The best beaches in Madagascar

Madagascar continues to be one of the best trips in the world , an ideal destination for exclusive trips for singles or for adventurous couples and families. Much less crowded than the rest of the Indian countries, it allows a much more ecological and sustainable tourism.

In addition, it has beaches for all tastes. Among the best beaches in Madagascar we find old pirate refuges, places to see whales, lemurs or its famous baobabs.

It should even be mentioned that not all of them are on the main island. You may not know it, but Madagascar has different islands, islets and archipelagos around it, where many of its best beaches are located. This makes it one of the most interesting unknown countries in the world to travel to.

Below, we have selected the most interesting beaches in the country, the reasons to go and some accommodation to choose from if we are going to visit them.

1. Nosy Be

If there is a place famous for having the best beaches in Madagascar, it is the Nosy Be archipelago . Located on the northwest coast of the country, it is made up of four main islands, each with its own attractions.

The main island is named after the archipelago, Nosy Be , and is famous for its perfumes. Also, it can be easily reached by plane from Antanarivo . It is the one with the most hotels and also the one with the most crowded beaches in Madagascar . To avoid meeting many tourists, the beaches in the north are more interesting.

The other most famous island is Nosy Komba , where lemurs live, which we will talk about later. The smaller Nosy Sakatia , known for orchids, Nosy Tanikely and Nosy Fanihy , where there are archaeological remains of the ancient Sakalava kings, are ideal for excursions.

The beaches of the archipelago stand out for their fine white sand and the depth of the water gradually increasing. Among all the places on the coast of Madagascar, it is the one with the best infrastructures and services.

There are shops, discos, accommodation of different categories, markets such as Silvers Falls and restaurants serving local, Italian and French cuisine. You can also enjoy water activities of all kinds with rental of jet skis, boats, you can surf, etc…

The Oceanographic Research Center is also very interesting , where we can learn about the marine fauna of the islands.

Some of the most interesting hotels in the archipelago are the Arc en Ciel and the Ravintsara Wellnes Hotel on the main island. It is important to keep in mind that they are three or four star hotels, since there are no large luxury hotels in the country.

In the Nosy Be archipelago there are different excellent beaches such as Andilana Beach , Ambatoloaka Beach , Palm Beach , Chanty Beach , Madirokely and Ampasindava.

2. Nosy Iranja

Nosy Iranja is a small island that is also part of the Nosy Be archipelago, but due to its special characteristics it must be mentioned separately.

In order to stay on the island, you must book one of its two exclusive accommodations. It is a much quieter place than the main archipelago. It is also a popular destination for foreign travelers, mainly French but also from the rest of Europe, North America and Asia.

Sometimes, visitors arrive to spend the day on its beach in boats from the rest of the Nosy Be islands .

Its virgin sand beaches are practically untouched, with shallow water. It also has the cleanest water in this part of the ocean, without high waves and, usually, without much wind.

Here the ideal is also to practice water sports, as well as trying to spot the dolphins and sharks that live offshore. The island is famous for its wild sea turtles, which nest on it.

The most interesting accommodation is the Naturalia Lodge , on the beachfront created from ecologically clean natural materials. A sustainable hotel for a clean island.

From here you can see the sandy date that joins the two islands of Nosy Iranja : Iranja Kely and Iranja Be . When the tide rises, this strip disappears under the water, so it is important to be on the island where we stay before the high tide occurs.

3. Sainte Marie Island

The Ile Sainte Marie , in Malagasy Nosy Boraha , is another of the places with the best beaches in Madagascar. Known as the Formentera of Madagascar , it is well connected by plane and boat, but has fewer tourists than Nosy Be .

This small island is located on the opposite side of the main island, in the northeast of the country. It is an island 50 kilometers long surrounded by paradisiacal beaches and with exuberant vegetation full of palm trees and exotic trees.

Here, its good infrastructure and its restaurants stand out, with fresh fish and menus from all over the world. In addition, the island is a paradise for watching the fantastic humpback whales from July to September.

Nosy Boraha beach is also notable for having a population, Nosy Burakh , famous for being the main center of world piracy in the 17th century. In fact, 70% of the island’s population is descended from these pirates.

From that time we can visit the Alcosart castle, the Asama fortress, the Tore del Ominaj tower or its famous pirate cemetery with tombs in the shape of skulls and bones.

Legend has it that the pirates buried on the island a treasure of more than two hundred million euros in exchange. Another reason to enjoy its beach!

4. Island of Mats

Also known as Nosy Nato , it is next to the island of Nosy Boraha. Just to the south, we find this little place that is smaller and also more exclusive than the main island.

It has everything that makes Sainte Marie so special, beautiful beaches, an ideal place for diving, the possibility of snorkeling and it is also a place of passage for humpback whales.

Another of the great attractions of this island is its viewpoint, in the highest part of it. From here you can see both the beaches of Aux Nattes and Boraha.

