Island Paradise Nosy Be

The paradise island Nosy Be ("big island") is located far in the north of Madagascar. It is an absolute dream in the Indian Ocean: Charming beaches with mangroves and hilly rainforests. Already upon arrival, we feel the relaxed atmosphere, the warm climate, and the friendly nature of the locals.

                                     

The Andilana Beach in the northeast is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island with a long sandy beach and crystal clear water 💦  The sea in the bay resembles a bathtub.

 

We experience the best sunset ever right there at Andilana Beach in a local beach bar…

At the beach of Andilana, there is also our dive school! After our introductory diving on the island of Providencia, we now want to obtain the certification for beginners: “Open Water Diver”

Our Swiss teacher is named Mirjam and explains to us very precisely what we need to know. The training is really comprehensive: Over several hours, we acquire the theoretical knowledge and have to pass a final test. In addition, we complete various safety exercises underwater and make dives into the depths. We become more and more confident and can pay more attention to the impressive underwater world. There are plenty of beautiful corals and colorful fish to admire. Unfortunately, we lack a suitable underwater camera for the depths.

We really enjoy visiting Mount Passot on Nosy Be. The extinct volcano is 330 m high and offers a 360-degree panoramic view.

Below, there are several crater lakes that are considered sacred.

In the following days, we undertake several fantastic excursions! Near the big island Nosy Be, there are also numerous smaller islands that are simply incomparable in beauty!

We take a boat to the more pristine island of Nosy Sakatia. It is not far away and is known for the sighting of sea turtles - What a highlight! 🤩 

At first, we arrive at a deserted sandy beach.

Afterward, we explore the interior of the island. The view is top-notch.

After that, we go to the other side of the island! Here we snorkel to spot the giant sea turtles.

And indeed! A huge sea turtle glides calmly past us! It moves majestically slow and constantly grazes on the sea grass at the bottom…

On another day, we set off for a boat tour to visit the islands Nosy Komba and Nosy Tanikely. On Nosy Komba, there is a kind of animal park. 

Lemurs are attracted here with bananas, which we do not find very good.

However, the worst part is that the lemurs are also lured onto the shoulders and arms of tourists. This kind of photoshoot is absolutely inappropriate…

Our continuation to the island Nosy Tanikely is all the more enjoyable! Directly from the beach, we can start snorkeling and see some colorful fish in the clear water.

 

At the highest point of the island stands an old lighthouse with a worthwhile view!   

Many people on Nosy Be live in very simple conditions! They reside in small huts, often without an electrical connection.

 

Besides tourism, agriculture is the main source of livelihood, as is fishing.

 

We would have liked to stay on Nosy Be much longer, but now it's time to move on: Off to Tanzania…