Beach and Island Holidays in Madagascar

Beautiful, sandy beaches, spectacular diving and snorkelling and some wonderful hotels for your tropical island holiday or honeymoon, or as an extension to your Madagascar tour.

Ile Ste Marie

PRINCESSE BORA LODGE is a superb hotel on the west coast of Ile Ste Marie. Fifteen lovely, self-contained villas built of natural materials are set amidst a palm grove at the edge of the beach. The restaurant is known as the best on the island. The lodge has a watersports centre, bikes on which to explore Ile Ste Marie, and a full programme of excellent island excursions.

The Princesse Bora is affiliated to MEGAPTERA, the association for research, observation and protection of marine mammals, and no one has failed to be impressed owner Francois-Xavier Mayer's commitment to conservation or by the quality of the whale-watching programme. A specialist ecoguide briefs whale-watchers before, during and after the boat trip, which follows the code of good conduct for approaching these spectacular creatures. Once silently anchored within 100 m of a group of whales, sit back and watch them leap - or listen to the songs of these giant mammals. The price (£25/adult, £16/children aged 4 - 12) contributes to the work of MEGAPTERA.
At the dive centre, qualified instructors offer courses leading to qualifications from open water diver through dive master. Specialist wreck, orientation, night and deep-water diving courses are also available. Courses of 6 theoretical and 6 practical lessons cost 1 800 000 Fmg. Individual dives from 20 000 Fmg. Dive sites are off Ile aux Nattes and the west coast, the east coast (September - January), and offshore islets.
Price: From £59/69/87 per person per night, based on 2 sharing a comfort bungalow and including breakfast, 3-course dinner and airport transfers (in a zebu cart or closed vehicle, depending on the weather). Luxury bungalows from £66 ppn. Children under 12 from £20.

Anakao

ANAKAO CLUB RESORT is a new hotel at the end of an unspoiled beach on the Bay of Andovoka, just south of the village of Anakao.
It has four double bungalows, three bungalows with a mezzanine room and a family suite. The hotel has been such a success that several more rooms are being added. The thatched bungalows are built from local stone and wood, and the décor is a simple complement to the dark, polished wood floor and furniture. Huge French windows open onto a private verandah. All bungalows have modern en suite facilities.
The restaurant features an open kitchen. It employs local produce in its menu, a fusion of modern European cuisine and the Malagasy culinary tradition.
There is diving for both novice and experienced divers. The hotel organises trips to both Nosy Ve and Nosy Satrana, fishing trips and boat and quad bike excursions. Whales are often seen between August and October.

Anjajavy

Set on a peninsula in the Mozambique Channel, 120 km north of Mahajanga, ANJAJAVY is a beautiful, international 4*-standard hotel in an exceptional location.
Opened in December 2000, the Anjajavy hotel is set on at the end of a peninsula over a wide bay in a 450-hectare protected area. This is virtually the only protected area of deciduous forest between Mahajanga and Nosy Be and contains more than 1800 species of plant, as well as Coquerel's sifaka, the rare Madagascar fish eagle and chameleons. To the right of the hotel is the famous tsingy, here supporting majestic baobabs. It is said that Anjajavy takes its name from the mangrove within its boundaries – ‘Jajavy’ is the name of a small mangrove shrub.

Anjajavy has 25 air-conditioned, two-storey villas built of rosewood and roofed with satrana leaves. Each has a very large patio overlooking the sea, a living room, breakfast corner and a bedroom. Up a small flight of stairs is a room to accommodate children or friends, or to use as a study. The bathroom has a king-size tub and is separate from the toilet. Each villa has a safe, mini-bar, tea- or coffee-making facilities, satellite phone and outside shower.
The restaurant overlooks the 200 sq. metre pool and the sea, and offers an excellent international menu with some Malagasy specialities. The bar is another good spot from which to enjoy the sunsets. The boutique has a wide selection of both traditional and contemporary Malagasy crafts items.

The beach in front of the villas is for swimming and relaxation. A second beach is geared towards watersports. Complimentary activities include: catamarans, windsurfing, canoes, snorkelling and aquagym. Diving, water-skiing, parasailing and exceptional deep-sea fishing are also available. Boat trips are offered to the Bay of Moromba and the ‘Garçonnière des Dieux’; or you can explore the mangroves by pirogue.
Land-based sports include: volleyball, table tennis, badminton, billiards and boules. Mountain bikes are available for a nominal fee. 4WD excursions to the salt lake and a cave with lemur fossils are offered at certain times of year. You can walk through the mangrove at low tide; through the forest, populated by Coquerel's sifakas and a variety of bird species; to the Sakalava fishing villages of Ambondro Ampasy or Anjajavy; to the enormous baobab; or explore the numerous small coves. You can feel secure – there are no dangerous or venomous creatures to worry you.
You can observe the wildlife virtually without effort. Each day, a troop of beautiful Coquerel's sifaka visits a fruiting tree a few metres from the beach. Brown lemurs sometimes join in the foray. At night, you can spot mouse lemurs in the beam of your torch. There are flocks of love-birds. sickle-billed vangas, crested couas, vasa parrots, to mention but a few. And then there is the rich marine world…
The hotel contributes to local economic development through the NGO Ecole du Monde, which assists the people of the neighbouring villages through low-interest micro-credits and technical assistance. Please ask for further information.

