Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Plaisance
Opposite Hotel de France. Reasonable cheap rooms with a bar downstairs.
€
SEA EXCURSIONS FROM ANTSOHIHY
Antsohihy is situated on a fjord-like arm of
the sea which becomes the River Loza, along which taxi boats called
teftefs
operate. There
is a regular boat service to
Analalava,
an isolated village accessible in the dry season by
taxi-brousse
(at least 4 hours) but otherwise only by boat (5 hours) or light aircraft. The
best hotels in town are
Malibu,
on the seafront, and
Varatraza
.
Nosy Saba
When I visited this island in the 1990s, I thought it was paradise, with coconut
palms, curving bays of yellow sand, a densely forested section with clouds of fruit bats,
coral and chameleons. This untouched Eden couldn't last, however, and a Frenchman has
just built a luxury lodge here called
Nosy Saba Island Resort
(
m
032 03 333 02/032 64
600 00;
e
contact@nosysaba.com
;
www.nosysaba.com
;
) - with its own private airstrip
and golf course! There are 27 villas in two sizes, each with direct access to the beach.
Nosy Lava
The large island of Nosy Lava ('long island') lies temptingly off Analalava.
Until2004itwasamaximum-security prison,openedin1911bytheFrench,housingupto
700 of the country's most vicious murderers and other criminals. Jolijn Geels reports that
some of the ex-prisoners have chosen to stay and now act as guardians to the abandoned
and decaying prison buildings of which they will give a guided tour on request.
Nosy Ifaho
This tiny island off Analalava has a small patch of woodland with some trees
of surprisingly large girth. This little sacred forest is home to many birds, flying foxes, and
boas large enough to eat the baby goats that inhabit the island. Some fishermen live here
too, but as it is
fady
to move fire or light (including torches) after dark, few people stay
overnight.
MANDRITSARA
The road southeast from Antsohihy is in good condition.
Taxi-brousses
leave every morn-
ing, passing through
Befandriana Nord
where there is a basic hotel and continuing
through beautiful mountain scenery to Mandritsara, the cultural centre of the Tsimihety
people. The journey should take about five hours.
Mandritsara means 'peaceful' (literally 'lies down well'), and was reportedly bestowed
on the town by King Radama I during his campaigns. There are several hotels here includ-
ing
Hôtel Pattes,
a nice little place with excellent food.
