Moroni: the white mosque on the Indian Ocean

Capital of the Comoros, a volcanic archipelago between Africa and Madagascar, Moroni houses a white mosque symbolic of the country's Islamic identity.

The center, dominated by the white mosque on the Indian Ocean, is comfortably explored on foot.

The Mosque of Ancienne, with its white façade and minaret overlooking the port, remains the most recognizable religious and architectural symbol of the capital.

Steps away, the old port of Moroni animates the arrival of traditional sailing vessels still used today for fishing and inter-island trade.

Moving inland, one can climb Mount Karthala, an active volcano hosting one of the world's largest craters still in periodic eruption.

Towards evening, Moroni's markets sell ylang-ylang and vanilla, the principal fragrant exports from the Comoros to the French perfume industry.

The Comoros remain among the world's leading producers of ylang-ylang, a flower used in the luxury French perfume industry, earning them the nickname 'islands of perfumes.'

Mount Karthala, an active volcano dominating the island of Grande Comore, hosts one of the world's largest summit craters, with eruptions recorded periodically even in recent times, monitored by local and international volcanologists.