Routes · Africa

Cairo to Madagascar's north-west: Nosy Be and Nosy Komba

Cairo → Nosy Be → Nosy Komba

Island beaches, lemurs & ylang-ylang Best season (general guide): Apr–Nov

Nosy Be, off Madagascar's north-west coast, is the country's best-known island, with warm water, forest and a gentle pace. This route spends four nights on Nosy Be and two on neighbouring Nosy Komba. From Cairo you'll connect via Addis Ababa, Nairobi or Antananarivo to Nosy Be.

How to pace it: Spend days one to four on Nosy Be: day one, Hell-Ville; day two, Lokobe forest; day three, Nosy Tanikely snorkel; day four, sunset at Mont Passot. Then spend days five and six on Nosy Komba: day five, boat to Nosy Komba, then lemurs; day six, village walk and beach.

Nosy Be is sometimes called the perfume island for its ylang-ylang plantations, whose flowers are distilled for oil.

Lokobe National Park protects the island's last primary forest, home to lemurs, chameleons and reptiles.

Boats reach Nosy Tanikely, a small marine reserve with coral and turtles, good for snorkelling. Mont Passot, the island's high point, looks over crater lakes at sunset.

Nosy Komba, a short boat ride away, is a forested island where black lemurs come close to the village. Locals sell embroidery and wood carvings.

April to November is the dry season.

Good to know: Tuk-tuks and taxis cover Nosy Be; boats link the islands. Bring cash, as card payments are limited.

Hell-Ville, the main town of Nosy Be, has a market selling vanilla, spices and fruit. The best beaches are on the west coast, with calm water and sunsets. Snorkelling at Nosy Tanikely is good from the beach, and turtles are often seen. Whale sharks visit the waters around Nosy Be in some months, and licensed operators run trips to see them. On Nosy Komba, stay in a simple lodge and enjoy the quiet once day visitors leave. Malagasy food features rice, zebu beef and seafood. Carry insect repellent and take malaria advice from a doctor before you go. Book boat trips with operators who provide life jackets.

Safety note: Canada advises a high degree of caution in Madagascar because of crime and the potential for political instability (updated 9 Oct 2026). It names Nosy Be and Ankify port among places where violent assaults on tourists have been reported. The US rates Madagascar Level 2 (issued 5 Dec 2025). Avoid isolated beaches and walking after dark, and use transfers arranged by your accommodation.

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