Comoros Safety Guide
Health, security, and travel safety information
Emergency Numbers
Save these numbers before your trip.
Healthcare
What to know about medical care in Comoros.
Comoros runs a basic public system plus a handful of private clinics. Quality falls off a cliff outside Moroni and specialists simply aren't there.
El-Maarouf Hospital (Moroni) and Hôpital de Hombo (Grande Comore) take foreigners. Bring cash, plastic is usually refused.
Shops stock paracetamol and common antibiotics. Bring your own prescriptions. Moroni pharmacies shut on Sunday, so plan ahead.
Buy travel insurance that covers medical evacuation. Dive operators often insist on it.
- ✓ Pack rehydration salts and broad-spectrum antibiotics. The pharmacy shelf might be empty.
- ✓ Request receipts in French for insurance claims. Few staff speak English
Common Risks
Be aware of these potential issues.
Thieves grab unattended bags from beaches and dip into pockets in Moroni's Volo-Volo market.
Poor road conditions, unlit rural roads, and shared taxi overcrowding
Contaminated tap water and food prepared with untreated water
Scams to Avoid
Watch out for these common tourist scams.
Money-changers near the port dangle better rates than banks, then palm you short Comorian francs if you don you're your notes.
Freelance "guides" by the salt lake pose as officials and demand silly money for a ten-minute walk.
Safety Tips
Practical advice to stay safe.
- • Shared taxis (taxi-brousse) leave when every seat is sold. Budget extra time and agree the fare before you squeeze in.
- • When the sea turns nasty, domestic flights between islands keep to schedule far better than boats.
- • Strong currents at Chomoni beach. Swim only where locals are present
- • Leave one person ashore to watch belongings when snorkeling at Mohéli beaches
- • Pick up a Comoros SIM at Moroni airport. Signal fades once you leave the main towns.
- • Download offline maps before leaving Moroni as 3G is unreliable
Information for Specific Travelers
Safety considerations for different traveler groups.
Solo women report feeling at ease. Yet covering knees and shoulders wins respect in the villages.
- → Wear long pants or skirts and cover shoulders in villages outside Moroni
- → Sit with families rather than alone on shared taxis to avoid unwanted attention
- → Choose mid-range hotels on Avenue de la Corniche where staff speak French
Same-sex relations are legal but not widely accepted
- → Book twin beds rather than doubles in guesthouses outside Moroni
- → Avoid discussing LGBTQ+ topics in rural areas where English is limited
Travel Insurance
Protect yourself before you travel.
A medevac to Réunion or Mayotte can cost more than the holiday itself, insurance isn't optional in Comoros.
Ready to plan your trip to Comoros?
Now that you've got the research covered, here's where to go next.