Nosy Be

Nosy Be’s beaches are ideal for swimming as they shelve gradually, staying shallow for miles out to sea. Superb snorkelling conditions and safe swimming makes it the perfect family destination.

The calm waters of the Nosy Be region in North West Madagascar are also well suited to sailing, which can offer a whole new perspective of the island from out in the ocean deep.

There is one busy town, Hell-Ville, where the roads are alive with ancient Renault taxis, zebu-carts, bicycles and pedestrians. This is an interesting place to visit and to observe daily life.

Charter yachts set off from Nosy Be for luxury and sunset cruises. A trip to Crater Bay is often a highly talked about adventure.

Nosy Iranja Lodge is a luxury resort on one of two islands that make up Nosy Iranja, just off the coast of Nosy Be. The islands are joined by a sand bar that, at low tide, can be crossed on foot. Each of the 29 chalets boast a private terrace, providing panoramic views of the Indian Ocean, with a hammock and deck chairs tailor-made for whiling the days away.

Eden Lodge is a luxurious, yet environmentally sustainable development that offers its guests a peaceful, decadent, yet comfortable stay on Nosy Be's Baobab Beach, which is a 30min boat trip from Nosy Be on Madagascar's northern mainland. It is the first Green Globe certified lodge in Madagascar.

Vanila Hotel is one of the most beloved getaways on Nosy Be Island. It is situated in a lush palm garden right on the beautiful beach. Enjoy superb seafood and local cuisine from a choice of two restaurants at the hotel. There is a boutique, massage room and a Spa for guests' indulgence.

How to Get There

Sun Safaris can arrange scheduled flights for visitors to Madagascar. Ivato International Airport is an airport located in Antananarivo (Tana), the capital of Madagascar. Ivato Airport is main hub for Air Madagascar and the majority of flights around the island originate from here, which is a good thing considering the bad state of the roads. Besides the big cities, lots of little hamlets are also served via light air transfers.

By road is the only inexpensive way to get around, but Madagascar's roads are mostly very poor quality (except for two routes leading in and out of Tana). These road excursions will take guests into beautiful forested areas; however, if there is a time limit on the journey, travellers should be reminded that these trips will take a while longer than expected.

There are not many direct routes on land and the many small towns are accessible via one road only, meaning guests should be advised on which routes to take should they be self-driving. The best option is light air transfer to destinations on the island.

Nosy Be Activities

The tropical island of Nosy Be stands out from a large coral shelf in the Mozambique Canal. It is surrounded by several exquisite islands, including Nosy Komba, Nosy Tanikely, Nosy Sakatia and Nosy Mitsio.

Nosy Be's fantastic beaches and reefs fall within a protected national zone and the island is home to special lemur reserve, which guests are encouraged to visit. There is excellent fishing on offer, both deep-sea and bottom fishing, as well as unforgettable diving opportunities, and water sport activities.

Nosy Be is both a starting point for boat charters, excursions on the sea and the ultimate tropical island escape for a relaxing vacation. Indulge in cuisine, delicate tropical flavours, or watch the sun set whilst sipping an exotic cocktail after a leisure-filled day spent scuba-diving snorkelling, water-skiing, sailing, fishing or simply lying in the sun. Beneath the crystal clear surface of the sea lies a large variety of local marine life: soft and hard coral, groupers, turtles, mantas, whale sharks and barracudas.