Things to see and do Côte Émeraude

A magnificent excursion, to realize in quad or in VTT for example. We reach the bay of Sakalava, then the bay of the Pigeons, and finally the bay of the Dunes, before finishing by the beach of Orangea and the village of Ramena. The sandy track criss-crosses between the forests of achypodiums and xerophilous species. From Ramena, you can also visit the 3 Bays on foot, count about 4 hours of walking. Note however that there is often a lot of wind and that the sun hits very hard! The return trip can be done by cab with reservation or by 4x4 if a guide is waiting for you.

The Emerald Sea, which faces the Bay of Dunes, is a paradise for lovers of turquoise waters and deserted beaches. Windsurfers and kitesurfers have a great time! Day trips are also organized. Snorkeling is also a must. From mid-June to early September, the wind can be violent and this expedition less attractive (the lagoon is cloudy). However, this is the best season to have the wind at your back! We therefore advise you to make this trip in the morning, before the wind gets stronger.

Practical: There are now only two entrances. The most common one, and the easiest to access as well (all year round), is located in the village of Mahamasina, on the RN 6 that leads to Ambilobe (eastern entrance), it is here that the entrance tickets are on sale. Count on at least 4 hours of taxi-brousse from Diego (the road gets worse every month), 3 hours by 4x4. A round trip for the day is therefore to be avoided if possible.

Another entrance is located in the west, near the village of Amboandriky: access by sedan from June to December and by 4x4 from December to May by a track that leaves from Isesy, a few kilometers before Ambilobe. We then reach the Iharana Bush Camp.

Fady. It is advisable to respect certain prohibitions in the park. Discuss them with your guide.

A little geology and etymology. This massif emerged from the sea more than a hundred million years ago (quaternary volcanic activity). Since then, erosion has dug an incredible network (networks, we should say) of underground waters (more than 110 km!). A more recent telluric movement is at the origin of the presence of basaltic rocks and eruptive ashes. During this time, the rain, by eroding the limestone top of the massif, formed in the long run these strange sharpened crests, like a chaos of discordant organs, which one names "Tsingy".

Some people say that this word means "walking on tiptoe", because it is very difficult to walk on the ridges, and this theory seems the most credible..

The fauna and flora. In the park, one can see 11 species of lemurs, notably the crowned lemur(Eulemur coronatus) and the bushy lemur(Eulemur sanfordi), near the campsites and early in the morning or late in the afternoon; about a hundred species of birds, among which the variegated mesire(Mesitornis variegata), one of the rarest of the world. Bats (14 species, about half of all species in Madagascar), chameleons and crocodiles (60 species of reptiles and amphibians) are also part of this fascinating animal world.

The flora is not in rest, the canarium of Madagascar or the pandanus giving it to heart joy; the rupicole vegetation (adapted to the limestone rocks) is present everywhere. We can also admire the adenia, an extraordinary liana, or the taimpapango, with its white bark.

To finish, let us add that the caves are here privileged places of meeting between the living and the ancestors, for the inhabitants of the region. Every year, ritual ceremonies called " Fidirana an-davaka " take place in homage to the ancestors. And every five years, another ceremony, " Tsangan-tsaina ", is dedicated to the "change of mast": in fact, of the mast on which the flag of the Antakarana flies. It is held in the village of Ambatoharana. These ceremonies are very important for the inhabitants. There is no problem to attend, as long as you come with a sound mind and a desire to learn, discover and share. Note that shoes and hats are fady.

Beware: the park is infested with scorpions. Don't go barefoot, be careful where you pitch your tent, and don't forget aspivenin and serum if you are camping.

The marine national park of Nosy Hara gathers a dozen islands off the Courrier bay. None of them is inhabited. On land, the limestone cliffs invite to the supervised practice of climbing. However, the real show takes place under the surface of the water: turtles, rays and fish come to enjoy the multiple coral reefs. A rich and generous nature that only a few service providers (notably Evasion sans frontière) invite you to discover. The expedition is generally scheduled over 3 days or more on board a sailboat.

