Mayotte OVERVIEW
Following a very tolerant form of Islam, Mayotte adopts a live-and-let-live take on social mores, but its political status makes it far from
laissez faire
when it comes to prices. This French island off East Africa makes even Bora Bora seem cheap, so take a thorough look at the rates index before you glance at pictures. If you catch fancy to pack your bags first and then find you can't afford it, the disappointment may be hard to bear.
For there indeed is a lot to tempt the eye and please the hedonist in you on Mayotte. Although politically separate, the island partakes in the geographical splendor of the Comoros, with the diving galore and beach pampering as sure as eggs is eggs. Watch the sea turtles roost and humpback whales tend their calves up close in the lagoon or take a hike to the summit of Mont Choungui and glance at this stunning natural theater from above. As far as beauty goes, Mayotte is a huge value for money.
Of course, this is not to say Mayotte faces no problems typical of contemporary African societies. France pours in the money to boost the economy, but the social gap between the haves and have- nots is not narrowing. Movements for independence have always been lazy though. When the rest of Comoros broke off in the mid-eighties, Mayotte decided to remain a French territory. Evidently, stability and peace are all welcome enough that the Mahorais (as the people of Mayotte are called) are somehow eager to put up with hordes of French expats, package tourists easing off in upmarket resorts, and diplomats faring well on their attache salaries streaming from the the Métropole. If you do decide to go, make sure your money goes where it should.
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