A leading diving destination
Mayotte boasts one of the world's largest lagoons (over 1,500 km2), making it a popular destination for divers. Multicolored coral and exotic fish won't be alone, and you may even come across turtles, dolphins or whales. It's even an ideal base from which to take the plunge and discover scuba diving if you've never done it before. The water never falls below 25°C: even in winter, when you can swim, it can rise to 30°C, and sometimes you don't even need a wetsuit. The water is clear, and waves and chop are very limited, thanks to the protection of the reef barrier and the weak wind. Except in the passes, currents are also very weak, providing all the conditions for a safe start. The lagoon is a great place for diving, with depths of less than 15 metres. More experienced divers can visit the passes and drop-offs. The "S" pass, a nature reserve opposite the Mamoudzou pass, is world-famous.
On the water, cruises and water sports
Sea outings. In Mayotte, everything is an excuse to visit the lagoon. From July to October, you can admire the whales as they give birth to their young. To say hello to dolphins, turtles, small fish, manta rays from February to June, or even sharks by jumping into the water at the most appropriate spot. Or just wander out to a small islet for a picnic. The lagoon is ideal for fishing - always miraculous - as well as for sunbathing. A typical sea outing begins with an 8 a.m. departure from the Mamoudzou or Petite-Terre pontoon, a first launch followed by breakfast on board. There's nothing more luxurious than watching dolphins while nibbling a pain au chocolat! Once your stomach is full, it's time to get back in the water to admire the animal of your choice, then head for the islets to enjoy an aperitif on the beach: white sand islets, Choizil islets, Mtsamboro islets... the choice is varied and depends on the outing you've chosen. The day goes on, and the aperitif turns into a picnic on the beach, with a tasty local dish, before we head out to sea once again, for it would be hard to get enough of it. The day usually ends around 4pm, with a return to the starting point. There are many itineraries to choose from, and the service providers are always ready to adapt your day to your wishes. It's impossible to leave Mayotte without a sea outing... or two or three!
Kitesurfing and wakeboarding. The island's jagged coastline doesn't allow for stable winds, making it ideal for kitesurfing. However, Petite-Terre, which is less disturbed, lends itself better to kitesurfing, as do other spots on Grande-Terre, particularly on the east coast and in the south.
Kayak and paddle. The coral reef gives the lagoon the softness of a lake, ideal for kayaking or paddling while admiring the transparent seabed. Day or half-day kayak excursions to the islets bordering Grande-Terre are possible and recommended. The most popular excursion is, of course, to Bandrélé islet, accessible in (a good) 30 minutes from Sakouli beach. Combine this with a picnic lunch and a snorkeling trip. As for paddleboats, most of the coastal hotels rent them out, although you are advised not to exceed a certain distance from the coast.
A good fishing spot
Ancestral fisheries. The Mahorais have always been fishermen and have always drawn their livelihood from the lagoon. Until a few years ago, women used to fish with djarifa. This is now forbidden. They used to set up along the beaches near the mangrove during high tides, because the fry were numerous. A group of women would go into the water up to their hips and spread a long cloth called the djarifa, which is the name of this mosquito net-like cloth, on the bottom of the water, and then the others would hit the surface of the water in order to scare and precipitate the fry into this net.
The men more often practice longline fishing, leaving the mainland in the early evening to reach the outer barrier reef with their outrigger canoes or with their small motor boats for the better off, and thus plunge a line weighted with a stone and finished with a hook hooked with bait. The fishermen spend the whole night and come back early in the morning to sell their fish in the villages.
Big game fishing. Big game fishermen, who fish outside the lagoon, will find something to do in Mayotte, but it is important to know that there are very few service providers who organize these trips. Lure, longline or trolling, everything is possible here. The offer of sport fishing is developing slowly but surely. More accessible, jacks, barracudas, kingfish, groupers and wahoos are present in the lagoon.
