Nosy Be, the island of fragrances
Nosy Be is moored in the northwest of the Big Island and remains the most visited place by tourists.
The beauty of this tropical island, the charm offered by its beaches, seabeds, vegetation, population and weather have come together to establish its reputation. It is an island still very authentic, natural and where life is good. With its 35 almost pristine islets, numerous beaches, whales, diving sites, and deep-sea fishing spots, the term "terrestrial paradise" is the most appropriate to describe this island of extremely rare beauty.
It was elected among the 10 most beautiful islands in the world by TRIPADVISOR users in 2013. And the most beautiful island in the African continent.
The other terms used are "the pearl of the Indian Ocean", "the island of flowers" or "the island of perfumes".
Nosy-Be, which literally means "big island" in Malagasy, is 24 kilometres long and 18 kilometres wide, with a circumference of 75 kilometres. The roof of this charming little island, Mount Passot, rises to 430 metres. Mount Passot offers a breathtaking view of the entire island and the surrounding islets on the Mozambique Channel. Admiring a sunset at the top of the Passot is a moment not to be missed under any circumstances.
There are regular daily national and international flights connecting the island to a number of places such as Diego and Tana, Reunion Island or Milano.
Nosy Be, the island of flowers and perfumes
Before reaching its many beaches, Nosy Be Island first offers a landscape where sugar cane cultivation and rice fields invade the few hundred hectares of land, in narrow plains or hills. Sugar cane gives this island a green landscape that contrasts with the yellowed hills of Ylang-Ylang. This island is also a place of production of Ylang-Ylang, a plant with a very fragrant flower from which an essence is extracted. This plant of scent has earned Nosy Be the name of "the island of perfumes". The heady scent of Ylang-Ylang is complemented by the aroma of coffee, pepper and sometimes cocoa flowers.
Nosy Be, a privileged climate
This island enjoys a humid tropical climate, an unusual climate in the western part of Madagascar with an average annual temperature of 28° C.
The temperature in Nosy Be is very pleasant and the sky is always bright. The sun rarely fails, especially during the dry season from April to November.
Nosy Be, a succession of deserted beaches
Ambatoloaka, Madirokely and Andilana superb beaches are formed by sand of colours ranges from white to black, grey, yellow and even red.
As you lie on these beaches, you can easily contemplate the turquoise sea. This panorama is sometimes enhanced by the nodding of the coconut leaves and the passage of a canoe with a pendulum that advances nonchalantly on the lagoon.
A multitude of islets around Nosy Be
The two nearest islets that really deserve a detour are Nosy Tanikely and Nosy Komba with their light blue seabed.
Nosy Tanikely
Nosy Tanikely is a land & underwater reserve that offers a fantastic diving site. With your masks and snorkel, you only need a few meters from the shore to enjoy the parade, around magnificent corals, of thousands of fish species such as groupers, moon-fish, barracudas, parrots, rays, clown fish, morays, leopard sharks, sea turtles…
Nosy Komba
Not far from Nosy Tanikely, you can visit Nosy Komba, which in Malagasy means "the island of lemurs". It shelters many lemurs such as the fulvus lemur, with a thick black coat for the male and red coat for the female, the coronatus lemur,… these free lemurs are not fierce and are used to visitors.
They easily approach you for a picture if you bring a banana to attract them. Finally, if you don't have time for shopping in the city, this fishing village offers a large market of various souvenirs that deserves your attention.
Diego-Suarez
We can organise visits to Diego-Suarez which is located at the level of the amber cap.
It is the largest city in northern Madagascar, a circuit that can be done in 5/6 days with the program: the Ankarana reserve, the amber mountain, Joffreville, cocoa plantations along the road between Ankify and Ambanja, red Tsingy, grey Tsingy, Ramena, the emerald sea, the mail bay… etc., all with guide / driver and 4X4.
Lokobé reserve
To satisfy the Naturalists, the Lokobé reserve guided tours is not to be missed. It is the last primary forest of the island.
30 minutes by boat and you arrive in this magical place of serenity where live fauna and flora endemic to this northern part of the island with its lemurs and scented plants (coffee, pepper, ylang ylang, vanilla,…..) which covers an area of 740 ha at an altitude of 430m.