And, of course, its lighthouse, located in the southeast and offering an unforgettable view. To eat, Italian food and local seafood and fish stand out.

The only thing that we will lack are pirate treasures, which were hidden on the neighboring island.

5. Ifat

On the main island, we can go to the south to see Ifaty . One of the best beaches in Madagascar , it is located 22 kilometers from Tulear .

We are facing a large complex with long beaches and a semi-desert landscape, with small local houses and fishermen.

Here spearfishing, diving and snorkelling are the most popular activities. Among the fish we can see rays, eels or moray eels in one of the areas with the most marine biodiversity in Africa.

Ideal for trips for the whole family, there is less tourism here than in the northern islands. It is also noticeable in the restaurants, which focus on local seafood and not international options.

Something very interesting is that nearby is the Reniala Nature Reserve . In this reserve you will be able to see the majestic baobabs that have become the symbol of the country. The surrounding fishing villages are also very worthwhile.

Among the hotels to stay we can point out the Ifaty Beach Club Resort , the Hôtel de la Plage or the Hôtel Dunes D’Ifaty .

6. Tsarabanjina

Tsarabanjina , is located an hour by boat from Nosy Be , in the Mitsio archipelago. In this case, in order to enjoy one of the best beaches in Madagascar, it is mandatory to stay on it, since it is a private island for the exclusive use of lodge members.

Its beach is white sand and also has abundant and exotic vegetation. With crystal clear waters, it is one of the best places in the country for diving. There are branching corals and schools of green chromy fish, as well as butterfly fish, parrot fish or the Madagascar clown fish.

The Constance Tsarabanjina Lodge stands out for having only 25 luxury villas, so there will never be many visitors in it. That is one of the advantages of opting for hotels on private islands , that the feeling of tranquility is much greater.

With an all-inclusive system, it has a spa area and a diving center. In addition, you can also enjoy kayaking, fishing or sailing when we get tired of its incredible beach.

Of course, everything is completely sustainable.

7. Shoulders

Ramena is another one of the best beaches in Madagascar . It is located in the north of the country, but on the main island itself. In fact, it is located in Atsiranan , which is the second largest bay in the world.

In this place there is not much tourism or infrastructure. Getting to the place is complicated, with a boat trip of at least an hour. The waters are darker than in other parts of the country but equally clean with a slightly sloping entrance to the water, having to walk quite a bit until it covers.

In the area, the Water Sports Center stands out , as well as the French Mountain of Ambre , with its monument to the victims of 1942 in the battles for the freedom of the city.

Equally interesting are its cocoa and coffee plantations in the Ankifi area and the sacred lake Anivuranu .

For accommodation, one of the few options available in this remote area is the Hôtel Lakana .

8. Komba Island

Nosy Komba is the second largest island Nosy Be and another paradisiacal beach that you have to visit. Here we find white sand beaches, warm, blue and shallow waters, perfect for a family trip.

The biggest attraction of this island are the lemurs. In fact, it is known as the island of lemurs because there are large colonies of these animals throughout its forests.

Unlike Nosy Be, there are no big hotels, clubs or restaurants but it is a very quiet place with some small villages. If you highlight its souvenir market, fish and vegetables and exotic fruits that will show us how rich this paradise is.

To stay the best option is the Tsara Komba Lodge in Nosy Komba.

9. Your child

Also near Tulear, in the south of the country is Anakao beach , next to the small fishing village of Anacao . It is one of the calmest beaches in Madagascar, with fishermen’s shacks along the coast who go out to sea to fish.

Just as interesting as Anakao beach are the beaches of Nosy Satrana and Nosy Ve , two uninhabited islands located just off the coast. Here there are not only tropical beaches but also a great biodiversity of birds.

Both on Anakao beach and on the islands of Nosy Satrana and Nosy Ve there are fantastic underwater reefs with great biodiversity. Similarly, in the forest next to the beach live ring-tailed lemurs, chameleons, geckos and other lizards.

On the beach turtles, but also butterfly fish, surgeon fish, groupers and rays are the stars.

The best hotel in this area is the Anakao Ocean Lodge . From the area you can also visit the Tsimanampetsotsa National Park , the least visited in the country and one of the most spectacular and unknown.

10. Morondava

Finally, in the east of Madagascar we find the beach of Morondava . It is a very popular beach among Malagasy people, who go there to fish and not so much as a tourist beach.

Even so, the temperature is pleasant, the sand is white and fine and the slope to enter the sea is very gentle, making it perfect for taking a bath. Likewise, there are reefs where you can snorkel and the possibility of surfing, windsurfing or water skiing.

This beach is only 20 kilometers from the famous avenue of the Baobabs , one of the most famous places in Madagascar. Likewise, in the area there are other baobabs under which to rest.

In the area it is also recommendable to see the town of Belo sur Mer , the Kirindi forest or the Zinje du Bimraha Park-Reserve .