AS THE FOURTH WORLD’S LARGEST ISLAND, MADAGASCAR IS A TRAVEL DESTINATION TO HAVE THE ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME. GETAWAY AND EXPLORE NOT ONLY ITS WILDLIFE AND BEACHES, BUT ITS CULTURE AND HISTORY.
By MARIANA MEJIA
After 18 hours and 39 minutes of traveling on an airplane from Florida. First, it’s time to start settling into the luxurious hotel before starting on the vacation. Madagascar’s best luxurious hotel and stay-in experience is at the Ravintsara Wellness Hotel a five-star beach lodge hotel with a fullservice spa located directly on the Nosy Be beach, a relaxing atmosphere that is perfect for leisure enthusiasts who want to navigate through the Madagascan Island life. The Ravintsara Wellness Hotel offers exemplary amenities such as having 20 bungalows; sea and garden views, beach bar, complimentary Wi-Fi, a swimming pool facing the sea, a children’s play area, water aerobics classes, fitness classes, tennis table, board games, and more. There are two dining areas, the lounge bar which offers light meals and snacks all day long, and the Malagasy which offers international dishes at their gourmet restaurant, plus a cooking show once a week and Sunday brunch on the beach.
After resting at the hotel, the first attraction on the itinerary is to go and explore Madagascar’s whale sharks, lemurs, tsingy, with the Nosy Be Tour and the island itself. This tour is suitable for families and explorers alike that want to encounter different marine and terrestrial wildlife. The experienced guide will take you on an exploration through the Rainforest of Lokobe Reserves; where many tourists encounter with or see black lemurs, rare hawks, sportive lemurs and colorful panther chameleons. Next, the tour will head out onto Madagascar’s oldest national parks; filled of flora and fauna, including some crowned lemurs, giant leaf tailed geckos and miniature Brookesia chameleons and from this destination the tour visits Tsingy de Bermaraha National Park; sunken forests and caves with astonishing rock formations. Lastly, the tour’s guide returns the group back to the island of Nosy Be and finishes the tour with the opportunity for families and many explorers to snorkel alongside with some of the ocean’s gentle giants; such as whale sharks, mobula rays and green turtles.
To find the best tours head out to your itinerary hotel guide or book a tour online. Online booking tours can range from sightseeing to cruising excursions. If for some reason you or a family member are looking to find outdoor activities, arts and culture, food or drinks, or tickets and passes. You can always visit the hotel’s website to make your stay in Madagascar an unforgettable and memorable experience.
After a long adventurous day, winding down sounds like a good idea. Especially, when heading out to Alta Marea for breakfast; Nosy Be Hotel and Spa. At Alta Marea, they give the option to sit at a lounge (Hazovola Lounge) or at a dining table. Hazovola means rosewood in Malagasy, this type of wood is considered as one of the most precious woods in the world. Alta Marea is structured by a gigantic tree with a tiki-hut umbrella as the roof and lounge with sand below your feet, to give the natural space the special Madagascar touches. Talk about sea breeze and suntans as the waiter brings your food. While enjoying the view; for breakfast try to order from the bar to get a fresh chopped coconut or smoothie. Breakfast at the Madagascar Island consists of eggs, jam, and fresh fruit that will make you want to eat breakfast all day.
Once you’ve enjoyed the sea breeze, relaxation and food at the Alta Marea restaurant; take an excursion through Route nationale 7 (RN7). RN7 is Madagascar’s primary highway that runs approximately 609 miles from the capital Antananarivo to Tulear. During this tour, a professional driver will navigate you or your group for seven days through lush landscapes and several national parks: This tour also offers opportunities for market visits and local life in poor villages in Southern Madagascar. All included with your stay at Nosy Be Hotel & Spa, get picked up by a bus and start the whole day tour. Of course, only after checking out of your original hotel; The Ravintsara Wellness Hotel. The Nosy Be Hotel & Spa is located on the Nosy Be Archipelago, designed in 1992 and was completed in 1993. The Nosy Be Hotel was created to be a magical, authentic and immersive experience in a natural tropical environment; respects to the Malagasy heritage.
Talking about the Malagasy heritage, let’s take the Malaysian local flavor to the dance floor while friends and family members head out to Taxi Be. Taxi Be is a nightclub and bar that’s fun for both the tourists and locals alike to let loose. Locals love to dance their night away or hang out with friends as they watch live football by the bar and get to know the non-locals. As for events, every Monday is open mic for tourists and locals to show their true talents. Sundays has a retro atmosphere, Thursdays they bring in the best tropical meeting for the hottest wiggles (Top Hit Music), and finally on the weekends, there are concerts and DJ’s playing tunes all night. The nightlife is great and the people are very outgoing and the food drinks are to die for; all at a reasonable price. Opened every evening from 6:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. Admission to get into Taxi Be is free, but consumption is required. What happens in Madagascar, stays in Madagascar!
One of the best Madagascar hangover cures is to drink coconut water and lots of rest. Take the day off from extreme sports/events and relax at Nosy Be’s beach. If the hangover still is lingering, then head on over to an all-day spa, while sipping water from your freshly cut coconut. Or, you may choose to enjoy the last day of fun by navigating through Nosy Be by a light car tour with the local tour guide. He or she will help you discover (Madagascar) the island like never seen before; by meeting local natives and discovering their culture, all while enjoying the beach and finishing off the experience with an aperitif at sunset. The tour is available in five different languages; German, English, Italian, French and Spanish. If tour guides can immerse themselves in other languages and educating the public about their home land, then we have a long way to immerse ourselves in other cultures as well.
Finally, it’s the end of the stay at Madagascar, weather you’re going to the airport or heading back home; make sure to stop by and say goodbye to all your new island friends that were made in Madagascar; an unforgettable and cherishable memory. Unfortunately, a trip like this only happens once in a life-time. I mean who would want to leave breathtaking sceneries of nature, white sandy beaches, stunning rainforests, and exquisite local foods. Not only the trip was enjoyable, but Madagascar shared their country’s most uniquely preserved flora and fauna. Without tourists Madagascar’s locals wouldn’t have a sustainable living in their communities. Madagascar hopes you’ve enjoyed your stay; have a safe trip back home!