From the airport to the city centre Mayotte

To reach Mamoudzou from the airport, it takes about an hour, if you are wide. You will first have to take a taxi to the barge, an ordeal without any difficulty because taxis are crowded at the airport exit and competition is tough to catch your eye. No need to negotiate, the price is fixed and the same for everyone: 1.60 € without luggage (as everywhere else) and 80 cents per suitcase. The journey takes about 15 minutes and the driver will drop you off at the foot of the barge. Then you just have to follow the flow of people and wait for the next boat (every 30 minutes during the day) which will take about 20 minutes to reach the quay in Mamoudzou. To this you must add about 20 minutes to load and unload the boat. If you have rented a car yourself, the reception is mostly done from the airport parking. You will then have the choice between the two barges, the amphidrome leaving from Quai Ballou accommodating more cars. The journey is free in the direction Petite-Terre to Grande-Terre.

Arrival by boat Mayotte

Maritime links to Mayotte are made several times a week, and pass through the other islands of the Comoros, especially Anjouan. The Maria Galanta, the Gombessa and the Citadelle are three vessels operated by the Société générale de transport maritime (SGTM). It should be noted that this link is also used to return illegal immigrants to their country of origin..

Public transport Mayotte

There is no bus system in Mayotte, but taxis are the closest thing to public transport because some are collective and have fixed destinations. Moreover, they remain the most affordable means of travel, serving the whole island: urban taxis in town, interurban taxis or bush taxis in the villages. But the schedules are very random and make you dependent, because they can stop in each district or village before reaching your final destination... For the bush taxis, they are not expensive; it can be useful, but only in a very punctual or occasional way. Be careful, they are not private like in mainland France, you have to go to the place you want and look for the right taxi. It is better not to leave with the impression that this will be the ideal way to discover Mayotte. City taxis are only €1.60 per person, €2.40 at night and on public holidays. The longest journeys are Passi Kéli at 6,90 €, Acoua at 6,30 € and Dapani at 5,40 €, we are far from the metropolitan rates. They are very useful on Mamoudzou and Petite-Terre, they often pass by and know all the directions. They are present at all the departures and arrivals of planes and barges.

Bike, scooters & co Mayotte

Electric bicycles have recently appeared on the scene and allow you to avoid traffic jams. However, there are not many rental companies and bicycles are rare on the roads, so plan ahead if this is the mode of transport you have chosen. It is especially important to be vigilant as motorists do not yet have the appropriate driving reflexes.

By car Mayotte

It is the best solution and the most adapted to discover Mayotte at your leisure and at your ease. Major car rental companies of international renown are present on Mayotte, there are also rental companies mainly based on Petite-Terre and Mamoudzou, and more precisely at the level of its industrial zone of Kawéni. Some rental companies can wait for you when you get off the plane or at the barge in Mamoudzou (see and ask the rental company), or deliver you to your hotel. However, you can get off the plane and find a rental car directly at the airport, new buildings dedicated to the main rental companies of the island are installed opposite the terminal. For the others, it is necessary to come to seek the vehicle with the agency of hiring. They may have schedules with lunch breaks. So be careful about the time you pick up and return the car. If you are renting a car, make sure you are over 22 years old, have more than 2 years of license and a credit card for the deposit. We advise you to make the reservation in advance as the car fleet is limited on the island. Finally, it is possible to transfer your car between Petite and Grande-Terre for a fee for the crossing with the vehicle barge or amphidrome. This ticket can be bought at Mamoudzou, at the pedestrian barge ticket office (from 15 € for a small vehicle, 0,75 € for passengers and pedestrians). You only pay when leaving Mamoudzou, never in the direction Petite-Terre-Mamoudzou.

As far as driving in Mayotte is concerned, you should always remember that zebus, goats or children can cross the road without warning... It is therefore advisable to respect the speed limits and safety distances. Be particularly careful when there is less visibility, in curves for example, because it is often there that there is a risk of collision with a car which tries to overtake

Accessibility Mayotte

From a local point of view, since October 2010, people with disabilities have finally had a place to centralize the administrative procedures to be carried out thanks to the House of Disabled People "MDPH" in Mamoudzou-Kawéni ([email protected] - 0269 62 96 20). The opening of the House allows the implementation of a policy in favour of disabled people. Disability concerns 3,000 to 5,000 people in Mayotte, but only 1,000 are known; many are still unaware of their rights: recognition of their disability in the workplace, educational guidance, allowances, disability card, etc.

For visitors , some accommodation facilities are equipped for people in wheelchairs. However, in general, the island does not have sufficient ramps and inclined spaces.

Tourist traps Mayotte

Scams are not very common in Mayotte (or even almost non-existent?), but it is advisable, as everywhere, to always make an inventory of the vehicle you rent, especially if you only take a partial insurance. Always check with your rental company if all roads are accessible with your vehicle, and we can only recommend an all-inclusive insurance or at least the glass breakage option in view of the social tensions that can quickly reappear. Safety rules should be applied while driving: always lock the doors when you are driving, never leave your handbag on the passenger seat, avoid leaving your vehicle in an isolated place.