As well as being home to the capital Moroni, (or Port-aux-Boutres), Grande Comore is studded with grassy plains, the remnants of a rainforest, and Mt Karthala, an active volcano still belching and burping away. Palm trees, beaches of black lava or white sand, and young coral reefs fringe its shores.
The west coast of the island is lined with chi-chi resorts where suites and casinos, ambient bars and Frenchified restaurants are the go. The coastline on the east side of Grande Comore is wilder and more untamed than on the west. A camping trip round the east coast is always a good idea.
Beginning in the northeast corner the first beach is Bouni, once the sultanate of Hamahame, but now a sleepy village with two stunning beaches. Next down the coast is Chomoni. This sheltered bay has an unusual mix of chequered black lava and white sandy beaches, and bungalows with basic facilities for hire, which is probably the best accommodation option. Down the southeast corner is the town of Foumbouni, the third-largest community on Grande Comore. The sands are whiter and brighter than anything you'll find in Moroni or Itsandra and is one of Comore's best kept secrets. Few tourists come here and the locals are still a little bamboozled at the sight of foreigners.

