Nosy Be and the north
A volcanic island perfumed with ylang-ylang, an archipelago of lagoons and the last black lemurs: Nosy Be is the beach reward — with real wilderness one pirogue away.
Suggested stay — 3 to 4 nights
The 'perfumed island' has two faces: the lively beaches of Ambatoloaka and the resorts on one side, and on the other an archipelago that keeps all its savour — Nosy Komba and its village of embroiderers beneath the black lemurs, Nosy Tanikely, a marine reserve where turtles and shoals of parrotfish let snorkellers drift close, and distant Nosy Iranja, two islets joined by a sandbar that emerges at low tide. On Nosy Be itself, the Lokobe reserve protects the island's last primary forest, reached by outrigger pirogue: black lemurs, boas and the minuscule Nosy Be chameleon.
The inland hills smell of distilled ylang-ylang and cacao; Mont Passot and its crater lakes host the ritual sunset. At sea, whale sharks cruise from October to December and humpbacks in late austral winter. Three to four nights cover the essentials — purists will push by boat or 4x4 to Ankify and on to the Sambirano plantations, the cacao-and-vanilla north that almost nobody sees.
Don't miss
- The Lokobe reserve by pirogue: black lemurs and primary forest
- A boat day combining Nosy Komba + Nosy Tanikely, the village-and-reef combo
- Nosy Iranja and its low-tide sandbar (a full boat day)
- Sunset from Mont Passot above the crater lakes
Our tips on the ground
- Negotiate boat trips the evening before, directly with the boatmen of Ambatoloaka or your beach: the same excursions cost 30-50% less than at the hotel desk.
- For whale sharks (October-December), pick an operator that respects distances and limits swimmers: tourist pressure is rising fast, and the good actors identify themselves by their in-water briefings.
- Rent a scooter or quad for a day inland — ylang-ylang distilleries, sacred lakes, Mont Passot: Nosy Be's roads are among the few in Madagascar where driving yourself is a simple pleasure.
Our flagship guide — €29
Guide available“Madagascar on Your Own Terms”, the complete edition, is out
10 chapters: day-by-day itineraries, driving and transport, a costed budget and checklists — the same method as our Namibia guide.
The guide is currently written in French — an English edition is in the works.
Before you go
Readers' questions about Nosy Be and the north
How do you reach Nosy Be from the circuit?
Flying is the sensible answer: daily domestic flights from Tana (1 h 30). By road, allow two long days on the RN4 then the RN6 to Ankify and its boat shuttle — doable and beautiful (the red tsingy of Ankarana deserve the stop), but best kept for itineraries dedicated to the north.
Is Nosy Be too touristy?
The Ambatoloaka seafront certainly is — but it's an enclave: twenty minutes by pirogue, Nosy Komba and Tanikely remain delicious, and the island's interior lives its plantation life. Those chasing the castaway feeling will sleep a night on Nosy Iranja or head for the still-confidential Mitsio archipelago.