Attractions in North & Nosy Be (beaches)
Turquoise waters and volcanic wonders 🐢
Showing 28 attractions · Sorted by importance
Ankarana Special Reserve
📍 Ambilobe
🌲 NatureFamed for its sharp limestone tsingy formations and vast cave systems, this reserve provides an adventurous landscape for exploring unique geology.
Lokobe National Park
📍 Nosy Be
🌲 NatureThe last primary forest on Nosy Be island, where families can take guided walks to see black lemurs and exotic reptiles in their natural habitat.
Montagne d'Ambre National Park
📍 Antsiranana
🌲 NatureA lush volcanic rainforest offering family-friendly hiking trails, majestic waterfalls, and sightings of endemic lemurs and chameleons.
Nosy Lonjo (Sugar Loaf)
📍 Antsiranana
🏛 LandmarkAn iconic, sacred volcanic island shaped like a sugarloaf sitting in the middle of the Diego Suarez Bay, offering a symbolic visual landmark.
Nosy Tanikely Marine National Park
📍 Nosy Be
⛱ BeachA protected marine reserve offering exceptional snorkeling opportunities in shallow coral reefs teeming with colorful fish and sea turtles.
RN6 Scenic Route (Antsiranana to Ankify)
📍 Antsiranana
🚗 Road Trip250km paved highway (approx. 7-9 hours) serving as the main northern artery. The route passes through the dramatic limestone 'tsingy' formations of Ankarana Reserve and the lush Sambirano Valley, famous for its cocoa, vanilla, and ylang-ylang plantations.
Tsingy Rouge de l'Irodo
📍 Antsiranana
🏛 LandmarkDramatic red laterite rock formations and sharp pinnacles created by erosion, providing a surreal and colorful landscape for families to explore.
Amber Mountain Grand Circuit
📍 Joffreville
🥾 Hiking & Cycling18km challenging 10-12 hour hike reaching the 1,475m summit. Features high-altitude rainforest, crater lakes, and the Antomboka waterfalls with approximately 600m elevation gain. A mandatory local guide must be hired at the park entrance. Official management: Madagascar National Parks.
Andilana Beach
📍 Nosy Be
⛱ BeachWidely considered the most beautiful beach on Nosy Be, this wide stretch of white sand and calm turquoise water is perfect for family swimming.
Ankarana Big Tsingy (Benavony) Loop
📍 Mahamasina
🥾 Hiking & Cycling6km challenging 6-7 hour trek across razor-sharp limestone karst pinnacles with 150m elevation gain. The route features two suspension bridges over deep canyons and provides access to several caves. Hikers must wear sturdy boots for the sharp rocks. Guide mandatory.
Antsiranana Historic District
📍 Antsiranana
🏘 Town / VillageWalk through the historic heart of Madagascar's northern capital to see French colonial architecture, grand plazas, and the iconic Place Joffre.
Lemuria Land
📍 Hell-Ville (Andoany)
🐄 FarmA sprawling botanical park where families can interact with habituated lemurs, observe crocodiles and tortoises, and tour a historic working ylang-ylang distillery.
Marodoka Cultural Village
📍 Hell-Ville (Andoany)
🏘 Town / VillageExplore the ruins of the island's first Swahili-Indian settlement from the 15th century, featuring a historic mosque and 19th-century colonial remains.
Sacred Banyan Tree of Mahatsinjo
📍 Hell-Ville (Andoany)
🏘 Town / VillageVisit a massive 200-year-old banyan tree sacred to the Sakalava people, with a small cultural museum on site explaining local ancestral traditions.
Hell-Ville Colonial District
📍 Nosy Be
🏛 LandmarkThe historic heart of Nosy Be, featuring colorful French colonial-era buildings and a vibrant central market perfect for experiencing local life.
Joffreville (Ambohitra)
📍 Joffreville
🏘 Town / VillageA former French colonial hill station near Montagne d'Ambre, preserved with its distinctive early 20th-century villas and a cool highland atmosphere.
Ramena Beach
📍 Antsiranana
⛱ BeachA favorite local destination with golden sands and calm waters, serving as the gateway to the Three Bays coastal trail.
Galerie Indigo Arts Et Cultures
📍 Antsiranana
🖼 Art GalleryNorthern Madagascar's premier contemporary art gallery, hosting regular exhibitions of Malagasy painting, photography, and sculpture alongside a cultural bookstore.
Jungle Park
📍 Antsiranana
🧗 AdventureAn eco-adventure hub at the base of Montagne des Français offering specialized rock climbing, via ferrata, and baobab forest treks for adventure seekers.
Le Jardin Tropical
📍 Antsiranana
🌿 GardenAn enchanting urban oasis located in a scenic ravine, featuring over 150 species of endemic plants, medicinal herbs, and resident wildlife in the heart of Diego Suarez.
Mont Passot Amparihibe Circuit
📍 Nosy Be
🥾 Hiking & Cycling6km moderate 4-5 hour hiking loop with 300m elevation gain. The trail leads to the highest point on Nosy Be (329m), passing sacred volcanic crater lakes like Lake Amparihibe and traditional ylang-ylang plantations. A guide is required to visit the sacred lakes.
Nosy Be Coastal Circuit
📍 Circular
🚗 Road Trip60km paved loop road (3-5 hours) circling the volcanic island. Key highlights include the ylang-ylang distilleries, the white sands of Andilana Beach, and the detour to the summit of Mount Passot for 360-degree views of the archipelago's crater lakes.
Park Ambodivato (Nosy Komba Lemur Park)
📍 Nosy Komba
🦁 ZooA community-run sanctuary where visitors can walk through a rural island setting to feed friendly black lemurs and see tortoises and tropical reptiles.
Plantation Millot
📍 Ambanja
🐄 FarmA world-renowned cocoa and spice plantation offering immersive tours of organic orchards and the traditional processing of vanilla, cocoa, and fragrant essential oils.
The Three Bays
📍 Antsiranana
🏔 Scenic ViewA sequence of consecutive turquoise bays—Sakalava, Dunes, and Pigeon—boasting white dunes and excellent conditions for wind and water sports.
The Three Bays Coastal Trail
📍 Antsiranana
🥾 Hiking & Cycling10km easy to moderate 3-4 hour coastal walk along the Indian Ocean with minimal elevation gain. The named route connects the Baie des Sakalava, Baie des Pigeons, and Baie des Dunes, ending near the Cap Miné lighthouse. Bike rental: Diego Cycles (madacamp.com/Diego_Cycles).