Who would have thought that there are still places in the EU that are almost undiscovered and surrounded by water? The archipelago of Mayotte is a piece of paradise that belongs to France and lies in the middle of the Indian Ocean. So far, however, the island, which is located somewhere between Madagascar and Mozambique, has been spared from a tourist onslaught.

Mayotte: An EU paradise

Almost unbelievable, but true: In the Indian Ocean there is a tropical paradise called Mayotte. The archipelago is located off East Africa, but belongs to France and is therefore also a member of the EU. Mayotte has belonged to France since 1841, and in 1974 the 374-square-kilometre archipelago renounced its independence. Thus, in addition to the overseas departments in the Caribbean and South America, the two islands of La Réunion and Mayotte are also fully considered parts of the state of France.

Of particular interest: although the official language on Mayotte is French, less than half of the approximately 250,000 inhabitants speak this language. Most communicate mainly in Mahoric, a variant of Comorian. 98 percent of the population are Muslims and more than half are under 20 years old.

Tropical flair in the Indian Ocean

On Mayotte you will find a turquoise blue sea with fascinating coral reefs, white, deserted sandy beaches, vanilla plantations and a biodiversity of flora and fauna. The temperatures are pleasant all year round, because they vary between 23 and 30 degrees. The coldest month is August, when it can "cool down" to 20 degrees.

Those who visit Mayotte are sure to find perfect peace, because tourism has not really arrived there yet. There are only very few hotels and rather complicated flight connections that lead over France or over the African mainland. After all, there are also about 8,000 kilometres beelline between the tropical paradise and Austria. But once you have arrived, you can look forward to the authentic charm of the island, which has been preserved over all these years. EU citizens can also comfortably pay with the euro and enter with only their identity card.