Maloudja Beach

Maloudja is one of the few genuinely sandy beaches on Grande Comore, an island where most of the coast is black volcanic rock, a curve of pale sand on the northwestern side backed by palms and casuarina with a hotel at one end. The water is clear and reef lies offshore. Turtles come ashore on this stretch and sunsets over the Mozambique Channel are the evening draw. Most of Grande Comore's shoreline is young lava that has not had time to break down into sand, which is why beaches like this are the exception.

What you actually see

• The pale sand - a rare stretch of real beach on a volcanic coast.
• The reef - coral offshore within snorkelling reach.
• The turtle nesting - the animals using this stretch in season.
• The sunset - the western aspect over the Mozambique Channel.

When to go

May to October is the drier and cooler season. The rains run November to April with cyclone risk. Turtles nest through much of the year.

Honest expectations

Facilities run through the hotel at one end. Litter is a problem in places. The drive from Moroni takes around an hour on a slow road.

Nearby

Mitsamiouli is northeast, and Dos du Dragon is north.