Price: From £106/145/162 per person per night.
Price based on two sharing and including all meals and laundry service.
Single supplement: £31/42/56 per night
Child aged 2- 12 sharing: £38/48/56 per night

Low season Offer: Stay 7 nights for the price of 6 or 12 for the price of 10. Valid 8 Jan - 31 March, June 2007.

There are no roads to Anjajavy. The hotel provides scheduled air transfers from Antananarivo (£325 return) three times each week and weekly air transfers to/from Nosy Be. Special air transfers can be arranged on other days at a higher price.

You can now see Anjajavy Hotel and Reserve on Google Earth. The coordinates are 14º59'26"S by 47º13'40"E. The village of Ambondro Ampasy is at 14º59S by 47º14'E.

Nosy Be

The VANILA HOTEL is a welcoming beachfront hotel run by the father-and-son team of Jean-Louis and Damien Salles and is probably the nicest on Nosy Be. It has good facilities on site and is an excellent base for scuba diving, sailing and deep-sea fishing.
We recommend the Vanila for a few relaxing – or active – days at the end of a Madagascar tour; for people who want to do some serious diving from a comfortable hotel; or for a very nice family beach holiday with a difference.

Location
Vanila Hotel stands at the edge of the beach 3 km from Dzamandzar on the northwest coast of Nosy Be, opposite the island of Nosy Sakatia. It is 20 minutes’ drive from Hell-Ville, the capital of Nosy Be, and 40 minutes from Nosy Be airport.
Accommodation
The hotel has 41 comfortable rooms and suites, all equipped with overhead fan, optional air conditioning, TV, telephone, safe, hairdryer and mini bar. All the rooms have en suite bathrooms, with shower and separate wc, and a private terrace or balcony.
The 21 airy garden rooms are between 28m2 and 36m2 and look onto tropical gardens. We like the views from the 18 ocean rooms (32m2 and 42m2), four of which intercommunicate. Two of these rooms are a bit special, for honeymoons and other romantic holidays.
The two 64m2 prestige suites provide a fine sea view and a large private balcony with jacuzzi. They are also equipped with a second wc, a DVD player and a tea/coffee station.
Food
The Vanila has two restaurants directed by a French chef, each beside one of the pools. The main restaurant serves breakfast and dinners based mainly on local fish, shellfish, Malagasy spices and tropical fruits and vegetables. You can select some of the wonderful dishes based on the vanilla and rum for which Nosy Be is famous; and the kitchen can accommodate children’s tastes. The smaller Grill du Sol stands between the pool and the sea and serves lunch – lighter fare, like salads and grills – and gastronomic evening meals.
There are four bars, two of which are attached to the pools – lovely places from which to watch the sun sink into the sea.
Facilities
Vanila Hotel has two freshwater pools, each beside one of the restaurants and served by a pool bar. The pool beside the Grill du Sol is made up of three circular pools, one of which is suitable for small children. The hotel provides beach towels, and there is a solarium, table tennis, billiards and a video room. There is also a little playground for small children.
The hotel offers traditional massage in its dedicated massage room, internet access, money changing facilities, babysitting and an excellent boutique, which is stocked with well-priced and attractive local handicrafts. There is a variety of evening entertainment, and a children’s club and teen programme in the holidays.
Activities
The Vanila has a boathouse on the island of Nosy Sakatia, which is directly across the water from the hotel. Here you will find sea-kayaks, hobie cats and lasers, snorkelling and water-skiing.
The hotel is an excellent base for scuba diving and deep-sea fishing. Mountain bikes, 4WDs and motorbikes can be hired. The hotel has a full programme of excursions, including bivouacs on the nearby islands, and will be pleased to organise any that you wish to book on the spur of the moment.
Family
Rooms can accommodate an extra bed and some rooms can accommodate two additional beds for families. There are also four interconnecting rooms.
The hotel has a pool suitable for younger children and a small playground. It runs activity programmes for children and teenagers during the (French) school holidays.
The kitchen is responsive to children’s tastes.
Children under 3 stay free of charge; under 12, benefit from a 50% discount on rates.
Price
Garden rooms from £33/42 per person sharing, including breakfast.
Ocean rooms from £42/52 per person sharing, including breakfast.
Air-conditioned suite from £104 per person sharing, including breakfast.
Half-board supplement £12.50.
Special Offer: Stay 4 nights and get the 5th night free – on the same meal basis. Offer valid 1 – 22 December 2007 and 1 June – 11 July 2008.
Other
This hotel accepts Visa, travellers’ cheques and hard currency. English is spoken.