Travel Guide Mutsamudu

Mutsamudu perfectly illustrates the duality of Comorian identity between East and Africa. With its medina, mosques and ancient palaces, the capital of Anjouan Island (and the second largest city in the Union of the Comoros) has a tremendous power of attraction for those who take the time to get lost.It cultivates a strange paradox. Mutsamudu can suffocate under traffic jams and rubbish, disturbing the visitor in a maze of alleys that seem to lead nowhere. It can also rumble, as in October 2018, at the instigation of armed rebels against the government.However, nothing prevents magic from working when the medina district comes to life. When jewellers perfect their art under the watchful eye of passers-by, or when you hesitate when faced with a saleswoman and her wall of multicoloured shawls. From the heights of the citadel, Mutsamudu, between land and sea, presents yet another day. She seems almost soothed. The hubbub fades away and gives way to a certain calm, while the comings and goings of the cargo ships continue further afield, offshore....Surrounded by the ocean and Mount Ntingui, Mutsamudu fascinates in a way that is difficult to describe. Despite its turmoil, the city is worth a visit, and can become an anchor point between two hikes on an island that offers few accommodation options.