Discover Nosy Be, the island of perfume

Located 8 km from Grand Terre, Nosy Be and its islands (six islands around Nosy Be and the Mitsio and Radama archipelagos) form a complex of islands with turquoise waters, ideal for our stay at the end of our trip to Madagascar.

Its capital, Hell-Ville, takes its name from Admiral Hell, the French governor when Nosy Be was a French protectorate in 1841.

It is worth wandering through its bustling and colorful spice and fruit market; visiting a Ylang-Ylang distillery; watching the sunset from Mont Passot; and, not to be missed, sailing to the paradisiacal and iconic island of Nosy Iranja.

How to get to Nosy Be in Madagascar?

Ethiopian Airlines flies to Nosy Be, with a wide range of flights from Addis Ababa, or Madagascar Airlines, which operates daily flights between Antananarivo and Nosy Be. It can also be reached by road, taking a six-day route from Diego Suarez (Antsiranana) to Ankify, where you can take a motorboat to Nosy Be. This makes it a great option to take a route through the north and end up in Nosy Be.

What to do on your trip to Nosy Be?

Without a doubt, the great attraction of Nosy Be is the idyllic islands located around it, where you can snorkel, dive, or simply enjoy the turquoise waters of, for example, the spectacular Nosy Iranja or the Nosy Tanikely Marine Reserve.

For lovers of terrestrial fauna and flora, Lokobe National Park, the only national park in Nosy Be and habitat of the Eulemur macaque, is well worth a visit. Eighteen species of amphibians, 54 species of reptiles, and 48 species of birds, such as the Treron australis and Ardea humbloti, have led to it being declared a ZICO (Important Bird Area). It covers 740 hectares of dense, low-altitude evergreen forest, home to several palm trees, one of which is endemic to the park, Dypsis ampasindavae, and dominated by Dyospiros clusiifolia, Grangeria porosa, Canarium madagascariense, Parkia madagascariensis, and Uapaca louveli. The park also includes a marine area consisting of coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangroves.

As on the rest of the island, the star attraction is the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae, also known as the yubarta, a baleen whale of the Balaenopteridae family (fin whales). It is one of the largest species. Adults are 12 to 16 meters long and weigh approximately 36 tons. They are migratory, traveling from Antarctica in search of warm waters where they can reproduce and give birth to their young. They are usually seen from August to October. Our visit continues on the island of Nosy Sakatia, where we can go snorkeling in search of sea turtles.

And, of course, the paradise island of Nosy Iranja. Considered one of the 10 most beautiful secret islands on the planet by Vogue magazine, it is part of the Nosy Be Archipelago, which includes the islands of Nosy Komba, Nosy Sakatia, Nosy Fanihy, Nosy Tanikely, Nosy Be, and Nosy Iranja. It is located approximately 1.5 hours south of the island of Nosy Be by boat and is a must-see for anyone staying on any of the islands in this archipelago. Nosy Iranja is made up of two tropical islets, Iranja Kely (small island) and Iranja Be (large island), separated by a long sandbar that appears during the day and disappears at sunset in the gentle sway of the waves.

We also highlight whale shark watching during the months of November and December. The whale shark resides in the tropical waters of the Nosy Be, Radames, and Mitsio archipelagos, where it comes to feed between October and December. Swimming with whale sharks is permitted, provided that the Code of Conduct for diving and snorkeling imposed by the Mada Whale Shark Project since 2016 is respected. Since January 2024, this code has become Malagasy law and must be respected by all travel agencies, diving centers, skippers, and visitors.

How long should you spend in Nosy Be?

We consider a stay of 3 to 4 nights to be ideal after touring Madagascar, bearing in mind that it is a very small island with little infrastructure and fairly limited activities.

How to get around Nosy Be?

You will need to use a boat for any of the excursions. Keep in mind that Nosy Be does not have paradise beaches as we understand them, so if you want to enjoy turquoise waters and white sands, we recommend visiting the neighboring islands. If you don’t like sailing, Nosy Be is not the ideal destination for you.

Book your experience in Nosy Be with Indigo Be

At Indigo Be, we understand what an “active” beach vacation entails, and in this case, we strongly recommend that you go on marine excursions such as a whale safari + snorkeling on the island of Nosy Sakatia, a visit to the paradise island of Nosy Iranja, and the Nosy Tanikely Marine Reserve.

Our Green Heart and Sakalava Adventure routes are examples of carefully planned itineraries in northern Madagascar and Nosy Be.

You can also customize your itinerary with one of our expert travel advisors. We put our extensive knowledge of the island, our home since 2006, at your disposal. To get the most out of your trip, take the time you need to plan it and book as far in advance as possible.