Not to miss

Anjouan (Ndzuani)

Anjouan is a poster child of the Indian Ocean. With its forests and rivers tumbling down to the ocean and fields of exotic essential oils - ylang-ylang, jasmine, basilic, palmarosa and orange flower - scattered throughout the island it really could be an advertisement for tropical island living.

In reality though it retains a typical island lifestyle Anjouan is the most densely populated of all the islands, and is effected by deforestation and soil erosion. As one Peace Corps volunteer put it, 'If you don't remember what you had for breakfast, just ask anyone on the street'.

Mitsoudjé

Mitsoudjé is a good place to pick up those unique hand-carved bargains that you cannot get at the supermarket back home. The town produces decorative doors, shutters, boxes and furnishings, but you can also pick up smaller items such as candleholders and small plaques.

Arab Quarter

The neighbourhood around the port and the Ancienne Mosquée de Vendredi (old Friday mosque) is a convoluted medina with narrow streets lined with buildings dating back to Swahili times. It's reminiscent of a miniature version of Zanzibar's Stone Town and almost as intriguing. Watch for the elaborately carved Swahili doors found on many houses.

Mt Ntingui

It's a hard and steep climb from Lac Dzialandzé up to the normally cloud-covered summit of 1595m (5231ft) Mt Ntingui, the highest point on Anjouan. On a rare clear day, it affords a view over all four islands of the archipelago.

Anjouan (Ndzuani)

In some ways, Anjouan is a poster child of the Indian Ocean. With its forests and rivers tumbling in a sea of green and blue down to the ocean below, and its fields of exotic essential oils - ylang-ylang, jasmine, cassis, basilic, palmarosa and orange flower - scattered throughout the island it really could be an advertisement for tropical island living.

In reality it is the most densely populated of all the islands, and is feeling the effects of deforestation and soil erosion. In other ways it retains a typical island lifestyle, being more small town curiosity than big city brashness.

The capital of Anjouan, Mutsamudu, consists of two main parallel streets connected by a maze of alleyways, lanes, shops and shabby buildings. Near the Mosquée du Vendredi is the Sultan's Palace, and within easy walking distance of the city centre is the Dziancoundré Waterfall.

There are plenty of hiking opportunities on the island, the most interesting ones being the cross-island routes. You might also want to check out the coral reefs and white sandy beaches at Chiroroni and the ylang-ylang distillery at Bamboa, or take a walk around the old town, Hari ya Moudji, in Domoni.