NOSY VE

Situated 3 km off the coast of Anakao, the pretty, long, flat island of Nosy Ve is lined with sandy beaches and is now deserted. Vezo fishermen stop off here for a break or a bivouac. Exploring the island offers many points of interest. Of course, there's the beach, always inviting for lounging and swimming, but there are also many pleasant places to visit.

Nature. Nosy Ve is now part of the Tsimanampesotse and Nosy Ve-Androka National Parks. One of the main reasons for visiting Nosy Ve is to catch a glimpse of the red-tailed phaeton. This endemic species digs its nest in the sand, under trees, to lay eggs and hatch. Here are a few things you need to know about this bird, which spends most of its life on the high seas: feeds on flying fish, small tunas, jacks, squid; lives in colonies; incubation period: 42 days, 21 days for the male and 21 days for the female; chick rearing: 3 months; lifespan up to 15 years. In 2018, over 750 pairs were identified.

Culture and history. The island is also a sacred domain. Numerous fady (taboos) are associated with it, and the densest masses of vegetation on the northeast slope are home to the huts of the tromba, the representative of the cult of reincarnation and possession. Last but not least, this is a historic site. The island of Nosy Ve was a maritime base for slave traders, merchants and pirates for several centuries. As early as 1595-1672, navigators often anchored at Nosy Ve before sending longboats to trade with the locals. Subsequently, English pirates based in Madagascar used Saint Augustin Bay as a supply base, and merchant ships avoided the area. It was not until the early ^19th century, when these scum of the seas disappeared, that French traders from Bourbon Island appeared, along with English and American whalers. Among other notable events, at the end of the ^19th century, France delegated its Resident to the island, as King Lahimiriza refused to sign slave-trade regulations with French naval commander Faberty. From these tumultuous times, a few vestiges remain, which you can discover on your visit to the island: the stone basins of the Residence, an impressively large anchor, the graves of the French..

In season, you may not be alone on the island, which we recommend visiting early in the morning!