MG
Nosy Be
Perfume-island beaches, lemur islets and turquoise seas
Perfume-island beaches, lemur islets and turquoise seas
On the island’s northwest tip, Andilana is Nosy Be’s finest beach, a long stretch of white sand and clear shallow water with a handful of restaurants for a sunset drink.
💡 Sundays draw a lively local crowd; weekdays are calmer.
The island’s highest point overlooks a chain of sacred volcanic crater lakes and the sea beyond, a classic spot to watch the sun sink into the Mozambique Channel.
💡 Come for sunset but arrive early to claim a good viewpoint.
The last pocket of primary rainforest on Nosy Be shelters black lemurs, chameleons, boa and frogs, reached by a traditional pirogue paddle along the coast.
💡 Go with a guide from Ambatozavavy village for the pirogue trip.
A short boat hop away, ‘lemur island’ is famous for its friendly black lemurs, plus embroidery stalls, snorkelling and a laid-back village pace.
💡 Usually combined with a snorkelling stop at Nosy Tanikely on day tours.
Two islets joined by a dazzling sandbar that appears at low tide, Nosy Iranja is the postcard image of Nosy Be, ringed by nesting turtles and glassy water.
💡 It is a full-day boat trip; check the tide so the sandbar is walkable.
Seafood rules on Nosy Be: grilled lobster, prawns, crab and fish come fresh from the boats, often with coconut rice and zebu skewers. Italian influence means good pizza and pasta in the tourist villages, while beach shacks serve cold THB beer and rum punch infused with island spices. Do not leave without trying a vanilla or ylang-ylang scented dessert.
Settle in, swim at Andilana, then drive up Mont Passot for sunset over the crater lakes and the sea.
Take a boat day trip to Nosy Komba to meet the lemurs and snorkel the reef at Nosy Tanikely marine park.
Paddle into Lokobe reserve for wildlife, or take the longer boat trip to the sandbar paradise of Nosy Iranja.
Island-hopping trips are the highlight; arrange them via a reputable operator or your hotel for safe, well-run tours.
ATMs exist in Hell-Ville but are unreliable; carry enough ariary for smaller villages and beach spots.
May to November brings the best weather; the cyclone season peaks January to March.
Do not feed or handle lemurs and turtles; keep a respectful distance on tours.
Offline French to communicate in shops and with boatmen.
Free
Hillside-capital Antananarivo, beach-fringed Nosy Be, the rainforest of Andasibe, the baobab avenue at Morondava and the canyons of Isalo — Madagascar at its most varied.