Bimbini and Ilot de la Selle

Bimbini sits at the end of Anjouan's western peninsula, a fishing village with mangrove and beach around it, and a short boat ride offshore is the Ilot de la Selle, a small uninhabited islet with sand and reef around it. The water here is clearer than on much of Anjouan and the snorkelling is the best on the island. Turtles are seen regularly in the channel. The peninsula is one of the few parts of Anjouan where the land is low and flat rather than climbing, which is why the mangrove could establish here at all. Fishing communities along it work the reef with lines and small nets.

What you actually see

• The islet - a small uninhabited island a short boat ride offshore.
• The reef - the best snorkelling ground on Anjouan.
• The mangrove - the stands along the peninsula shore.
• The turtles - animals regularly seen in the channel.

When to go

May to October is the drier and calmer season. The rains run November to April. Mornings are calmest for the crossing.

Honest expectations

Boats must be arranged in the village and there is no organised operation. There are no facilities on the islet. The road out along the peninsula is rough.

Nearby

Mutsamudu is east, and Grande Comore is north.