Awaiting Your Return FROM Shore |
The Comores archipelago
lies at the entrance to the Mozambique Channel, some 300 miles north of the
tip of Madagascar and about the same distance FROM the East African coast.
Geographically, the Comores comprise four islands: Grande Comore, Anjouan,
Moheli and Mayotte. Politically, the first three are part of the Federal and
Islamic Republic of the Comoros having declared their independence FROM
France in 1975, while Mayotte chose to remain French as a Collectivite
Territoriale. This allows the Mahorais to enjoy a legal minimum wage
established by France, which is six times the average wage of that of the
independent Comoros, as well as surfaced roads, schools and a program to
control malaria. Still, Mayotte remains very much a colonial backwater. A
detachment of the French Foreign Legion is permanently based at the rocky
fortress of Dzaoudzi, Mayotte's military and administrative center located
across the channel.
Sea horse-shaped Mayotte is the oldest and most southerly of the Comoros.
It is split into Grande Terre, the large central island, and the tiny islet
of Pamandzi where the airport is located. Mamoudzou on Grande Terre is the
island's only town and the major port. A ferry service connects Mamoudzou
with Dzaoudzi, the latter of which is sometimes referred to as France's
"Rock of Gibraltar."
Less mountainous than the three other Comoros islands, agriculture is the
basis of the local economy in Mayotte. Ylang-ylang plants cover one third of
the arable land. Other crops grown for the domestic market include rice,
maize, manioc (cassava), sweet potatoes, bananas and citrus fruits. Tourism
is still only a minor component of the local economy. Travelers who have
discovered this remote and tropical hideaway will experience a laid-back
lifestyle, unspoiled natural beauty and deserted beaches for swimming,
snorkeling and diving. |
Awaiting Your Return
FROM Shore |
Complimentary
Spirits Await |
Return to Your
Suite and Sail Away to The Next Adventure |
Entertainment
and Dancing Await You |