Madagascar is fringed by a number of beautiful islands.
Nosy Be is the best known, a relatively developed place with a number of boutique hotels. Though you can find quiet corners of Nosy Be, we prefer the sleepier islands such as Ile Sainte Marie on the east coast, Nosy Komba off northern Madagascar, or the private islands of Tsarabanjina and Nosy Iranja.
On these islands it is easy to Madagascar’s Islands find deserted beaches with soft sand and clear water. Ghost crabs scuttle across the sand and - particularly in the north - frigate birds can be seen soaring overhead. Many of the islands have villages on or nearby and you become accustomed to the daily sight of dhows sailing past, filled with thatching palms, grain and cows until they float just inches above the water. In villages breadfruit trees shade bamboo huts and zebu cattle graze in the fields.
The islands are perfect for relaxing after the adventurous experience of Madagascar’s rainforests. Flights go regularly from Antananarivo to Ile Sainte Marie while even more fly to Nosy Be, from where boats reach Nosy Komba, Tsarabanjina and Nosy Iranja. Once on the islands, days can be spent snorkelling and diving, pottering around on a bicycle or just lying on the beach.
In this region
Ifaty is a small Vezo fishing village on Madagascar's south eastern coast, on the shores of the Mozambique Channel. There are several good hotels along the beach, and...
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Ile Sainte-Marie is a sleepy island off Madagascar’s east coast, ringed by deserted beaches with soft sand and palm trees, traditional fishing villages and just a handful...
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Nosy Be lies off the northwest of Madagascar and has a near-perfect climate – sunshine with brief showers that are often at night. The soils are fertile and sugar, pepper...
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One hour by boat southwest of Nosy Be, at low tide Nosy Iranja is a single island but splits into two as rising waters cover the connecting white sandbank. The northern...
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Nosy Komba is a beautiful island a few kilometres away from Nosy Be, placed on the map for its population of habituated black lemurs. Hills fold dramatically into the...
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The Nosy Mitsio Archipelago lies 70 kilometres north of Nosy Be and is only accessible by boat. Skimming over the water you often glimpse bottle nosed dolphins and green...
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Situated 55 miles south west of Nosy Be are the extremely remote and rarely visited Radama Islands. Most people have never even heard of these islands, let alone thought...
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