Unusual Destinations Blog

Educational Nosy Be

After being quite apprehensive and nervous about this trip it turned out to be completely opposite to what I expected and I am now so in love with Madagascar (the tiny little part of it that I saw)

On arrival at the counter it appeared that no-one else from this educational was checking in and my first thoughts were that I was going solo on this one. Still I checked in and thinking that the rest of the group would be in the VIP Lounge (I was delighted to have this pass into the lounge) but it was just me myself and I. After a lovely glass or two of wine my jittery nerves were slightly calmed (numbed!) and it was time to board. The flight was on time and the meal which I think was chicken was not too bad as far as airline food goes. After a slightly bumpy flight we landed in Antananarivo and to my relief finally met the rest of our group on terra firma. We proceeded through customs quite easily as we did not require visas (no visas required till 31 December)  and went straight through to the domestic terminal. On this connecting flight there is not too much time to exchange money etc. but it is possible. Air Madagascar will probably need to reconsider the connection time once they re-implement the visa requirement. Once we all boarded our pilot closed the hatches, stepped up the tempo and off we flew… into the night and of course arriving much earlier in Nosy Be than expected. Possibly a record for Air Madagascar and of course caught Escapades completely off guard. The friendly Escapades team were waiting to meet us with much needed ice cold water and the most beautiful fresh flower garlands, it was sad knowing that the effects and aroma of the Ylang Ylang were to be of no use to me having left my husband behind in Johannesburg!

Educational Nosy Be

Our first night was spent at the Nosy Be Hotel and we were served a fresh Sea food platter beautifully presented and of course the infamous rum cocktails for which Madagascar is notorious.  Breakfast the next morning was continental with exotic fruits which we were all quite keen to try. We had a stunning view of the beach from the restaurant with a herd of Zebu enjoying a morning swim and stroll along the beach. After breakfast it was off to Explora Village to collect our quad bikes which we would use to explore the Island. Once we had decided who were the drivers and who were passengers we were off. It started off well on tar roads with the wind blowing through our hair as we drove up to Mont Passot (the highest point in Nosy Be) and had a look at some of the crocodile infested sacred lakes of Nosy Be. Going down the hills was a tad too adventurous for my liking as we hurtled down 90 degree slope on our way to the Amarina Hotel. Apparently this road is much improved now but I must admit I did keep my eyes closed a fair part of the journey.  You do drive through some of the most picturesque villages you could imagine. It was such an eye opener to see how basic life can really be and yet these people looked so happy!

Educational Nosy Be

Full of dust we arrived at the Amarina Hotel which had been closed since February due to the political unrest which started end January.  It was sad to see this amazing hotel with one of the best beaches in Madagascar and not a soul in site. They are trying to keep all there staff by rotating them each week and most of them are so grateful to have the opportunity to keep their jobs and it seems like bookings are slowly coming in again. The gardens are looking quite run down but they are starting to work on them now. The transfer to the hotel now only takes 30 minutes with the new tar road but the last 4 kilometers is still quite a bumpy ride (especially by quad). For the rainy season they can do boat transfers which takes roughly the same time. They have interesting activities like being able to do wood carvings, painting and even embroidery with the local villagers on the beachfront.  Like most hotels in Nosy Be they use locally made furniture, bedding, light fittings and any other interesting things made by the local villages which gives it quite a unique Malagasy feel.

Educational Nosy Be

From the Amarina Hotel we drove to quite a new property called Anjiamarango for lunch. The owners are a lovely French couple who after 20 years of saving are living out their dream of getting away from the cold European weather and living it up in sunny Madagascar. Their English is adequate to welcome guests and have a little bit of a chat but they also have a few other English speaking staff if need be. The lunch was superb and special mention must be given to the salad with grapefruit and prawns, wow! The bungalows are lovely and spacious and the beach is similar to Amarina (being right next door).

Our next stop was Hellville Harbour to transfer to Domaine de Lokobe (Lokobe Reserve). It was a good thing we had a guide with us because neither the owner or the staff speak any English. The bungalows are right on the beach and quite luxurious however they have permanent blinds which are set in such a way that you can actually see through them from the outside, there is no place in the bungalow that you can get dressed without being seen, not through lack of trying I must say! We were all a bit hungry on departure the next morning after being disappointed with the French cuisine ( burnt muffins are not great at any time!!). We were now ready to transfer to the awaiting Catamaran and our skipper Lourent who became quite the topic of conversation…as he was drop dead gorgeous and made up for the shoddy breakfast.

Educational Nosy Be

Dream Yacht charters have 4 boats, 2 Cats and 2 Monohulls,  and offer a variety of trips as well as a 7 day cruise departing every Thursday. Our crew lead by Laurent were very professional and made the best coffee and lemon tart in Nosy Be! Our first stop was Nosy Komba, where we saw a few Lemurs and were able to do some shopping at the local market, I definitely kept the industry going for the day, there are the most beautiful hand made items on offer it was difficult to choose. We boarded the Catamaran once again and sailed o to Tsara  Komba.

