Mamoudzou

Introducing Mamoudzou

Most of Mayotte’s shops, restaurants and businesses are concentrated in Mamoudzou, and the neighbouring industrial zone of Kaweni. Here European-style paint warehouses and tyre emporiums sit side by side with the same rotting vegetables, open drains and piles of rubbish you’d see in any developing country’s port. All in all it’s a sprawl, lacking any of the charm or architectural interest of the towns of the independent Comoros.

Although it’s not the prettiest city in the world, Mamoudzou is the commercial heart of Mayotte, and you will probably find yourself coming into town to grab a bite to eat or do some shopping. Plus, if you’re the type of traveller to come all this way to experience the Comoros, you need to see the less attractive places as well to get the full picture. It’s ironic, however, that the island controlled by one of the world’s superpowers is the most neglected of all the Comoros.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009