Madagascar is an island and for that it is full of amazing beaches. I collected for you the top beaches, and put them in this Madagascar travel guide. I’m sure there are many more, but I believe these are enough to make you fall in love with this island.
These are the 6 amazing beaches in Madagascar!
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Table Of Content
Ile Sainte-Marie
Ile Sainte-Marie is a little island on the mainland’s Northeast coast. It is one of the top beaches in this Madagascar travel guide. Every year more and more people decide to spend their holidays in this destination.
It’s pretty well known as the pirate’s den – till today you still can visit their cemetery. When you visit Ile Sainte-Marie you cannot miss exploring nature. On this island you can have a walk in the forest, where you’ll be able to see many different species of lemurs and different types of Malagasy orchids.
Ile Sainte-Marie is also perfect to go diving – you’ll see the marine biodiversity. During the austral winter it’s also possible to whale-watch, which is an incredible experience. This island is the perfect beach destination if you’re looking for dreamy beaches but still preserved by mass tourism.
How to get there:
There are daily flights from Antananarivo, Madagascar’s capital, to Ile Sainte-Marie’s airport. There are many taxis that can take you everywhere you need to go. You can get to this island also by sea – sailing in Soanierana-Ivongo and you’ll arrive in Ambodifotatra; the trip takes one hour and a half.
Nosy Be
It’s an island situated in the Northwest of Madagascar; in Malagasy Nosy Be means “Big Island”. Nosy Be is also known as the Fragrant Island due to the scent of ylang-ylang. There are also other amazing scents on this island, like the scent of vanilla and cinnamon. There are also cafes, cocoa and sugar cane crops.
Nosy Be is placed in the Mozambique channel and it’s 8 km away from Madagascar’s mainland – the main city is Hell-Ville. This Malagasy island is for sure one of the top Madagascar’s beach destinations. Around it you can find an archipelago of smaller islands like: Nosy Komba, Nosy Tanikely, Nosy Sakatia and Nosy Iranja. On the island there are 11 volcanic lakes – the perfect environment for crocodiles. The Natural Reserve of Lokobe is very important – it protects the remaining rainforest.
Nosy Be’s fauna is very rich. You can find the macaco lemur, which you can only find here; you can also see the world’s smallest chameleon and frog. Furthermore, 945 hectares of the island is covered with mangroves – it hosts different types of sea animals.
How to get there:
To get there you can either go by plane or by ferry. Nosy Be has its own airport Fascene, which is 12 km away from Hell-Ville; you can either fly there from Antananarivo or Milan. (I believe there are few more airports in the African continent that have direct flights there).
If you’re planning to have an amazing holiday in Nosy Be, Andilana Beach Resort is one of top options. To have more infos click here: Andilana Beach Resort – Nosy Be.
Nosy Iranja
Nosy Iranja is a small island in the Northwest coast of Madagascar; it’s also one of the islands in the archipelago around Nosy Be. It is situated an hour away from Nosy Be, and it’s formed by two islands: Nosy Iranja Be and Nosy Iranja Kely. These latter two islands are connected to each other by a 2 km long sand bank, which you can only see during the low tide.
Nosy Iranja is the perfect place if you like diving, the underwater life is so diverse that it will leave you amazed. The sand is so white and shiny, while the water is clear with different shades of blue and turquoise. In its water you can see turtles, different types of fish and if you’re lucky enough you’ll be able to see dolphins.
You can also play different water sports if you’re interested. When you’re in Nosy Iranja Be, you should visit the lighthouse designed by Gustave Eiffel, the same man who designed the Eiffel Tower.
How to get there:
Nosy Iranja is 45 km away from Nosy Be. The only way to get there is by boat from Nosy Be’s port and it takes one hour and a half to get there.
If you’re liking these destinations, then we have 3 more for you! Make sure to continue to read this Madagascar travel guide.
Ifaty
This place is situated in the urban municipality of Toliara, which is situated in the Southwest of Madagascar.
The beaches of Ifaty are very long, the sand is thin and with a golden color. Behind the beaches there is the so-called, Thorny Forest. This forest consists of different types of fat plants, some have flowers and some are just thorny. A lot of birds find a home in this ecosystem, you can also find other kinds of animals there.
Ifaty is the right place if you’re looking for the best place for diving – it has 40 km of coral reef. The world underwater is so diversified and is only waiting for you, the water is clear and tourqueis. Ifaty is well known for scuba diving and there are 12 different spots to dive in. If you’re still not really sure, but you want to experience it then you can dive in “Massif des Roses”.
How to get there:
you can get to Ifaty by any transportation from Toliara.
Tsarabanjina
This island is situated in the North of the island of Nosy Be, and you can get there by plane. Tsarabanjina represents the combination of Africa and Asia.
Tsarabanjina is one of the most exclusive islands in Madagascar, and it’s perfect to refind yourself. During the day the sun illuminates the whole island, and its white sand will shine. The water in the sea is clear as a crystal during the day; during the night it will illuminate. When the sun is about to set, the sky will change colors in pink, orange and red. While in the water you’ll see the bioluminescence effect.
Besides being able to relax on the beach, there are also other activities that you can do underwater. The life in the water is so rich and you can do snorkeling if you like to, you can see the whale shark and turtles. From Tsarabanjina you can also go on little cruises around the island, and you can experience whale-watching.
How to get there:
To get to Tsarabanjina you have to fly to Nosy Be first, then from there you can take a ferry. The trip from Nosy Be to Tsarabanjina is about one hour.
One of the most known resorts in Madagascar is the Constance Tsarabanjina, and it’s the only resort present on the island. This resort is really exclusive and it only offers 25 villas, and it’s the perfect destination for honeymoons. To know more about it click here: Constance Resort – Tsarabanjina.
Manafiafy
Manafiafy Beach and Rainforest Lodge is a place you cannot miss if you’re exploring the Southeast coast.
This lodge has everything you need to have a full experience there. You can whale-watch, have refreshing walks in the rainforest. You can jump on a boat to explore nature in the mangroves, or you can go canoeing.
If you’re interested in visiting the South East part of Madagascar, then you should check this link here.
This is your Madagascar travel guide and these are just some of the top beaches. If you’re still not so convinced, then you should definitely check this article out: 6 Reasons To Visit Madagascar.
