Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
climate for much of the year. Fertile and prosperous, with the heady scent of ylang-ylang
blossoms giving it the tourist-brochure name of 'Perfumed Isle', this is the place to come
for a rest - providing you can afford it. Compared with the rest of Madagascar, Nosy Be is
expensive.
Tourismdevelopedherelongbeforethemainland,soinevitablytheislandseemstouristy
to adventurous travellers. Since the recent demise of the sugar industry, all available land
isbeingboughtupforhoteldevelopment.This,inturn,haspushedpriceseverhigher.That
said, Nosy Be provides a taste of everything that is special to Madagascar - from good
seafood and beaches to chameleons and lemurs - so it is ideal for those with limited time
lookingforahassle-freeholiday.Italsohasseveraloptionsforrealluxury-rareintherest
of Madagascar.
The only significant town is
Hell-Ville,
where you'll need to go if you require such ser-
vicesasbanksorairlineoffices.Ithassomebasicaccommodationbutnobeach;mosttour-
istswillwanttostayatthebetterhotelsstretchingalongthewestcoast.Thebeachfrontvil-
lage of
Ambatoloaka
in the southwest comprises a couple of dozen hotels and restaurants,
so this is the place to stay if you want to be within walking distance of a good choice of
placestoeat.Headingnorth,thehotelsbecomeprogressivelymoreisolatedandthebeaches
better. For an even more remote experience, consider staying on one of the islets surround-
ing Nosy Be.
Thanks are especially due to Nosy Be resident Harriet Joao of MadagasCaT Charters &
Travel for updates to this chapter.
HISTORY
Nosy Be's charms were recognised as long ago as 1649 when the English colonel Robert
Hunt wrote: 'I do believe, by God's blessing, that not any part of the world is more ad-
vantageous for a plantation, being every way as well for pleasure as well as profit, in my
estimation.' Hunt was attempting to set up an English colony on the island, known then as
Assada, but failed because of hostile natives and disease.
Future immigrants, both accidental and intentional, contributed to Nosy Be's racial vari-
ety. Shipwrecked Indians built a magnificent settlement several centuries ago in the south-
east of the island, where the ruins can still be seen. The crew of a Russian ship that arrived
duringthe Russo-Japanese Warof1904-05are buried inthe Hell-Ville cemetery.Other ar-
rivals were Arabs, Comorans and - more recently - Europeans flocking to Madagascar's
foremost holiday resort.
