Nosy Be

⚠️ Timetables, opening hours, prices and access conditions may change without notice, for reasons beyond our control (season, weather, decisions by operators, venues or local authorities). Before every trip, check the information with the relevant authorities and service providers. Entry requirements and local rules (reserves, quotas) are subject to the same caveat.

Nosy Be, meaning “big island” in Malagasy, lies about ten kilometres off the northwest coast of Madagascar in the Mozambique Channel. Nicknamed the perfume island for its ylang-ylang plantations, it is the country’s most developed beach destination, with the beaches of Ambatoloaka, Madirokely and Andilana. Around it sit Nosy Komba, the island of lemurs, the Nosy Tanikely marine reserve, the sandbank of Nosy Iranja and quiet Nosy Sakatia. Add the Lokobe forest, crater lakes, whale sharks and humpback whales, and you get one of the richest island escapes in the Indian Ocean.

Where is Nosy Be?

Nosy Be is a volcanic island of about 320 km², lying some ten kilometres off Madagascar’s northwest coast, opposite the Ankify peninsula in the Diana region. Its main town, Hell-Ville, officially called Andoany, is home to the port, the market and the administration, while tourism is concentrated along the west coast, from Ambatoloaka to Andilana. Fascene airport lies in the east, around forty minutes by road from the main beaches. The island has a little over 100,000 inhabitants, most of them Sakalava.

The landscape mixes wooded hills, plantations and about ten crater lakes, overlooked by Mont Passot, roughly 330 metres high. In the southeast, the Lokobe forest protects the last patch of primary forest on the island. Satellite islands are scattered all around: Nosy Komba and Nosy Tanikely to the south, Nosy Sakatia to the west, Nosy Iranja further southwest, plus the Mitsio and Radama archipelagos, usually explored on sailing or diving cruises lasting several days.

History and culture

First settled by Antankarana and Zafinofotsy groups, Nosy Be later became Sakalava land. In the nineteenth century, Queen Tsiomeko, driven from the mainland by Merina troops, turned to France, which established itself on the island from 1840. The main town was then named Hell-Ville, after Admiral de Hell, governor of Île Bourbon, today’s Réunion. Colonial facades and old cannons recall that era, as does the memory of the Russian Baltic Fleet, which anchored in the roadstead in 1905 on its way to the Far East.

Sugar cane and rum long drove the economy before ylang-ylang, spices, vanilla and tourism took over. Sakalava culture remains very present: sacred trees and lakes are surrounded by taboos, called fady, that visitors must respect, and the sacred banyan of Mahatsinjo, near Hell-Ville’s port, is still a place of prayer. The population blends Sakalava, Comorian, Indian and European roots, a mix you can feel in the food, in salegy music and in mosques standing close to churches.

What to see in Nosy Be

In Hell-Ville, the covered market, colonial streets and seafront can be explored on foot in a morning. Mont Passot then offers the finest panorama on the island, over the sacred lakes and neighbouring islands, especially at sunset. Inland, several distilleries open their stills to visitors: Lemuria Land combines an ylang-ylang distillery with lemurs, tortoises and chameleons, while the Domaine de Florette, a 30-hectare plantation, offers guided trails and lunch. These visits are easy to combine with a drive around the island.

The unmissable outing is Lokobe National Park, reached by pirogue from the village of Ambatozavavy to Ampasipohy, where you can spot black lemurs, panther chameleons and leaf-tailed geckos. Nosy Komba, about twenty minutes away by boat, is famous for its black lemurs and the embroidered tablecloths sold in Ampangorina village. It is often paired with Nosy Tanikely for a full day out, while a separate trip leads to Nosy Iranja and its two islets joined by a sandbank.

Beaches, sea and nature

The liveliest beaches line the west coast: Ambatoloaka, with its bars, restaurants and dive centres, and quieter Madirokely right next door. Further north, Andilana unrolls a long stretch of white sand and turquoise water, renowned for its sunsets. Ambaro, Ambondrona and Dzamandzar bay offer calmer alternatives. Tides are strong in the Mozambique Channel, so check the tide tables before heading out, as swimming is often far more pleasant around high tide on many of the island’s beaches.

Underwater, the Nosy Tanikely marine reserve gathers turtles, reef fish and corals just a few metres from the shore, perfect for snorkelling. Dive centres also visit wrecks, drop-offs and the reefs of Nosy Sakatia. From around October to December, sometimes as early as September, plankton-rich waters draw whale sharks, which you can swim alongside with a guide, while humpback whales pass mainly from August to October. Local operators also regularly report sightings of the rare Omura’s whale.

Getting there and getting around

Fascene Airport (NOS) receives Madagascar Airlines flights from Antananarivo, Air Austral from Réunion, Ethiopian Airlines from Addis Ababa, Airlink from Johannesburg and, in season, Neos from Italy. From Europe you therefore need at least one connection, for example in Antananarivo, Saint-Denis de La Réunion or Addis Ababa. You can also arrive by sea, as speedboats link Ankify on the mainland with Hell-Ville. Schedules and routes change often, so check with the airlines and boat operators before you travel.

On the island, tuk-tuks and taxis handle short trips, with the fare agreed before you get in. Many travellers rent a scooter, from around 40,000 ariary a day, or a quad bike, but an international driving permit is required and some roads are in poor condition. Hiring a car with a driver is very common for a tour of the island or for airport runs. To reach the neighbouring islands, book a boat trip through your hotel, a dive centre or a local agency.

Best time to go, budget and formalities

Nosy Be enjoys a warm climate all year round. The dry season, from April or May to October or November, is the most pleasant, with calm seas and temperatures around 30 °C. From December to March, the rainy season brings showers and humidity, and cyclones can strike between January and April. October and November are ideal for combining good weather, diving and whale sharks, while July and August, the European summer holidays, call for booking your accommodation well ahead.

The currency is the Malagasy ariary (MGA): expect about 5,200 ariary to the euro in autumn 2026, with cash machines in Hell-Ville. French travellers need a passport valid for six months after arrival and a tourist visa, issued on arrival or online at evisamada.gov.mg; as a guide, it costs €35 for 30 days and €40 for 60 days. Other EU citizens generally follow the same rule but should check for their nationality. Malaria is present on the coast, so see a doctor before leaving.

Essentials

Your questions answered

Nearby islands: Madagascar, Mayotte, Sainte-Marie and Seychelles.

Photo : Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons