Comoros

Health & safety

Dangers & annoyances

A combination of packed and unroadworthy vehicles, reckless drivers and poor-quality roads makes taxi-brousse (bush taxi) travel in Madagascar, and to a lesser extent the Comoros, fairly hazardous. To minimise the risks, try to avoid night travel where possible.

Annoyances on taxi-brousses come in the form of inadequate legroom, or any sort of personal space for that matter (rows meant to seat three never have any less than five, leaving you no room at all), and deafening music blasting from tinny speakers. Consider an inflatable cushion and a pair of earplugs (an iPod turned high also works).

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While you're there

Women travellers

Most women do not feel threatened or insecure in any way when travelling in either Madagascar or the Comoros. Hospitality and kindness to strangers are firmly entrenched in both cultures and extend in equal measure to female travellers. The most you can expect – especially in the Muslim Comoros – is some mild curiosity about your situation, especially if you are single and/or don’t have children. Meeting Malagasy or Comorian women is relatively easy – many are well educated and confident and hold responsible jobs in government-related offices, especially the offices of national parks.

That said, around holiday resorts, where most of the local girls are snapped up by male tourists, you may encounter a low level of verbal pestering from local men. Compared with similar attention in say, North Africa, it’s positively lacklustre, and a polite refusal nearly always suffices. Travelling in a group, saying you are married and dressing modestly (essential anyhow in the Comoros) are all ways to minimise problems. Physical harassment and violent crime are very rare, and in fact male travellers face far more pestering from the hordes of prostitutes who frequent almost every disco.

Women shouldn’t enter mosques unless specifically told they can do so.

A limited selection of tampons is available in Antananarivo and some of the larger towns, but it’s best to bring your own supply, especially in the Comoros.

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