Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( 033 14 247 22; Ambaro; mains Ar16,000-22,000; lunch, dinner by reservation
only) For a decadent lunch on a day trip around the island, stop at Alexandre's. The debon-
airFrenchchefhereservesexquisitecuisineinadiningroomthatwouldn'thavelookedout
of place in the set of
Out of Africa
: a gazebo perched on a low hill overlooking mangroves
and Nosy Sakatia, decorated with traditional china and 19th-century paintings. Splendid.
Chez Loulou
SEAFOOD €€€
( 032 40 439 92; Andilana; set menus Ar35,000) Right on the beach, with tables in the
sand, this casual restaurant and bar is best known for its gargantuan Sunday seafood buffet
lunch (Ar40,000). Seafood also gets pride of place in the daily three-course meal. If you
want to linger after dessert at lunch, grab a sun chair and an ice-cold THB and kick back
with a good book. Booking is essential for the Sunday buffet.
Chez Eugénie
MALAGASY €€€
(
www.chez-eugenie.com
;
Andilana; set menus Ar25,000) Chez Eugenie offers three-
course set menus that rotate daily, with a delightful blend of Malagasy and French influen-
ces. Everything is cooked fresh, in an open kitchen at the end of the big dining room.
Mt Passot & Crater Lakes
Mt Passot (329m), Nosy Be's loftiest point, lies about 15km northwest of Hell-Ville (some-
what further by road). It's a good spot for watching the sunset and the sweeping panorama.
It's also one of the best places to see Nosy Be's crater lakes. Unfortunately, the viewing
area is now packed with souvenir stalls, which somewhat detracts from the experience.
If you have your own wheels, the summit is easily accessible by car or motorbike (allow
45 minutes from Ambatoloaka); otherwise you could charter a taxi from Hell-Ville or Am-
batoloaka: allow Ar80,000 for the return trip, including time at the top.
Therehavebeenmuggingsintheareasoifyou'reonyourownoronamotorbike,ensure
that you drive back before it gets dark.
YLANG-YLANG
The low, gnarled ylang-ylang (e-lang-e-lang) tree is seen in plantations all over
Nosy Be. Its scented green or yellow flowers are distilled to make oil, which is
exported to the West for perfume. The trees are pruned into low and rather grot-
esque shapes to make picking the flowers easier.
Distillation at the large
ylang-ylang distillery
(admission Ar15,000;
8am-3.30pm Mon-Fri, 7.30am-2.30pm Sat), 3km east of Hell-Ville, takes place
on Monday, Wednesday and Friday only.
