Anjouan Island: Mutsamudu Medina & Clove Island Heritage
The short flight to Anjouan leads to the island's extraordinary 13th-century medina, ancient Arab fortifications, and the clove and perfume plantations of the 'Pearl of the Indian Ocean'
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Mutsamudu Citadel Walls
The fortified Arab citadel above Mutsamudu's medina was built to defend against Malagasy pirates – its bastions still overlook the old harbor and mosque
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Mutsamudu ancient medina
The most intact historical medina in the Comoros — narrow stone-paved alleys between coral houses with carved wooden doors and Koranic school sounds
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Clove plantations in Anjouan
Anjouan was once the world's largest producer of cloves — the plantations that cover the island's fertile interior are still cultivated by hand with traditional tools
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Cascade de la Gounouni
A waterfall plunging into a natural pool in Anjouan's volcanic interior — surrounded by tree ferns, wild vanilla vines and endemic bird species
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Domoni — Anjouan's second city
The ancient rival city to Mutsamudu with its own fortified walls, royal palace ruins and a Friday mosque with a coral stone minaret
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Anjouan Perfume Cooperative
Women's cooperative in Anjouan distills ylang-ylang and orange blossoms for export to French perfume houses — visitors can observe the traditional process