Exemple Croisière 11 jours à Madagascar

We embark on board a large traditional veil dugout (with an engine if…) to leave to discovered an area where the sea represents the only access road. Appointment with 6h45 in our buildings at the edge of the beach for a sympathetic breakfast. We leave Nosy Be for the small Island of Ankazoberavina (1h45 of quiet crossing). Bathe, plunged apnea and discovered of an incredibly rich and varied, nice and coloured underwater world. Then after a short crossing, landing with Anjiabe, long beach of 3km bordered by an semi-abandoned cocoteraie, a site with the extraordinary low tides. It is there that we bivouac. After an aperitif and seafood a meal, nap, bathe and for those which wish it, pedestrian ballade to observe the many species of birds, for the majority endemic in Madagascar. Laid down sun, aperitif, meal… And good night!

Morning departure for two to three hours of crossing, skirting a splendid coast with the varied and timbered relief. We plunge in the course of road on a site completely different from the day before. Then, with the veil or the engine, we continue our voyage towards Amtambao. It is about an arm of the sea apparently inaccessible bus barred to marrée low by sand banks. The poetry of the place is indescribable. We bivouac at the edge of a lagoon on a planted sandy headland of shrubs and coconuts. The typical forest of this area is, right there with with dimensions. Behind, in withdrawal, a marsh where it is easy to observe will hérons them hairy, green pigeons, falculies hooded, wild, sarcelles guinea fowls and rails of Vat. From the site, two arms of the sea curve between the mangroves towards the forest vastness and… the crocodiles. The afternoon, bathe or small ballade in the neighbourhoods of the close village. The evening, aperitif, meal and excellent evening in the light of the hurricane lamps.

Everyone gets up at his/her own pace apart for the courageous who likes to observe the funny “pintade mythrée” in its morning perambulation. After breakfast the group is selecting the discoveries of the day: the surrounding bush, the nearby river, the village, some can dive, other may go for fishing or just lazing…

Departure according to the tide, more or less early the morning, towards the Island more in North of the archipelago of Radama. (1h30 of crossing). Nosy Ambariopotaka culminates with 166 meters of altitude and composes a new landscape. Sand bleaches and we bivouac vis-a-vis the vastness océane of the channel of Mozambique. Just at side, a small hamlet and one or more hulls of boutres in construction rest on a bed of periwinkles roses’ and white. Andre, the Sakalava carpenter builds them according to secular traditions’. The whole is bordered by a lagoon of dream and a primary end of forest on its opposite slope. Deep-sea diving, pedestrian ballade in the Island, idleness.

We have an early departure to Nosy Berafia, just 45 MN distant. It is the archipelagos largest island (2500ha). More or less abandoned coffee, pepper, ylang-ylang, chili plantations, overlooked by high trees are covering the island northern part. They are hosting numerous huge bats and many green-pigeons. The air is perfumed; an ancient colonial-style house is completing the quaint, out of the 20s charm of the place. We dive on a new and different spot, using this opportunity to catch our dinner. Walkers will enjoy strolling around this stunning island. The nearby old distillery is also worth visiting.

Loading the morning towards this insulated Island whose name means as a Madagascan “the easy ground”. Often deserted, Antanimora is sometimes inhabited by cucumber plungers of sea II which spaces it few days, throw on this Island an environment of gold diggers their smiles and their hair bleached by the sun salted broad, says some long on their life of nomads of the seas. We walk in this curious atmosphere, along the filaos (coniferous tropical) and we climb grassy slopes whose scattered aloës and the bouquets of mango trees place our imagination confused between Africa and Mexico… the panorama is imposing and disconcerting. Diving and underwater fishing with the accesses of the island. Ballade and climbing on the heights.

Raised sun on this imposing landscape which we contemplated yesterday. We organize the morning according to the constraints of the circuit: search food, restocking out of water, detergent, walk, bathe, idleness… We leave the afternoon towards the village Ankatafa. Normally we have wind and the way lasts 2 hours approximately with the veil. Arrived at the end of the afternoon within a framework apparently idyllique. Finished sand, places at the rollers and with the mangroves we camp in the village, slightly in withdrawal of the sea. We have just changed world, we are in the universe of the “tanety”, kinds of hills which, as of the waves seem to leave ad infinitum. the forest appears absent, but make confidence with the guide; we will discover the secrecies jealously kept by these austere hills. Aperitif, meal… Good night.

Towards 6hoo, we leave in excursion in the area. Here, the forest and the rice plantations run on kilometers between two hills. True thin and long tufts of greenery which shelter quantities of guinea fowls, pigeons green, raptors and other more discrete birds Sakalava of this area are different from their neighbors more in North. More held, they live in a rougher world, less simple, and the omnipresent vastness which surrounds them worked with the image of the mangroves : flexible and humble the après) midi is held according to its meetings and its desires bus at this stage of our voyage, we are really together in the same history…

We embark early towards North to pass the part Is basin of the Radama islands. We plunge in the course of road on strange sites whose coral resembles pinks of sands… According to fishing, we take again our road more or less late in the morning towards Tsangazira. It is about a quiet beach bordered of coconuts to the accesses of a small quiet village people cultivate rice, manioc there, corn and their kindness is once again a puff of hope in this world. the area is mountainous, which offers from the easy of accesses and splendid points of view on the archipelago of Radama.

Departure the morning for the Island of Nosy Iranja (45 min approx.). Two Islands in fact, connected by a white sand bank of 1 km surrounded by two lagoons whose light and blue ones confer on this place a coral environment of dream. Diving in the neighbourhoods and ballade on this language of sand surprisingly white and luminous. When the winds blow, we will ennallerons ourselves… i.e. around 13 hours. Return to the veil carried by the serenity of these magic dugouts.