The island that smells of flowers
Extraordinarily rich in vegetation and fascinating landscapes, Nosy Be offers great emotions to lovers of both marine and terrestrial Nature. It is a beautiful pearl of the Indian Ocean, separated only by half an hour by boat from the Great Earth, namely Madagascar, of which it is part.
Nosy Be is not a very large island, about 300 square kilometers but it is the largest of its archipelago, precisely for this reason it is called Nosy Be or "Nosy = Island, Be = large".
I usually never digress about the locals but from this trip I decided to color my stories also telling you about these sunny, cheerful people, always dressed in bright colors and with a great desire to live. Their knowledge enriched with anecdotes and curiosities, can really make the difference in our adventures!
In any case, we are talking about a third world country so those who come here must also know some unwritten rules and more information for a pleasant coexistence with the locals.
Work in progress Friendly Fins…
What do you do out of the water?
As soon as you arrive at the airport, what immediately strikes you is the extremely “green” landscape: full of Ylang Ylang plants, coconut palms, frangipani, hibiscus, banana trees, in short, you will find yourself immersed in unique scents, colors and shapes.
Precisely for this extreme variety of plants and flowers, it is also called the scented island.
Nosy Be also offers great emotions on “foot”: it hosts hectares of virgin tropical forest inside the Lokobe Nature Reserve where you can have various encounters with typical animals: lemurs, chameleons, geckos, various species of amphibians and birds, while for the luckiest, the boa snake.
Only in the forest though! Don't panic!
For the more adventurous, there are many trekking routes and the legendary quad with which you can also visit places that are inaccessible by car!
There is also a riding school on the island to enjoy splendid horseback rides from the hills to the beach.
Finally, there is Mont Passot, the highest mountain on the island with a spectacular view of almost 360 degrees over all of Nosy Be,
It is better to go there towards the Friendly Fins sunset, the memory will be indelible in your heart!
Around Mont Passot and a bit scattered around the island, there are 9 volcanic lakes with crocodiles, it is better to always visit them with a guide!
As you will have understood, it is really difficult to get bored!
What do you do in the water?
We don't hold back on the sea either, we are talking about one of the most well-preserved and biodiverse coral reefs in the world.
Do you want to see sharks? They are there! They are waiting for us on the Mozambique Channel for expert divers!
Want to see whales? They are here! We meet migrating humpback whales between August and September!
Do you want to see dolphins? They are here! Always ready to play and jump around the boat!
Do you want to see all the fish of the coral reef up close? They are here! We can find vast and wonderful coral expanses, not for nothing the coral reef of Madagascar is among the most beautiful coral reefs in the world!
Do you want to see something that hasn't been discovered yet? Well, in Nosy Be there's that too!
At the moment many marine species (and also terrestrial ones) have not yet been discovered or classified, here it is possible to find animals so rare that they can only be seen in these places and nowhere else in the world, the so-called endemics, that is animals or plants that live only and exclusively here.
But finally... Do you want to see the largest fish in the world, that is, his majesty the whale shark? Well, he's here too!
From September to December he delights the coasts of Nosy Be with his magical presence!
So Friendly Fins, get ready because we are going to discover some incredible things!”
Some curiosities about the islands... The Nosy Be archipelago
Nosy Be is actually part of a small archipelago of 4 inhabited islands that are extremely different from each other but all wonderful:
Nosy komba = trekking and lemurs
The island of lemurs par excellence! Here you can find many species of lemurs, tortoises and other animals of the forest as well as various trekking routes and typical Malagasy villages.
Nosy Sakatia = giant tortoises and forest
Nosy Sakatia is also known as the island of orchids, you can't pass by here without going snorkeling in the bay of giant green turtles (which we will talk about in the next articles!). A must-see also for its particular forest and clayey land, full of paths; it is pleasant to be able to explore it with the help of a local guide. However, you certainly can't leave out the fantastic beaches for a relaxing afternoon, after a good meal in the typical restaurants.
Nosy Iranja = white beach and fishing village
No spoilers because words cannot convey the idea of this absolutely magical place for its beauty.
Nosy Tanikely = snorkeling and diving
Officially a marine park since 2010, it has actually been considered worthy of protection since 1999. In more than twenty years of history, you can only imagine what there is in these waters: an underwater paradise and an invaluable environmental heritage. Here you can dive and snorkel in contact with an extraordinary biodiversity of corals and reef fish, not to mention white tip and leopard sharks, turtles and sea birds that further enrich this magical place.
What can I say Friendly Fins, we have been to Nosy Be and we returned because it is truly a spectacle both under and out of the water, suitable for everyone and all "tastes"... So stay with us to learn more about the wonders of Madagascar!
