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Geography: Nosy Be is an island off Madagascar’s northwestern coast.
Population: 109,000
Currency: Malagasy Ariary; Currency Converter
Cruise Port: Google Map Location
Tender Port: Yes
Best Time to Visit: May to October
During our visit to this port on the Norwegian Cruise Line (Dawn) on February 21st, 2024, we had approximately 6 hours to explore as we arrived at 1 PM but had to depart at 7 PM. Being a tender port, only one tender could dock at a time, resulting in a lengthy process to disembark all passengers.
Upon arrival at the port, we encountered a bustling and somewhat chaotic atmosphere with locals trying to sell goods and offer tour services. It is advisable to secure your belongings and remain vigilant against pickpockets. Outside, there were numerous "tuk-tuks" available, but we were unsure of their reliability. Despite this, some adventurous guests took them and reported a positive experience upon their return. They also said you can negotiate the prices with them and some took a town tour for about $10.
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Nosy Be, which translates to "big island" in the Malagasy language, is the most popular and well-established tourist destination. However, despite being the main port for tourism, we found that it still lacks significant development. However, there is an international airport located on the island.
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During our visit to this island, the main attraction is observing the Lemurs. We arranged an island excursion through Yemaya company for $65 per person, which included visits to the Lemur park, the sacred tree, Mont Passot, and a dinner at Andilana beach. Payment was made in cash to our tour guide at the port, with no deposit required. Our guide provided us with insightful historical information about the area. Families on the island can have a maximum of 20 children, and half of the population is under 18 years old. Although there are many children, not all of them can afford to attend school, with only 60% having access to education. Madagascar is divided into 22 regions and has 18 languages spoken.
Lokobe National Park (Lemur Park):
The road leading to the park is quite uneven, so make sure you are ready for a bumpy journey. While exploring, we spotted numerous animals, but the lemurs were undoubtedly the main attraction. Guides are available to provide you with bananas that you can use to feed the lemurs, who are very accustomed to human presence and show no fear. Towards the end, there is an option to take a tour of a distillery, but if given a choice as a group, it's better to skip it.
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The Sacred tree:
It was truly impressive to witness the size of this tree. There exists an entire village dedicated to protecting the tree, although the journey to see a single tree was quite lengthy. I would have probably skipped this for a more relaxing time on the beautiful beach.
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Mont Passot:
The panoramic view from the top was truly stunning. To reach the peak, you must ascend a hill for about 3 minutes and climb around 10 additional steps. However, the tranquility of the place was somewhat diminished by the presence of numerous vendors. At the summit, there is a spacious viewing platform, as well as a smaller one to the left that requires climbing spiral stairs, with limited capacity. Mont Passot is the second location (following the Lemur Park) on our tour where restroom facilities were available, so if needed, ask your tour guide to make a brief stop.
We also made a quick stop at a haunted house:
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Although the tour guide had good intentions and tried to offer us a packed itinerary, it was disappointing that despite placing our meal order well in advance, we missed out on dinner (and trying Zebu meat)! Upon arriving at the beautiful Andilana beach, the restaurant has not prepared our food, and by the time we were seated, it was time to head back to the ship. Nighttime traffic in Hell Ville, the town center, can be challenging as it becomes lively. It is advisable to allocate sufficient time to return to the cruise terminal, as we were the last group to arrive. To compensate for the missed meal, the tour guide refunded each person $10.
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To sum up, if your time on the island is limited, I recommend focusing on exploring Lokobe National Park and enjoying a meal at one of its stunning beaches.
Tour Suggestions pending on your time:
Feel Free to reach out to us with any questions!
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