Mayotte Travel Guide: Lagoon, Turtles, Whales & What to Know Before You Go

A By Anna · Updated 21 October 2026 · 3 min read

Airports

Dzaoudzi-Pamandzi (DZA) on Petite-Terre, linked to Grande-Terre by barge

Flight time

about 12-16h from London, usually via Paris or Réunion

Best time to go

May-November, the dry season; July-October for whales

Currency

Euro (EUR)

Mayotte is a small island group in the Mozambique Channel, between Madagascar and the African coast, made up of the main island of Grande-Terre and the smaller Petite-Terre. It is geographically part of the Comoros archipelago, but when the Comoros became independent in the 1970s Mayotte voted to remain French, and in 2011 it became France's 101st department. The Comoros still claims it. Most people are Muslim and speak Shimaore or Kibushi as well as French, so it feels very different from mainland France.

Mayotte's great natural asset is its lagoon, one of the largest enclosed lagoons in the world, ringed by a coral barrier reef and home to turtles, dolphins, rays and visiting humpback whales. Tourism is very small-scale, however, and the island faces real challenges. Cyclone Chido caused devastating damage in December 2024, and Mayotte has also dealt with water shortages, crime and social tensions. It is not under an FCDO warning against travel, but check the latest gov.uk FCDO travel advice for France, which covers its overseas departments, and local news before booking. For the wider region, see our Africa guide, our Comoros guide and our Réunion guide.

Things to do

• N'Gouja beach: in the south of Grande-Terre, one of the best places in the Indian Ocean to snorkel with green turtles grazing on seagrass just offshore.
• Saziley: a protected headland in the south-east where turtles come ashore to nest, with coastal walks and quiet beaches.
• The lagoon by boat: trips to the barrier reef, sandbanks such as the Îlot de Sable Blanc, and spinner dolphins.
• Whale watching: humpback whales come into the lagoon to calve, roughly from July to October.
• Diving: the double barrier reef and the passes such as the S-shaped Passe en S are well known for coral, rays and reef sharks.
• Lake Dziani: a green crater lake on Petite-Terre, with a walk around the rim and views over the lagoon.
• Mont Choungui: a steep, short hike up a volcanic peak with views across the south of the island.
• Sakouli and the east coast: baobab-lined beaches, mangroves and traditional villages.

Where to stay

• Mamoudzou: the capital on Grande-Terre has the most hotels and restaurants, mostly used by business travellers.
• Petite-Terre (Dzaoudzi and Pamandzi): convenient for the airport, with a few hotels and lagoon views.
• The south of Grande-Terre: small beach hotels and guesthouses near N'Gouja and the best snorkelling.

Getting there

There are no direct flights from the UK. Most visitors fly via Paris, where Air Austral and Corsair have operated direct flights to Mayotte of around 10 hours, or connect through Réunion. Kenya Airways has also linked Nairobi with Dzaoudzi. The airport is on Petite-Terre, so allow time for the barge to Mamoudzou. Mayotte is three hours ahead of the UK in winter and two in summer. As a French overseas department outside the Schengen area, its entry rules differ from mainland France, so check gov.uk. Dengue is present, so use insect repellent.

Getting around is easiest with a hire car, though driving can be slow on Grande-Terre's winding roads and traffic around Mamoudzou is heavy. Taxis and the regular barge between Mamoudzou and Dzaoudzi cover the basics, and boat operators run lagoon trips from several beaches.

Best time to visit

The best time is the dry season from around May to November, which is less humid and has calmer seas. July to October is whale season. December to April is hot, humid and rainy, with a risk of cyclones.

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