ANTSIRANANA

This is Madagascar's sixth largest town and of increasing interest to visitors for its diverse attractions.Traditionally rated second in beauty after Rio de Janeiro the harbour is encircled by hills, with a cornical "sugarloaf" plonked in one of the top of Montagne de Français. Antsiranana's superb position can be appreciated but the city itself is in the usual state of decay, though with a particular charm. If you want to relax on a beach for a few days, stay at Ramena.

WHERE TO STAY?

Hotel Colbert (top)
Hotel Rascasse (medium)

THE NORTHERN RESERVES

MONTAGNE D'AMBRE

This 18 500 ha national park was created in 1958, the french colonial government recognising the unique nature of the volcanic massif and its forest. Montagne d'Ambre is as exciting for its plants and its animals. All visitors are impressed by the tree-ferns and the huge, epiphytic bird's nest ferns which grow on trees. Most visitors want to see lemurs and, as the two diurnal species become habitiated, this is becoming easier. The park is home to a subspecies of brown lemur, sanford's brown lemur and the crowned. Other mammals occasionally seen are the ring-tailed mongoose and if you are really lucky the fosa. And there are five species of nocturnal lemur.
Take time to look carefully at the forest floor; this is the place to find the leaf-mimic brookesia chameleon, little more than 2 cm long, pill millpedes rolled into a perfect ball, frogs, lizards, butterflies, mysterious fungi and a whole host of other living things.
Even Non-birders will be fascinated by the numerous species here, the Madagascar crested ibis is striking enough to impress anybody, as is the paradise flycatcher with its long, trailing tail feathers. The forest rock thrust is tame and ubiquitous, and the black and white magpie robin is often seen. The jackpot, however, is one of Madagascar's most beautiful birds: the pitta-like ground-roller.

TRAILS, WATERFALLS AND LAKES

The park has, in theory, 30 km of paths, but many of these are overgrown although they are gradually being cleared and renamed. The best and most heavily used trails lead to the petit lac, the jardin Botanique; and two waterfalls, cascade d'Antomboka (Grande cascade) and cascade-sacree (petite cascade). There is also sentier touristique with another lovely waterfall at the end.

ANKARANA SPECIAL RESERVE

About 108 km south of Antsiranana is a small limestone massif, Ankarana. The massif is penetrated by numerous caves and canyons. Some of the largest caves have collapsed, forming isolated pockets of river fed forest with their own perfectly protected flora and fauna. The reserve is known for its many lemur species, including crowned and sanford's brown lemur, but it is marvellous for birds, reptiles and insects as well.
Camping

OVERLAND FROM ANTSIRANANA TO AMBANJA AND TO NOSY-BE

RN6 has recently been improved and this route is popular with tourists heading for Nosy be but there is plenty to see in the area so it is a shame to rush. The journey from Antsiranana to Ambanja at present takes about 5 hours for 240 km journey. First place to break your journey is Ambilobe. Then on to Ambanja (two hours), which merits a stay of a day or two at the beautiful beach of Ankify.

Nosy Be is Madagascar's biggest island lies in the north-west of Mahajanga but southwest of Diego Suarez. The name means "Big Island". This place is blessed with an almost perfect climate (Sunshine with brief showers), fertile and prosperous, with sugar, pepper and vanilla grown for export and the heady scent of ylang-ylang blossoms giving it the tourist-brochure name of perfumed Island, this is the place to come for a rest-providing you can afford it.Compared with the rest of Madagascar, Nosy be is expensive. However, Nosy be provides a taste of everything that is special to Madagascar, so for this reason is ideal for those with very limited time; who are looking for a hassle-free holiday.

WHERE TO STAY IN NOSY-BE?

Most visitors prefer to stay in beach located along the sandy western coast. Hoteliers separate these into seven zones, including Hell-ville the state of the town and Nosy Komba.

HELL-VILLE

Hell-ville is quite a smart little place, its main street lined with boutiques and tourist shops.There is a good choice of budget hotels in Hell-ville; staying there will save money while you firm up your plans for making the most of island.

WHERE TO STAY?

Hotel Abud (medium)
Chez Houssen Ben Amad (medium).

AMBATOLOAKA

This is a fast-growing tourist centre which offers the best options for inexpensive places to stay as well as luxury accomodation. It is the liveliest place on the island so if you're looking for nightlife, this is where it's at. It has a lovely beach as well.

WHERE TO STAY ?

Hotel Résidence d'Ambatoloaka (top)
Chez Gérard et Francine (medium)

BELLE VUE (Djamanjary'area)

The area is not that good, although the beach here is uninspiring (it shelves too gradually for good swimming), it is shaded by coconut palms, and a chain of the hotel rakes away the dead seaweed that the high tide deposits daily on the beach.

WHERE TO STAY?

Hotel vanilla (top)
Belle plage (medium)

MADIROKELY

The name means " littel tamarind " or " few Tamarinds ".Lying just north of Ambatoloaka, this is a quieter option but its becoming quite developed.

WHERE TO STAY?

