Visit the islands & beaches of Madagascar, Madagascar

Boat rides to sleepy islands, beaches lined with ancient baobabs, and whale-watching trips from a former pirate hideout, all along Madagascar’s coast.

While Madagascar is first and foremost known for its forests and the one-of-a-kind wildlife species that live among them, its coast is graced with soft-sand beaches and quiet islands ripe for relaxation. Our specialists have spent time on many of them and can suggest the best spots for your trip, depending on your interests. Travel in Madagascar can be complicated, but your specialist will arrange all the logistics for getting from A to B.

Nosy Be (‘big island’) is the best-known of Madagascar’s islands, set just off the country’s northwest tip. Here, beaches gradually shelve into the ocean, making them ideal for swimming and snorkeling, and there’s a lively market town. You might like to take a boat trip from here to the aptly named Baobab Beach, on the northwest coast of the mainland, where centuries-old baobabs rise from the white sand.

Also a short boat trip from Nosy Be is the quieter island of Nosy Komba, where you can stroll through the village of Ampangorinana, unwind in hidden coves, and explore trails that lace the forested hills.

Off the northeast coast, the former pirate hideout of Île Sainte-Marie is lined with swaying palms, light-gold sands, and traditional fishing villages. From here, between June and October, you can join a whale-watching trip to spot migratory humpbacks.