In Diego, whether in the warmth of the morning or the softness of the late afternoon, you have to relearn how to stroll... Flooded with sunshine, the streets of the city center are lined with colonial houses with faded facades in pastel shades of blue, pink, sienna or green. Traces of history, the beauty of buildings, the elegance of a drape, the fire of a look - there's so much to contemplate! The most successful example of colonial architecture is the string of colonnades on rue Colbert. Starting at Place Foch and following this artery, you'll find a succession of colonial-style buildings, with their flower-filled balconies and verandas. Take particular note of the beautiful Alliance française building. Rue Colbert ends in Rue Richelieu. At the intersection of these streets, you'll find an imposing colonial-style residence surrounded by ravenalas, the governor's residence in colonial times. Today, it is the seat of a territorial administration. Further on, frozen in oblivion, an imposing ochre-colored building, the ex-Hôtel de la Marine, a luxury establishment from the colonial period, lines its porticoes, arcades and arabesques. Overgrown with trees, this ghost of the past faces the immense, wind-swept bay. It exudes a strange atmosphere. The call to prayer echoes from the small white mosque nearby. In Diego, Chinese temples, churches and mosques are good neighbors. Continuing on to Place Clemenceau, you come to the bandstand. White columns lining the bay of Antsiranana bear witness to a bygone era. Further on, at the end of Rue Gourand, Place de l'Amiral Ronarch, adorned with a statue of Marshal Joffre, offers another perspective on the great harbor. In the foreground are mountains of containers, shipyard cranes and cargo ships awaiting unloading, while on the horizon, the jagged ridges of the creeks reveal themselves. This is where the most important port facilities begin. Diego offers a variety of atmospheres: elegant Sakalava women, old Comorian men in babouches, wearing fez and djellaba... A stroll through the popular Tanambao district is a must, with its stores of all kinds, its houses of wood and tin. At the end of boulevard Sylvain Roux, at the corner of the roads leading either to Ramena or to the airport, the Commonwealth military cemetery is a moving site where British, Indian and African soldiers lie buried, victims of the fighting against the Petainist administration in 1942. Their sacrifice enabled Mada to join Free France.

Fortified by the region's various military occupants, this rock served as an observation post. Now a peaceful lookout point, it offers a landscape of great beauty: Cap Diego, Cap d'Ambre, Mozambique Channel, Montagne d'Ambre, Montagne des Français... The trail ends at Ampasindava (Baie du Courrier), with its beautiful beach. The bay is so named because, before Diego was founded, it was here that boats docked to bring in mail and parcels. Since 2017, a camp has been set up right on the sand.

The Tsingy de l'Ankarana is a superb national park. As with most of Mada's national parks, guides are compulsory, with fixed guide fees. You can request one guide rather than another if you wish. There are only two entrances to the park (the^3rd was recently abolished). The most common, and also the easiest to get to (all year round), is in the village of Mahamasina, on the RN 6 road leading to Ambilobe (east entrance), where entrance tickets are on sale. Allow at least 4 hours by bush cab from Diego (the road gets worse every month), 3 hours by 4x4. An all-day round trip should therefore be avoided wherever possible.

Another entrance is to the west, near the village of Amboandriky: access by sedan from June to December and by 4x4 from December to May via a track that leaves Isesy, a few kilometers before Ambilobe. You then reach Iharana Bush Camp.

Fady. There are certain things you must not do in the park. Discuss them with your guide.

A little geology and etymology. This massif emerged from the sea over a hundred million years ago (Quaternary volcanic activity). Since then, erosion has carved out an incredible network (or networks, we should say) of underground waters (over 110 km!). A more recent telluric movement is responsible for the presence of basaltic rocks and eruptive ash. In the meantime, rain eroded the limestone summit of the massif, eventually forming these strange, sharp ridges, like a chaos of discordant organs, known as "Tsingy". Some say that this word means "to walk on tiptoe", because it's very difficult to walk on ridges, and this theory seems the most credible..