Marlin club (top)
L'heure bleue (medium)

EXCURSIONS:

MON PASSOT

A popular excursion is the trip to the island's highest point, Montpassot. There are good views of a series of deep-blue crater lakes, which are said to contain crocodiles and to be sacred as the home of the spirits of the sakalava and Antakarana princes. It is fady to fish there, or to smoke, wear trousers or any garment put on over the feet, or a hat, while on the lakes'shoves (fady = taboo)

LOKOBE

Nosy be's only protected area, is a strict Reserve and as such is not currently open to visitors (plans for it to become a national park seem to have been shelved).However, it is possible to visit the buffer zone on the northeast side of the peninsula. You are bound to see a lepilemur which, unlike the species in Berenty, spend its day dozing in the fork or a favourite tree rather than in a hole, including black lemurs.The cameleons here are the panther (pardalis) species and in the breeding season (November to May) the male is bright green and the female a pinkish colour, there are also boas here if you have a good guide.

WHERE TO STAY?

Eco-village Fihavanana Hotel (medium)
Jungle-village (medium)

NOSY KOMBA AND NOSY TANIKELY

No visit to nosy be is complete without an excursion to these two islands. NOSY KOMBA's main attraction is the black lemurs, and the marine national park of Nosy tanikely lures snorkellers and birds enthusiants.
Nosy komba also provides an excellent opportunity for observing lemur behaviour, although the troup size, here is much higher than normal, leading to agression and fighting. Female lemurs tend to be dominant, but here it is a general free-for-all.
Note the way the males rub their bottoms on branches to scent-mark them and gain some authority. Take a look at a lemur's hand; you will see the four flat primate fingernails (such wonderfully human hands) and the single claw which is used for grooming.
Nosy tanikely is for snorkelling that most people visit it. In clear water you can see an amazing variety of marine life, coral, starfish; anemones; very coloured shape of fish, turles, lobsters. A broad beach of white sand and a nice place to see birds.

WHERE TO STAY?

Les Floralies (top)
Hotel lémuriens (medium)

NOSY SAKATIA

This rather bare island lies off the west side of Nosy be.NOSY SAKATIA means orchid island, but a more remarkable aspect of its flora are the baobabs. There are some well-run hotels here catering for divers.
WHERE TO STAY?
Sakatia Passions (top)
Sakatia Dive Inn (medium)

NOSY MITSIO

The archipelago of NOSY MITSIO lies some 60 - 70 km from NOSY BE and about the same distance from the mainland. This is beautiful small islands but expensive.

LA GRANDE MITSIO

The largest island is populated by local Malagasy. Ankarana and Sakalava, who survive on their denuded island through farming, cattle and goats.
Overgazing has devasted the island but some forest remains in the southern part. Huge basalt columns are a prominant feature on the northwest, used as an adventure playground by enterprising goats.
The island attracts yachties to its coral reefs and good anchorages. Maribe Bay provides good anchorage, protected between two hills? This is a good area for seeing manta rays.

TSARA BANJINA

This name means "good to look at" and this is a small but incredibly beautiful-island; made famous by British actress Joanna Lumley who was "cast way" here. The red, grey and volcanic rocks, rising quite high at its centre, has a mass of lush, green vegetation clinging to them, from baobabs and other large trees to pachypodium and tiny lap a crystal-clear green / indigo sea.
Turles and rays rest near the beaches.

WHERE TO STAY?

Hotel Tsarabanjina (top)

NOSY ANKAREA

Another beautiful place to spend a few luxurious days.There are some gorgeous, sun-drenched beaches and the low hills make for pleasant walking excursions.The island is superb. Fabulous pachypodiums, flamboyants etc... Surrounded by coral reefs in an azure sea.The forest on the island is relatively undisturbed, due to numerous fadys (taboo) and the fact that no one lives there except Marlin Club Tourists. It is possible to climb up the highest hill (219 m - quite steep but well worth it) to reach a plateau covered with pachypodiums and lots of weird and wonderful other succulents.

WHERE TO STAY?

Marlin club Ecohotel Annex with 6 luxury tents

LES QUATRES FRERES (The Four Brothers)

These are four imposing lumps of silver basalt, two of which are home to hundreds of nesting seabirds, including brown boobies, frigate birds and white-tailed tropic-birds.A pair of Madagascar fish eagles nest on one of the rocks.The sides drop vertically to about 20 - 30 m, and drivers come here because three of the boulders can be circumnavigated during one vigorous dive. The best marine life is in the lee. There are huge canes, spectacular overhangs and rockfalls in the area.

NOSY IRANJA

About two hours by boat from NOSY BE or transfer by helicopter can be arranged. Untill a few years ago this was a peaceful island inhabited by fisherfolk, and an important breeding reserve for hawksbill turtles. When news broke that planning, permission had been granted for a luxury hotel there was consternation and outrage among conservationists. However, now the hotel is open the reports, such as the following from a tour operator, are very favourable. The accomandation is really attractive, the food is very good indeed, the staff are absolutely charming, the site is fantastically beautiful, the specialists knows there stuff, very well equipped.

NOSY MAMOKO

This little island is at the southwest end of Ampasindava Bay. Known among the yachting fraternity for its exceptional shelter in all weather, it is a lovely, tranquil spot for a fewdays'relexation. Nosy Mamoko is on the itineraries of two or three operators, based in Nosy be, who organise lengthty trips into the region. There is good fishing here and whalewatching from October to December.

NOSY RADAMA

The Radama islands, which lie to the far south of NOSY BE and thus are only really accessible to yachties, compete with the Mitsios for the best diving sites in the northeast of Madagascar. They are set in a breathtaking coastline of Bays backed by high mountains.Most of these high sandstone islands are steep-sided above and below water and covered with scrub, grass and trees. Sharp eroded rock formations, however, render the remaining forest rather difficult to explore.

tours & prices