Madagascar’s number-one beach destination, the island of Nosy Be has all the ingredients you’d expect: soft white sand, turquoise waters and wonderful seafood. A paradise for water-based activities with its sunny climate most of the year, diving is the top draw, and there is plenty of swimming, snorkelling, sailing and fishing. Operators offer excursions to the surrounding islands with their beautiful beaches and great diving opportunities.
Nosy Be in Madagascar!
With white beaches, a turquoise sea surrounded by palm trees, tropical flowers and large butterflies, it is a true paradise here. While the rest of Madagascar has hardly any tourists and therefore has hardly any facilities for tourism, Nosy Be is completely different! Nosy Be has many facilities. You will find several supermarkets, many restaurants, bars and hotels here. You can also go out on Nosy Be, the island barely has a power outage and you have good wifi here!
Nosy Be means “big island”, referring to the small islands that surround Nosy Be. It’s not that big at all, you can drive around the entire island in three hours! The islands around Nosy Be are also worth a visit. In short, there is more than enough to do in and around Nosy Be!
History
Nosy Be’s first inhabitants were probably Swahili and Indian traders in the 15th century. The island made its first appearance in Madagascar’s history when King Radama the First announced his intention of conquering the whole West of the red Island up to the sea, a plan that succeeded when the Boeni Kingdom was annexed 1837 to the Merina kingdom. After the defeat of her troops, Boina Queen Tsiomeko sought refuge on the islands of Nosy Komba and Nosy Tanikely. The Merina were unable to pursue them onto these islands and settled on the neighbouring coast. In 1838, the Boeni refugees asked protection from the sultan of Zanzibar, who sent a vessel that turned back almost as soon as it arrived. Finally, in 1840, when a French ship entered Nosy Be’s Bay, they asked for the protection of France. In 1841 Queen Tsiomeko and Admiral Hell, governor of Reunion, signed the treaty establishing French authority over the islands of Nosy Be and Nosy Komba, a fact that marked the begin of the French protectorate over the archipelago. The French army still had to stop the military raids of Merina soldiers for almost thirty years.
What to see and do
The name of Nosy Be means “big island” in Malagasy, though the island has been granted several nicknames over centuries, being probably “Nosy Manitra” (the perfumed island) the most popular of all. As soon as you arrive at Fascene’s airport your nose will soon understand why. Scenting ylang ylang, coffee, cacao, vanilla and sugar cane plantations spread all over the island distil a balmy fragrance that will delight your sense of smell. The yellow Ylang Ylang flower is one of the products used in the production of perfume essence. The trees are bend to the ground to ensure easier picking of the flowers. Red pepper is distilled as a perfume essence too.
Nosy Be’s landscape is varied and it is characterized by a great many hills that are overlooked by Mount Lokone (450m) and Mount Passot (350). From these high vantage points, you have an exceptional view onto Nosy Be Bay, but also on the Radama Islands (south) and Mitsio Islands (north). There are eleven volcanic lakes on the island, which constitute an enormous water reserve for humans and crops. The whole coastline is punctuated by a great number of gorgeous bays and deserted beaches lined by palm trees. There are also many small islets and rocks which are often visited by refuges seeking for some private. Temperatures are pleasant around the whole year. Notice that humidity can be particularly bad during the tropical summer.
Nosy Be offers a wide range of activities that will please even the demanding visitor. Get away from the crowds on white sandy beaches, blue-green seas and the amazing coral reefs. Explore the lush jungle in the Lobeke nature reserve and make the most of your holidays visiting some of the surrounding islands. Indulge yourself a day cruise to the outer islets of Nosy Komba, Nosy Tanikely and Nosy Sakatia; participate in a scuba diving adventure in the jewel-like archipelago of Nosy Mitsio or embark on a discovery trip to the remote Radama islands, with an astonishing rich undersea life. You can still find your own way of exploring the natural wonders of this archipelago far away from the tourist centres.
