In Nosy Be West, the options range from the five- to six-hour Mahery Circuit in Lokobe National Park to activities on the beaches. Mount Passot, at 329 metres, adds another landscape highlight, with a panoramic terrace offering 360-degree views. When planning, you can consider hiking, the coast and culture as distinct interests.
Landscape and Hiking
The Mahery Circuit in Lokobe National Park includes hikes lasting five to six hours. Mount Passot is home to eight small crater lakes, considered sacred and inhabited by unique freshwater fish. The mountain combines this lake landscape with sweeping views from its panoramic terrace. The area along the Antsidihy Circuit on Mount Passot is also suitable for birdwatching. If you would like to pair a hike with a particular nature theme, you can consider this option alongside the longer Mahery Circuit.
Beaches and Coastal Activities
Andilana forms the northern tip of Nosy Be. Its beach has white sand and turquoise water; swimming and snorkelling are among the most popular activities there. Ambondrona is on the northwest coast. Activities offered at its beach include snorkelling, windsurfing and kayaking. Both places offer water activities, but the options differ: swimming and snorkelling are the main activities in Andilana, while Ambondrona also offers windsurfing and kayaking.
On the beaches of Madirokely and Ambatoloaka, local music and dancing take place on weekends, from sunset to sunrise. This offers a distinct cultural experience alongside the water activities. In Ambatoloaka, visitors can book diving and deep-sea fishing trips with various operators.
Diving and Wildlife Watching
Scuba diving to depths of 12 to 20 metres is possible in the nearby Nosy Tanihely National Park. The island can be reached by boat from Hell-Ville, Ambatoloaka, Andilana or Ankify.
Visitors can go whale watching off Nosy Be in small organised groups. A day trip may include swimming with whale sharks in the morning and snorkelling with green sea turtles in the afternoon. The Nosy Be region also has high-quality dive sites where encounters with sea turtles, stingrays and manta rays are possible. As well as beach activities, organised wildlife watching and dives offer distinct options.
Hell-Ville and Marodoka
Hell-Ville has banks, internet cafés, a tourist office, hotels and restaurants. Individual services may change; if a particular offering is important to your plans, check in advance that it is currently available. Hell-Ville’s port connects the town with Madagascar’s main island.
Nearby is the Marodoka cultural centre. It includes the first mosque built in Madagascar, constructed around 1700, and offers a tasting of Djowa. This traditional dish is prepared with local produce and medicinal plants. Marodoka thus adds a cultural and culinary highlight to the nature and coastal themes.
Discover more destinations: Antalaha, Ampangorinana, Antsirabe, Ambaro, Antafondro.
Go to the main travel overview: Antsiranana.
