Mutsamudu, or Moutsamoudou, is the capital of Anjouan, called Ndzuwani by its people, one of the three islands of the Comoros, and it sits tucked against the north-west coast under steep green hills. The old town climbs the slope in a tangle of narrow alleys, with a medina of coral-stone houses, carved doors and whitewashed mosques, while the harbour below is busy with dhows, small cargo boats and fishermen. A fortress above the town recalls the days when Anjouan's sultans controlled a prosperous trade, and when the island had a reputation as a stopping place for ships on the route to India.
Anjouan is steep, volcanic and astonishingly fertile. The central peak, Mount Ntingui, reaches around fifteen hundred metres, and its slopes are covered in a patchwork of banana, cassava, cloves, vanilla and ylang-ylang, the flower whose oil goes into perfume, which has earned the Comoros the nickname of the perfume islands. The air in the lower villages smells sweet when the ylang is being distilled. Roads, where they exist, are narrow, twisting, and steep, with sharp bends and plenty of pedestrians, goats and children, so keep speeds low and the horn ready. Surfaces vary from decent concrete to rough and broken. The dry season, roughly May to October, is easiest, and the wet months bring heavy rain and landslides.
The ride out from town runs along the coast and then climbs inland, with views back to the bay and across to the other islands on a clear day. Mutsamudu itself is where you will find the basic things you need. Fuel is available in the capital, though supplies on the island can be unreliable, so it is wise to fill up whenever you can and ask locals about the situation. Small restaurants serve grilled fish, rice, coconut milk dishes and cassava, and the markets, full of spices, fruit and bright fabric, are a good place to wander and chat.
Dress modestly, since the islands are overwhelmingly Muslim, and ask before photographing people. If you are arriving from Moroni on the main island, remember that inter-island travel depends on small planes and boats, whose schedules can change at short notice.