Today I want to share my review of Tsarabanjina resort in Madagascar with you. This stunning island paradise is located off the northwest coast of the country in the Mitsio archipelago in the Indian Ocean. It’s the perfect place to relax, unwind, and get away from it all.

Tsarabanjina Resort

Tsarabanjina Resort

My boyfriend and I left Antananarivo at the crack of dawn on Boxing Day. After a long wait in the tiny departures area of the airport, we boarded an Air Madagascar flight to Nosy Be, an island in the northwest of the country.

We were heading to Tsarabanjina resort, and we couldn’t wait to get there.

Air Madagascar plane at Antananarivo airport

How to Get to Tsarabanjina Resort

At first everything seemed fine; flight conditions were good, turbulence was non-existent, and for some reason they decided to upgrade us to business class.

But as we approached Nosy Be, the storm clouds gathered and the rain started to pour. We circled once, twice, three times, and then went into a holding pattern.

I got nervous. It seemed that our flight attendant did too, as she started singing (praying?) 45 minutes later.

Shipping containers in Nosy Be, Madagascar

After what felt like a lifetime, our flight finally landed on the tiny airstrip in Nosy Be. As we disembarked, the ground staff handed us umbrellas for the walk to the terminal building.

We ran through the rain, then met our driver and were whisked off to the port in Hell-Ville, Madagascar (named after a person, not a place you go when you die).

Tsarabanjina boat in Nosy Be, Madagascar

At the port we were met by a large boat that transported us from the main island to a small isle two hours away. It was Tsarabanjina resort. It was beautiful. And peaceful. And perfect.

Beach at Tsarabanjina Resort in Madagascar

Tsarabanjina

The resort was made up of 25 bungalows along two pristine beaches, the north beach and the south beach.

There was a main lodge for meals and cocktails, and the rest of the island was home to green space, sand, rocks, and coral. It was amazing.

Bungalow at Tsarabanjina Resort

Island Activities

For the next seven days, we enjoyed a mix of relaxation, excursions, activities, and exploration.

We went snorkeling along the beach of Tsarabanjina and out by the Four Brothers, the rock formations that jutted up out of the water just off the coast.

Starfish in Madagascar on a snorkeling trip

We went birdwatching, where we were lucky enough to see a pair of endangered African fish eagles, of which there are only around 100 left in the wild.

Endangered Fish Eagle off the coast of Tsarabanjina

Excursion to Nosy Komba, Madagascar

One day there was an excursion from Tsarabanjina resort to Nosy Komba, an island just off the coast of Nosy Be. We got a tour of the wildlife, including the local black lemur population.

Lemur on Nosy Komba, Madagascar

In addition to the lemurs, we saw electric green chameleons, a giant Seychellian turtle, two huge snakes, a thousand millipedes, and several local plant species.

Green chameleon in Madagascar

After our tour we explored the local village for a while. At one point we followed a young girl toting a bunch of squid that had presumably been caught off the coast.

Life in a local village on the island of Nosy Komba, Madagascar

Exploring the Island

Back at Tsarabanjina resort, we passed the days reading, playing tennis, and exploring the island.

One day we heard there was a burial site for some local tribes in a cave at the far end of the island, so we decided to check it out.

We were told to bring an offering of rum to sprinkle at the entrance. We didn’t have rum, so we used beer instead. Hopefully that counts.

Tsarabanjina Island, Madagascar

The cave itself was fairly small, but there were lots of new offerings at the mouth: money, coins, empty bottles, and shells.

Inside were the remains of several pirogues that held the bones of the deceased. We didn’t see any human skeletons, which was a bit of a relief, but the experience was still unique.

Burial site on Tsarabanjina Island in Madagascar

The remainder of our time at Tsarabanjina resort was filled with kayaking, swimming, and sun.

Sea Turtles at Tsarabanjina

On New Year’s Eve we watched a huge sea turtle lay eggs on the beach, which was quite an event.

It was an hour-long process of digging a hole, laying the eggs, covering them with sand, and then making a decoy nest to confuse potential predators. It was amazing to watch, and to be so close.

Sea turtle laying eggs on the beach at Tsarabanjina resort in Madagascar

Tsarabanjina Resort Review: The Verdict

After two more days of relaxing in paradise, we boarded a boat and were transported back to Nosy Be. We were sad to leave Tsarabanjina resort, but excited for the last leg of our Madagascar journey: Andilana Beach. To be continued…

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Tsarabanjina Resort

1 Comment on Lady’s Tsarabanjina Resort in Madagascar Review

  1. I still have the video of the film “Girl Friday” (starring Joanna Lumley) really super – yours must have been a fabulous holiday. Dave (Lincolnshire U.K.)

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