Nosy Be or Sainte-Marie? Which Madagascar Island to Choose

After the dusty roads of the west or the RN7, a few days on an island is the perfect way to finish a Madagascar trip. The two favourites are Nosy Be in the north-west and Sainte-Marie on the east coast. They are very different.

Nosy Be in a Nutshell

• The most popular beach destination in Madagascar, with the widest choice of hotels
• Calm, clear water and easy boat trips to Nosy Komba, Nosy Tanikely and Nosy Iranja
• Black lemurs in the Lokobe reserve and on Nosy Komba
• Best from about May to October; rainy from December to March

Sainte-Marie in a Nutshell

• A long, green and quiet island — more relaxed and less developed than Nosy Be
• Humpback whales in the channel, mainly from July to September (sometimes from late June)
• The tiny car-free Île aux Nattes at its southern tip
• Wetter than the west all year, so expect some showers

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose Nosy Be if you want classic beach holidays, boat excursions and lots of choice. Choose Sainte-Marie if you travel between July and September and want to see whales, or if you prefer a quiet, authentic island atmosphere.

How Many Days?

Three to four nights is a good minimum to make the flight worthwhile and enjoy a couple of boat trips. Five or more nights is perfect if this is the relaxing end of a long trip.

Combine an Island with the Baobabs

A classic plan is to start with Andasibe, fly to Morondava for the baobabs, Kirindy and Tsingy, then fly to Nosy Be or Sainte-Marie for the last days. We can organise the whole route for you.

Written by the KiriTour team

We're a local tour team based in Morondava. We guide travellers through the baobabs, Tsingy, Kirindy and the Tsiribihina every week, and organise trips across Madagascar.

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