Nosy Be, Madagascar

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Nosy Be is Madagascar's premier resort island, and several other smaller islands including Nosy Komba, Nosy Tanikely, Nosy Sakatia, Nosy Mitsio and Nosy Iranja are nearby. Nosy Be is popular with people looking for a resort-style holiday, as it has plenty of restaurants and nightspots, there are also some excellent dive spots off some of the smaller islands. While there are relatively few scantily clad package tourists to contend with, Nosy Be is still horrendously expensive. Andoany ('Hell-Ville' in French) is the capital, and is a bright and pleasant town (despite its name) of 30,000. You can visit the old prison, built in 1855, and other colonial buildings. The town feels as if little has changed since the French first arrived. A little known highlight of Nosy Be is Marodoka, a coastal ruin gradually being reclaimed by the bush. Local legend attributes its construction to a boatload of Indian sailors shipwrecked during the 17th or 18th century. The Réserve Naturelle Intégrale de Lokobe contains the last 740 hectares (1,829 acres) of Nosy Be's original vegetation, and is home to boa constrictors, black lemurs, chameleons and the Madagascar hog-nosed snake. Mont Passot is Nosy Be's highest peak at a modest 329m (1079ft) and is a great place to watch the sunset or just take in the view. It is surrounded by the beautiful blue sacred Crater Lakes of Anjavibe, Amparihimirahavavy, Bemapaza, Antsahamanavaka, Antsidihy, Amparihibe and Maintimaso. Air Madagascar flies between Tana and Nosy Be daily, and TAM and Air Austral, based in Réunion, both fly from Réunion. Nosy Be is 700km (434mi) north of Tana.

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General Tips about Madagascar

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» Parc National de Montagne d'Ambre
» Nosy Be
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