MADAGASCAR

Another great and eternal love:

MADAGASCAR, THE EIGHTH CONTINENT, THE LAND OF THE MORA – MORA’S

Why is Madagascar called the 8th continent? Who are the Mora-Moras and why? Very briefly, come and see for yourself! You are guaranteed not to be disappointed.

Read more, Madagascar is the 4th largest island on earth, covering an area of 595,000 square kilometres, it broke away from the African continent nearly 140 million years ago, and has developed a completely unique and special flora and fauna. Over 80% of Madagascar’s endemic animal and plant species are found here alone. A total of 70 species of lemurs, the world’s smallest and largest chameleons, nearly 1,000 orchid species, tropical fruits that Google hasn’t even seen, and more…

Interestingly, Madagascar has no African predators, no herbivorous big game and no poisonous snakes, the largest predator here is a species of cibet cat, the FOSSA, well known from the Madagascar story, which is 60-80 cm long and weighs 5-8 kg.

Madagascar is located in the Indian Ocean, separated from the southeast coast of Africa by the Mozambique Channel, the distance between Madagascar and the Mozambique coast is 420km…and it is still growing a few centimetres a year.

The country’s northern tropical – subtropical climate is a paradise on earth! A must-see, almost a dream destination for lovers of unspoilt nature and authentic experiences of fabulous beauty.

The only area of particular tourist interest in this tropical region is the island of Nosy Be and the surrounding archipelago, which lies roughly 5 km in the ocean off the coast of the main island (Madagascar).

NOSY BE and the surrounding archipelago.

Nosy Be, or the Fragrant Island (nicknamed after the Ylang-Ylang plantations that grow here and often cover the entire island with their intoxicating scent).

Nosy Be already has a tiny international airport, making it relatively easy to reach. The only town on the island is Hell Ville, with a population of around 25,000.

Here, in Hell Ville’s main square opposite the Municipal Market, you will find our travel agency and gift shop, FOSSA TRAVEL.

Our guests always arrive here from the airport and depart from here for our 1, 2 or even 5 day trips to Nosy Be Island and some of the 60+ smaller larger islands in the area.

And what fantastic opportunities and incredible sights and adventures Nosy Be and the surrounding archipelago has to offer?

Here’s a short, but not exhaustive list:

  • 01.

    Nosy Be itself was voted the most beautiful island on earth in 2015.

  • 02.

    The unique and unearthly beauty of Nosy Iranja, with the snow-white sandbar separating the two islands (Little and Big Iranja) at low tide and the welcoming local indigenous fishing village.

  • 03.

    Nosy Komba is the island of the lemurs, a tiny, unspoilt jungle island, a real jungle tour, tiny unadulterated jungle Negro villages, the Black Lemur Reserve, cocoa and vanilla fields in the jungle, authentic coastal Negro fishing village, fabulous beaches, coral reefs, turtles….

  • 04.

    Nosy Tanikely – a marine reserve with one of the most beautiful and pristine coral reefs on earth, friendly sea turtles, frequent dolphins, a multitude of colourful tropical fish…

  • 05.

    Lokobe National Park – pristine jungle reserve with indigenous guides, dwarf chameleons, many other species of chameleons, many species of lemurs, giant snakes, geckos, etc…

  • 06.

    Ambanoro, the first settlement on the island, with traditional folklore tribal dances performed by the local Ravinala women’s association, ghost and slave houses, the first mosque…

  • 07.

    The sacred trees, Places with a fantastic atmosphere. The larger of the 2 sacred trees is itself covering some 6,000 square metres, making it a place with a look and feel most similar to the Tree of Souls in the Avatar movie…except that you can also meet friendly families of lemurs in the own forest of 1 single sacred tree.

  • 08.

    Nosy Sakatia, Vorona, Tanga, Fanihy, Les trois fréres… small and uninhabited coral sand islands around Nosy Be, often surrounded by coral reefs.

  • 09.

    The waterfall at Nosy Be offers the opportunity to take a dip in the water in the middle of the jungle and in the cooling waters of the small lake below.

  • 10.

    Nosy Faly – the sacred island. An island of almost untouched rainforest and savannah, with many indigenous coastal fishing villages.

  • 11.

    Swimming in the Indian Ocean with friendly giants. Giant whale sharks, manta rays and humpback whales… And I could go on and on about the white, yellow or even black sandy beaches surrounded by palm trees, the crystal clear, unreal blue waters of secluded coves, the truly friendly and hospitable natives in their tiny jungle villages with their (still) unspoilt morals, the fabulous beaches, authentic Malagasy-style but luxurious tropical bungalows as accommodation, the fantastic flora and fauna found nowhere else, the festivals, the colourful, noisy urban market with its abundance of tropical fruits and spices.

And importantly, Madagascar’s number one motto is Mora – Mora! That simply means slowly – slowly, carefully.

So if you decide to visit magical Madagascar, expect that no one is in a hurry to get anywhere, and no one really understands those who do. So there’s no stress, no rush and no hurry, but everything always works out and goes its own way.