Flora and fauna. The park is home to 11 species of lemur, including the crowned-headed lemur(Eulemur coronatus) and the bushy-haired lemur(Eulemur sanfordi), which can be seen near campsites in the early morning or late afternoon; and around 100 species of bird, including the variegated mesire(Mesitornis variegata), one of the rarest in the world. Bats (14 species, around half of all species in Madagascar), chameleons and crocodiles (60 species of reptiles and amphibians) are also part of this fascinating animal world.

The flora is not to be outdone, with Madagascar canarias and pandanus having a field day, and rupicolous vegetation (adapted to limestone rocks) is everywhere. You can also admire the adenia, an extraordinary liana, or the taimpapango, with its white bark.

Last but not least, the caves here are privileged meeting places between the living and the ancestors, for the inhabitants of the region. Every year, ritual ceremonies known as " Fidirana an-davaka " pay homage to the ancestors. And every five years, another ceremony, " Tsangan-tsaina ", is dedicated to "changing the mast": in fact, the mast on which the Antakarana flag flies. It takes place in the village of Ambatoharana. These ceremonies are very important to the locals. There's no problem attending, as long as you come with a healthy spirit and a desire to learn, discover and share. Please note that shoes and hats are fady.

Warning: the park is infested with scorpions. Don't go barefoot, be careful where you pitch your tent and don't forget aspivenin and serum if you're camping.

Farouk is THE guide who will enchant your trip to Madagascar! Official guide since 2016 and native of Diego, Farouk is passionate about travel and multilingual. He will organize for you any type of visit, culture or nature, in the city of Diego and in all the North of Mada. Endowed with a great culture, always attentive and listening, Farouk works for the biggest travel agencies of the country and he will be able to adapt to all your desires. He combines both know-how and know-how... You can follow him with closed eyes!

Here are a few tour ideas to inspire you ahead of your visit to the Tsingy de l'Ankarana Park.

These are three main circuits that can be combined over 1 or 2 days. They are reopened every year after the rainy season, so their configuration can change from one year to the next. Two suspension bridges of 20 and 60 meters have been built in the park (similar to the Tsingy de Bemaraha, near Morondava). Thrills guaranteed! Follow the white-dotted path to the Meva belvedere. In season, these bridges are victims of their own success... and very busy!

From the eastern entrance (Mahamasina), here are the sites you can reach most quickly:

Small circuit (half-day, guide fee: 50,000 Ar, NB guide fees change every year, ask at reception) This circuit takes you to the loss of the river, the Chauves-souris cave, the small Tsingy (Tsingy Meva, Tsingy Rary) and the Tsingy turrets. Medium tour (full day, guiding: 70,000 Ar): same tour as above, with the addition of the large Tsingys and the suspension bridge, plus the Ambohimalaza viewpoint. Grand circuit (full day: 90,000 Ar): Benavony circuit (complete loop) and Rivière Verte.

From the western entrance (Andrafiabe), you can also reach the Crocodile Cave, the Cathedral, the Skeleton Cave, the first and second canyons, Lake Mangily and the Pigeon Cave.

2 tour options: with an agency, your guide will explain what you want to know (please note that you need a certified guide in addition to the driver). If you're on your own, you'll need an MNP guide. Best from May to November, rainy season to be avoided. The short tour of 2h30 to 3h: visit to the Thousand Trees Way, Antankarana waterfall and sacred waterfall. The medium tour (4.5 hrs.): same route, plus a walk to the viewpoint over Lake Mahasarika. The long circuit (6 hrs.) is the same, with the addition of the viewpoint of the Antomboka waterfall.

A quality website offering the discovery of the north Malagasy, which was updated by Guillaume.

A website very often updated by Pierre to discover Diego and the north of the country (also Nosy Be and Sambava/Antalaha).

In the Cul de Sac Gallois Bay, a 15-minute boat ride will take you to small hills planted with baobabs. Dozens of these majestic trees, some of them several hundred years old, can be discovered during an easy one-hour walk. The opportunity to see two endemic species of baobabs. We walk near Diego, in a completely different universe already with the crystal clear waters nearby. A visit of the most exotic not to be missed, especially if you do not go to see the baobabs of the Menabe region or the west of Madagascar.