Sailing to Mayotte

A map of the best ports and anchorages

Mayotte

Mayotte is located between Madagascar and the coast of Mozambique. This small archipelago, part of the Comoros Islands, has an intriguing blend of African, Arab, and French influences. Mayotte was a bustling waypoint for Arab traders, who navigated the waters centuries ago, bringing with them goods, culture, and Islamic traditions that still influence the island today. These early traders used the reliable monsoon winds to sail their dhows, establishing the island as a crucial link in the network of sea routes that connected East Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The lagoon surrounding Mayotte is one of the largest and deepest in the world, and the annual migration of humpback whales making their way to the warm waters of Mayotte to give birth and nurture their young is a spectacular event.