Things to see and do Belo-Sur-Mer

Belo is the place where these two-masted schooners (often called "dhows") were built, marvels of old rigs of Breton origin, whose skeletons dot the village. Doroté knows all about the construction of these unique ships, which are still made by hand today. He will accompany you to a shipyard where you can observe the craftsmen at work. Depending on the size of the schooner, it will take between 2 and 8 years of work! To be discovered!

The superb bay is located at 1 hour walk from Belo, or a little less (depending on the weather) by sailing dugout. This arm of the sea goes into the mangrove, where dhows go to the salt port to wait and take on board the bags of salt coming from the salt mines. At the entrance of the bay, the calm and deep water allows for beautiful observations of the sea bed. Opposite, a small vezo hamlet offers a pleasant stop. It is the occasion for a magnificent half-day trip at sea, for example with the very professional Niro, whose services we recommend!

Created in 1997, Kirindy Mitea National Park was designated a Ramsar site (wetland of international importance) in 2015 and a biosphere zone in 2016. Covering more than 156,000 hectares, it includes a wide variety of ecosystems that are representative of the diverse habitats and species of the island's western and south-western region. These include: primary dry forest (formed by a dense dry semi-caducifolia forest cover, one of Madagascar's most endangered ecosystems), savannahs to the east and south, mangroves with their rich specific flora and fauna, riparian forest along non-permanent rivers, tannes, Ambondro and Sirave lakes, bays, beaches, coastal dunes and islets... A total of five circuits are available:

Ankoatsifaka circuit. 28 km from Belo, accessible by car. Watch for lemurs, fosas, birds and baobabs.

Ambondro-Sirave circuit. Easy 4.3 km circuit to discover lakes and aquatic fauna. Panoramic ascent of a 20 m-high sand dune.

Agnolignoly circuit. Combine walking and canoeing to observe mangroves, mangrove trees and giant bats.

Mahaboboka circuit. Meet the Sifaka and the Gidro, a multitude of baobabs.

Marine circuit to explore the park's seven islets and try to spot dolphins, whales and sea turtles.

Please note that the various sites and entrances are far apart.

Belo's surroundings abound with islets and bays to discover. Ambararate (on the Morondave road, on the path before the saltworks): a 6 km hiking trail through baobabs and lemurs. Ankoasifaki: bivouacs organized on site. Kirindy-mite: just before Manahy Bay (a beautiful mangrove with a giant bat), accessible at high tide. Starting point for the Mite hike. Small baobab forest and two sacred lakes to observe, with many migratory birds, including pink flamingos (June to October).