Mayotte - Mayotte

Mayotte

Location
Coat of arms and flag
Capital	Mamoudzou
Government	Department French overseas
Currency	Euro (EUR)
Surface	374 km²
Inhabitants	194.000 (2009 estimate) 186.452 (2007 census)
Tongue	French
Religion	Islam (97%), Christianity (3%) (2011)
Electricity	230V / 50Hz (European socket)
Prefix	262
TLD	.yt
Time zone	UTC 3
Website	Institutional website

Mayotte is an overseas department of the France, between Madagascar and the Mozambique; geographically the island belongs to Comoros.

To know

Geographical notes

Mayotte is an archipelago of volcanic origin, consisting of two main islands, Grande Terre and Petite Terre, and a series of smaller islets, the largest of which are Chissioua Mtsamboro and Chissioua Mbouzi. The territory is mainly hilly, the highest altitude is reached by Mount Benara at 660 meters.A vast coral reef surrounds, with short interruptions, the entire archipelago. On the island of Petite Terre there is a lake of volcanic origin called Lac Dziani.

When to go

To choose when to visit the country it is advisable to keep in mind that the climate is tropical marine, therefore hot and humid during the rainy season when the north-eastern monsoon blows (from November to May) and cooler during the dry season (from May to November).

Background

Mayotte was ceded to France along with the others Comoros in 1843. Unlike the Comoros, they remained a French overseas department giving up independence. Despite this, the Comoros claim their sovereignty on the island.

Spoken languages

Although the French is the official language, less than half of the population is able to write and speak it fluently. The most common language is Shimaore (a Swahili dialect), but Arabic is also taught in Koranic schools and Malagasy is also understood.

Culture and traditions

Traditional Mayotte society is matriarchal. Women have many important roles in society.

The moringue or mouringué, similar to Brazilian capoeira, it was practiced until the late 1980s between rival villages. Now it has almost disappeared. You can still have the opportunity to witness the moringue during the month of Ramadan: at sunset, after eating, people gather in the square, play and drums and practice it.

Territories and tourist destinations

Mayotte is divided into 17 municipalities. Mayotte is also divisible into 19 cantons: each coinciding with every municipality except for Mamoudzou which is divided into three cantons.

Mayotte - Given its small size, Mayotte can be considered as a single indivisible region.

Urban centers

Mamoudzou - It is the capital and the largest center of Mayotte. It is located on the east coast, opposite the islet of Petite-Terre.
Bandele
Dzaoudzi
Sada

View of Sada

How to get

Entry requirements

Italian citizens are required to have a passport without a visa. Those with French citizenship can show a simple identity card.

By plane

Dzaoudzi Pamandzi International Airport is the only airport on the island.

Scheduled flights are operated by the following airlines:

Air Austral,
Corsairfly
Kenya Airways departure from Nairobi with a stopover at Comoros. It is an extension of flight Paris-Nairobi.

On boat

The ports of the island are:

Dzaoudzi - The main port.
"Longoni" (Koungou) - A secondary port.

How to get around

By car

There are about 100 km of mainly asphalted motorways.

The easiest way to get around the island is by taxi (taxi brousse) for a few euros.

For those who prefer two wheels, it is possible to rent scooters at various agencies, including:

AKILI - Address: 1, route nationale I, Kawéni - BP 507 - 97600 Mamoudzou.Tel/Fax: 0269 61 49 49. Cell: 0639 69 49 00.

On the train

There are no railway lines on the island.

What see

In remote regions of the island you can find and observe the friendly maki (Eulemur macaco).
In August-September, humpback whales can be observed together with their young in the lagoon.
Sea turtles come to perch on the southern beaches.

What to do

An excursion (almost a climb) to the summit of Mount Choungui which will offer a spectacular view of the island
Diving is a must. Expect spectacular views into the largest lagoon in the world.

Currency and purchases

The national currency is theEUR (EUR) Here are the links to find out the current exchange rate with the main world currencies:

(EN) With Google Finance:	AUD CAD CHF GBP HKD JPY USD
With Yahoo! Finance:	AUD CAD CHF GBP HKD JPY USD
(EN) With XE.com:	AUD CAD CHF GBP HKD JPY USD
(EN) With OANDA.com:	AUD CAD CHF GBP HKD JPY USD

At the table

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Tourist infrastructure

For more information you can consult the tourism site

Events and parties

Date		Festivity	Note
1	January	New Year	International holiday
	March April	Easter, Monday of the Angel	Christian holiday
27	April	Feast of the abolition	Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery (1948)
1	May	Workers Day	International holiday
8	May	Victory party	Memorial (1945)
	May June	Ascension Day	Christian holiday
14	July	Feast of the storming of the Bastille	Memorial (1789)
15	August	Assumption	Christian holiday
1	November	All Saints	Christian holiday
11	November	Feast of the armistice	Memorial of the signing of the armistice with the Germany which marked the end of World War I (1918)
25	December	Christmas	Christian holiday that marks the birth of Christ
1	muharram	Ras as-Sana	Muslim holiday that marks the beginning of the Islamic New Year
12	rabi 'al-awwal	Mawlid	Muslim holiday that marks the birth of the Prophet Muhammad
1	shawwal	Id al-fitr	Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan. It has a duration of 3 days.

Safety

Cyclones can occur during the rainy season.

Health situation

It is a malarial area, therefore it is advisable to consult a doctor in order to take the necessary precautions.

Respect the customs

Ramadan

Ramadan is the ninth and holiest month in the Islamic calendar and lasts 29-30 days. Muslims fast every day for its entire duration and most restaurants will be closed until dusk. Nothing (including water and cigarettes) should pass through the lips from sunrise to sunset. Foreigners and travelers are exempt, but should still refrain from eating or drinking in public as it is considered rude. Working hours are also decreasing in the corporate world. The exact dates of Ramadan depend on local astronomical observations and may vary from country to country. Ramadan ends with the feast of Eid al-Fitr, which can take several days, usually three in most countries.

13 April - 12 May 2021 (1442 AH)
2 April - 1 May 2022 (1443 AH)
23 March - 20 April 2023 (1444 AH)
11 March - 9 April 2024 (1445 AH)
1 March - 29 March 2025 (1446 AH)

If you are planning to travel to the Mayotte Islands during Ramadan, consider reading the article Traveling During Ramadan.

The majority of the population is Muslim, and however tolerant it may be, it is advisable to act in accordance with the principles of this religion.

During the excursions it is a good idea to greet and smile whoever you meet.

How to keep in touch

Telephony

European roaming

From 15 June 2017, the so-called "European roaming" was introduced which allows all SIM holders belonging to one of the participating European nations to maintain the same tariff conditions as the country of origin.

Phone calls, SMS and Internet browsing are valid in all European countries without any surcharge, unless it has been authorized by the national authorities (typically minor operators) or if the threshold (which increases from year to year) is exceeded. GB of non-overpriced data; to use the service simply activate the roaming option on your mobile phone.

The Acceding states are: those ofEuropean Union (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Hungary), those of European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein is Norway) and some overseas territories (Martinique, Gibraltar, Guadeloupe, Saint Martin, French Guiana, Meeting, Mayotte, Canary Islands).