Tip: People speak softly here: it is a respected place.
See the place page
Ouallah, the forest of the fruit bats
South of the island
The upland forests of Ouallah are home to Livingstone's fruit bat, one of the largest bats in the world. A half-hour walk also leads to the Ouallah 2 waterfall.
Tip: Go with a guide from the village: they know the trees where the fruit bats roost.
Hoani and Kavé beach
North-west coast
A welcoming village and, not far away, the beach of Kavé Hoani: white sand and great peace, popular for camping.
Tip: Ask the village's permission before pitching your tent.
Miringoni and the west coast
West of the island
A peaceful region, with beaches suitable for camping, far from any bustle.
Public life & institutions
The smallest island of the Union has made nature conservation a collective affair: a national park co-managed with the villages, ecotourism associations and respected notables.
In pictures
