Exercise caution — there are real risks that travellers should plan around. Political freedoms are limited and travellers should be mindful of local sensitivities.
Regional breakdown
Most travel to Comoros lands at Prince Said Ibrahim International Airport on Grande Comore, the main island. The capital, Moroni, sits on the west coast and is where most visitors base themselves. It is also where almost all reported protests take place. Some of these have turned violent, so travellers tend to give political gatherings a wide berth. The two other main islands, Anjouan and Mohéli, are quieter. Mutsamudu, the main town on Anjouan, has seen periods of political tension in past years but is calmer now. Mohéli is the smallest island and the least developed for tourism, with limited road infrastructure and very basic services outside the main village of Fomboni. At sea, small-vessel piracy has been reported in the wider Mozambique Channel and around the Comoros archipelago. Boat transfers between the islands are common because internal flights are limited, and conditions can be rough. Healthcare facilities outside Moroni are very thin. So travellers heading to Anjouan or Mohéli usually plan around a possible return to the capital or onward evacuation.
Recent advisory changes
The official advisory guidance keeps Comoros at Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution, in its advisory reissued on 12 January 2026. The reasons listed are crime, civil unrest and health. Petty crime such as pickpocketing is described as common, and protests in Moroni are flagged as a recurring risk. The advisory also notes that the United States has no full-time embassy in Comoros, with consular support routed through the US embassy in Antananarivo, Madagascar. The official advisory guidance last updated its Comoros page on 10 December 2025. The most recent change was new wording about dual nationals returning to the UK, added to the entry requirements section. The official advisory guidance does not warn against travel to any part of Comoros right now. It points readers to its safety, health and entry sections rather than flagging a specific region. Both governments stress that travel insurance with medical evacuation cover is important, given how limited local hospitals are.
What travellers should know
Healthcare is the practical issue most visitors plan around. Facilities in Moroni are basic, and on Anjouan and Mohéli they are very limited. Serious injuries or illnesses usually need medical evacuation, which is expensive and slow to arrange. Travel insurance that explicitly covers evacuation from a remote island chain is worth checking line by line before booking. On the ground, the usual petty crime precautions apply. Keep valuables out of sight in Moroni markets, use hotel safes, and avoid walking alone after dark in unfamiliar areas. Watch out for any street gathering or protest and leave the area calmly if one forms. Boat transfers between Grande Comore, Anjouan and Mohéli can be cancelled at short notice in poor weather, so build slack into island-hopping plans. Cash is king — card acceptance is rare outside a handful of hotels, and ATMs are concentrated in Moroni. Dress is modest across the islands, which are predominantly Muslim, and Friday prayers shape the rhythm of the working week.