Africa
A vast coral lagoon, humpback whales and French-Comorian island life.
Mayotte is a French overseas department in the Comoros archipelago, and most visitors arrive via Réunion or mainland France. Its main islands, Grande-Terre and Petite-Terre, sit inside one of the largest enclosed lagoons in the world. Turtles graze off N'Gouja beach, Lake Dziani fills a volcanic crater on Petite-Terre, and Mount Choungui offers a steep, rewarding climb.
Tourism is small-scale and facilities are limited, and cyclones can disrupt services, so check what is open before going. Life blends French administration with Shimaore-speaking Muslim island culture. The dry season from May to October is best, and humpback whales visit the lagoon from roughly July to October; December to March is hot, wet and cyclone season.
June, July, August, September, October.