Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Hippocampe
TOURS
( 032 64 418 99; madahippocampe@live.fr) Another quality hotel-run operation offer-
ing quads, 4WD tours, and boat trips to the parks, personally run by the French owner (no
English). The boat is a beautifully restored cabin cruiser.
Mada Expeditions
WALKING, KAYAKING
( 032 40 377 77;
http://mada-expeditions.com
)
Offers extensive trekking and kayaking
trips around Masoala, requiring advance notice.
SLEEPING
The properties on the canal benefit from a sea breeze, making them cooler than the inland
options. Be careful of the hand-sized spiders that spin webs on hotel paths at night.
Relais du Masoala
LODGE €€€
( 032 07 901 84, Antananarivo 22 632 53; relais@cortezexpeditions.mg; d bungalow
€76, dinner €12; ) This is the best lodge in the Baie d'Antongil, with an interesting loc-
ation at the end of a canal, and a bridge across to the ocean beach, affording dreamy views
of Nosy Mangabe. The luxury bungalows have enormous bathrooms and porches, while
the kitchen serves the finest cuisine in the area. The lodge is owned by the Grand Dame of
Madagascar, Monique Rodriguez, who also serves as the country's honorary consul, hand-
ling the most difficult visa issues. The opportunity to share a glass of wine with her on the
verandah while listening to stories of Madagascar past is not to be missed. At the time of
research the lodge was about to break ground on an important new sister property on the
Masoala Peninsula, facilitating dual accommodation arrangements for guests.
DON'T FORGET THE PROPRIETOR
The Madagascar travel scene is fascinating because hotels are rarely owned by
large and soulless corporations. Due to the country's political and economic in-
stability, there are no motel chains dotting the RN7, while in the cities the big
international chains are noticeably absent. Instead, hotels in this stretch of the
globe are run by the most interesting expats you will ever meet, from the
wizened Frenchmen running end-of-the-Earth bungalows (
Click here
)
to the im-
pressive family-run resorts, such as Relais de La Reine in Isalo (French,
Click
here
)
, Princesse Bora in Ile Sainte Marie (Swiss,
Click here
)
, La Pirogue in Ma-