Spectacular hikes
Mayotte is a wonderful adventure destination for hikers. Set in one of the world's largest lagoons, the island is one of those rare places that has managed to preserve an exceptional environment. Daytime hiking on the trails is no problem, although the vegetation can get in the way and scratch your calves. You may also come across a ford to cross.
Numerous footpaths take you through the dense, lush Maoran bush, ending up alongside the imposing baobabs and blackwoods that dominate the Maoré dry forest. A mangrove swamp with seven species of mangrove covers almost the entire coastline, acting as a nursery for fish and a filter for the lagoon. And you can often cool off near the small waterfalls that dot the island. In short, Mayotte will surprise even the most weary of visitors and city dwellers in search of nature!
From the summits of Mayotte, there are many beautiful views over the island and Anjouan. Don't miss the ascent of Mont Choungui and Mont Bénara, the most difficult hikes on the island. Then, a tour along the crater of Lake Dziani will delight you, and an incursion into the heart of the bush is sure to please. Everywhere, unique encounters with makis, dogfish, drongos and souimangas, endemic birds, will be memories engraved forever in your mind.
If you're going hiking, don't forget to take your 1:25,000 scale IGN maps, good walking shoes, water and cookies or energy bars. It's hot on the island, and even in winter you can get sunburned... The paths and the GR (long-distance hiking trail around the island) are not always very well maintained, but that's part of the charm of an island where nature retains its rights, helped by Mayotte's humid tropical climate.
The 13 stages of the GR de Mayotte. For hikers, there's a long-distance footpath (GR) that circles Mayotte in an anti-clockwise direction, sometimes on the ridges, sometimes by the sea. It is marked in red and white. Not all sections are maintained, but efforts are underway to rehabilitate it. While there is little or no accommodation on the trail, it's easy to get away from it and head for the surrounding villages to spend the night. Stage 1: Mamoudzou to Koungou - 10.5 km, 2h45; stage 2: Koungou to Dzoumogné - 18.8 km, 4h55; stage 3: Dzoumogné to M'tsamboro - 11.9 km, 4h15; stage 4: m'tsamboro to Mtsangamouji - 10.8 km, 3h25; stage 5: Mtsangamouji to Chiconi - 15.7 km, 4h; stage 6: Chiconi to Chirongui - 17 km, 7h30; stage 7: chirongui to Dapani - 8.73 km, 2h30; stage 8: Dapani to Mtsamoudou -- 10.28 km, 3h; stage 9: Mtsamoudou to Bandrélé - 8.32 km, 2h30; stage 10: bandrélé to Tsaranoro - 14.8 km, 5h10; stage 11: Tsaranoro to Vahibéni - 11 km, 4h; stage 12: Vahibéni to Mamouzdou - 10.8 km, 2h40; stage 13: Dzaoudzi to Pamandzi (Petite-Terre) - 14 km, 3h25.
On land, other possibilities
MOUNTAIN BIKING. Grande-Terre is ideal for mountain biking. The ONF has already identified almost a hundred kilometers of trails, notably in the commune of Tsingoni. However, there is still a shortage of rental outfitters, although the Combani tourist office does offer some for guided outings.
Climbing. Climbers can rejoice in the fact that the department is home to a number of specialists, many of whom come here on assignment (PE teachers). The rock is mainly basalt (phonolite), and the best time to climb is during the dry season from May to October. For cliff climbing, head for Hagnoundrou, which boasts some 50 prepared routes, and Passi-Keli; boulders can be found at Plage des Seychelles, with Mont Choungui as a backdrop, and also at Bouéni, Mouanatrindri and Passi-Keli. Access is sometimes difficult, so avoid going alone, as theft has been reported.
Golf. The one and only golf course in the Comoros archipelago, Golf Club Les Ylangs, is located in Combani, in the heart of the island. It's open every day and offers nine holes on an idyllic course alongside the ylang-ylangs, whose fragrance will leave you breathless, with lemurs and roussettes as spectators.
Tennis. Tennis fans can hit the yellow ball a few kilometers north of Mamoudzou, at the Koropa complex in Majicavo, where there is a club and several courts.
