Comoros: The Island That Time Forgot (And I Kinda Loved It)

okay, so i just got back from this tiny speck of land in the indian ocean and honestly? my brain's still processing it. comoros. yeah, you’ve probably never heard of it. neither had i until a friend drunkenly insisted it was “the next big thing.” spoiler: it’s not. but that’s exactly why it’s magical.

i landed in moroni, the capital, and immediately got hit with this thick, salty air that smelled like burning vanilla and something else i couldn’t place. turns out it was cloves. they grow everywhere here. the airport was basically a hut with a fan that didn’t work, and the guy stamping my passport looked at me like i was an alien. “why comoros?” he asked. “because no one else is coming here,” i said. he laughed and waved me through.

*the vibe: imagine if madagascar and a forgotten spice route had a baby. everything here moves at the speed of molasses in january. people are insanely friendly, but they’ll also tell you “tomorrow” and mean “next week.” i learned to stop asking questions and just go with it.

i stayed in this little guesthouse run by a woman named fatima who cooked the best octopus curry i’ve ever had. she also told me, completely unprompted, that the president’s cousin once tried to sell her a “luxury yacht” that was actually just a canoe with a tarp. “comoros,” she shrugged, “we do things differently here.”

the weather: i just checked and it’s 37.12°c there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. it’s hot. like, “why am i wearing clothes” hot. but the sea breeze? chef’s kiss.

getting around: taxis here are basically beat-up toyotas with no seatbelts. i took one to the volcans of grand comore and the driver kept stopping to chat with his cousins. “this is comoros traffic,” he said. “we’re on island time.” sure enough, we got there eventually. the hike up to the crater was brutal in the heat, but the view? unreal. steam vents, black lava fields, and not a single tourist in sight. i felt like i’d discovered a secret.

if you get bored, madagascar and mozambique are just a short drive away. jk, they’re not. but you could take a boat. or just stay here and eat more lobster. your call.

food: oh man. the food. comorian cuisine is this wild mix of african, arab, and french influences. i ate so much pilao (spiced rice with meat) i thought i’d turn into a grain. and the coffee? they grow it here, and it’s strong enough to wake the dead. i bought a bag from a guy on the side of the road who roasted it in a tin can over a fire. best decision ever.

random stuff i learned:
- the island of mohéli is supposedly haunted by pirates. someone told me that if you go there at night, you can hear them whispering in the trees. i didn’t go. i like my sleep.
- the locals believe in djinns. like, actually believe. don’t whistle at night unless you want one to follow you home.
- there’s a tree here that smells like rotting meat to attract flies. nature is weird.

the downside: it’s not all sunshine and spices. the infrastructure is basically non-existent. power cuts are a daily thing. internet? lol. and don’t even get me started on the “toilets.” but honestly, that’s part of the charm. it’s raw, unfiltered, and real.

final thoughts:* comoros isn’t for everyone. if you need luxury resorts, reliable wifi, or a plan that goes exactly as expected, stay home. but if you’re the kind of person who gets excited by the idea of getting lost in a place that feels like it’s stuck in a different century, come here. bring cash, bring patience, and bring an open mind. and maybe some sunscreen. you’re gonna need it.

p.s. if you’re curious, check out comoros tourism or lonely planet’s guide. but honestly? just go. you won’t regret it.

You might also be interested in:

• https://votoris.com/post/the-state-of-unemployment-and-economic-growth-in-kibanseke-premire-a-digital-nomads-wreckage
• https://votoris.com/post/bangkoks-sticky-embrace-a-digital-nomads-messy-love-letter
• https://votoris.com/post/dnipro-drifts-a-nomads-messy-notebook
• https://votoris.com/post/ahmedabad-adventures-where-the-heat-hits-hard-and-the-food-hits-harder
• https://votoris.com/post/algiers-biggest-employers-whos-really-hiring-and-whos-just-pretending