Tsara Komba…. what an amazing property, spacious rooms with crisp linen and offering breathtaking views all add to the romantic ambiance! They have added little extras that make such a difference like walky talkies for all clients for the 24 hour service which you can enjoy from anywhere on the island. Their famous French chef made us such a delicious meal which was so welcome after the burnt offerings we had for breakfast that morning and the “less is more” dinner the night before. We were all starving to put it mildly! We reluctantly returned to the Catamaran and cruised to Royal Beach Hotel.

Royal Beach was so refreshing, the air-conditioning was so welcome after a scorcher of a day. We settled down to a hearty Malagasy meal and experienced a local dish called Rumazava which is a light broth of either chicken, fish or zebu served with rice, I loved it and plan on mastering it myself! Dessert was yet again a platter of fruits, no chocolate to my great disappointment and now looking thinner thighs…

It was up bright and early the next morning for the highlight of my trip… lunch on Nosy Iranja. The representative met us right on the beach in front of the hotel which is so convenient.  The speed boat is completely enclosed so you don’t get wet at all. It is a long transfer of 1 hour and a half hours and just when we thought we had arrived our boat broke down so there we were floating in the high swells of the ocean, typical case of so close but yet so far. So just before we all threw up one of the spare dive boats came and rescued us from becoming the next episode of “Survivor Madagascar”.

As you arrive at Nosy Iranja the crystal clear water and idyllic white sandy beach just take your breath away. You literally kick off your shoes together with your worries and begin your stay in paradise. Double bonus is no cell phone reception! All the sandy paths between the bungalows are under the cool shade of gigantic trees and offer a complete sense of tranquility. On the south side of the island are the turtles nests which the guides label and monitor so that they can bring guests down as soon as the turtles hatch.  It is a miracle to watch nature at its best. We had what was in my opinion the best meal of our trip at the restaurant overlooking the turquoise water. Unfortunately all good things must come to an end and it was time to head back to the mainland.

On our way to the Vanilla Hotel we stopped off to have a sneak preview of a new hotel being built next to the Vanilla which looks like it is going to be spectacular with its’ gigantic pool and beautiful spa and jacuzzi area. Watch this space!

We had a warm welcome at the Vanilla Hotel with rum cocktails and delicious snacks prepared by the fabulous f&b manager Mark who just oozes with enthusiasm and of course being French he just charmed us all. The swimming pools are just so inviting and we could not resist a quick splash before dinner with yet another rum cocktail in one hand overlooking the sunset… it’s a hard life but someone has to do it!

After a lovely breakfast which finally served eggs, we were off to Sakatia Island with our first stop being Sakatia Lodge. A perfect destination for any diving enthusiast. The nature bungalows previously had only cold water but now have their own geyser in each bungalow, not like you need hot water with the Nosy Be climate but it is nice to know that all the bungalow are the same now. After a scenic yet tiring snorkelling trip (having to swim back to the lodge from the snorkeling site) we flopped into Sakatia Towers which is named after Faulty Towers so John has an excuse for pretty much anything that might go wrong, he is the blonde Basil of these Towers. Each bungalow is charmingly named after each character like Manuel’s Manor, Poly’s Pen, Cheryl’s Shack and of course Basil’s Bungalow. We did not have the chance to experience the avocado soup but apparently it is a must! After risking our lives on the rickety jetty which is about 4 metres in the air put together with rusted nails and a few twigs with no railing we visited our last stop for lunch, Escapades beach. We were welcomed by the local little lemurs and had yet another scrumptious lunch of crab, coconut rice, freshly grilled fish and salads. The rest of the afternoon was spent lazing on the beach just absorbing this paradise and then we took a traditional Pirogue back to the Vanilla Hotel for sadly our last night on the island.

Our farewell dinner was hosted by L’Heure Bleue (the cutest hotel possible) with a local band teaching us to Salegi (local dance inspired by lots of rum) and just the most perfect ending to such an awesome trip. However it’s not over until it’s over and at the stroke of midnight we felt it was a necessity to indulge in the famous nightlife of  Nosy Be, so we all clambered into a 4×4 and showed off our extreme dancing skills at a local club called “Jam Jam”. It was an out of world experience and to be honest I felt like I was back in time in Hillbrow as we all remember it.  We danced the night away and quenched our thirst with a bottle or two of Tequila’s and…. Yes you guessed it RUM. In the early hours of the morning, we trundled back to the Vanila Hotel a little more worse of wear but having experience a fun evening..

We had about an hours beauty sleep before it was time to wake up, have breakfast and say our goodbyes. It felt like I was leaving a friend after having such a great time and falling in love with this little piece of Eden. And so my love affair had come to an end but this place had stolen a little piece of my heart and I cannot wait to go back…