Logbook
It is called the red island… Madagascar is 1,600km long and around 500km wide. It is covered by high ground which rises abruptly above the eastern plain and descends more gently to the west coast, where the main rivers end. The tropical climate varies according to the altitude and the situation with respect to the trade winds; the east, windward coast is very wet and the leeward, west coast much less so.
Madagascar’s population, a real melting pot, is made up of almost 20 different nationalities, (Asian, African, Arab, Chinese, European...). The island is situated at the crossroads of the sea routes between China, India, Arabia, black Africa and Europe. This is certainly the origin of the legendary Madagascan hospitality.
Madagascar is situated in the Indian Ocean, separated from Africa by the Mozambique Channel, and is not quite Africa and not quite Asia. It is an exceptional island, almost a continent, with a unique flora and fauna. Nature here is exuberant and very diverse: tropical forests, savannahs, thorny deserts, baobabs, rice fields, mangroves, high plateaus and turquoise lagoons... Enough to be able to discover a different world every day. With its 3,000 kilometres of beaches, ‘Mada’ is a paradise for divers, sport fishermen and of course multihull sailors. It is bordered by numerous large and small islands, certain of them encircled by real lagoons; the Madagascan seabed alone justifies the trip. Especially as with just a few companies offering boats for charter, you will systematically be alone in the anchorages... A dream which very few destinations can offer you!
Practical info
FORMALITIES:
Valid passport and visa compulsory.
HEALTH:
Be careful, the area is not without risks, anti-malaria treatment essential.
WEATHER:
The dry season stretches from April to October. This is the best period for cruising in Madagascar. During this period, the easterly trade wind sets in gradually, finally reaching 15 to 20 knots. Temperatures: between 25 and 30°C.
SAILING CONDITIONS:
Little or no buoyage, very random weather forecasts, strong currents and sometimes a lot of swell. The conditions are not always very easy, hence skippered charter recommended.
CURRENCY:
Madagascan franc (1 euro = 974 FMG)
Itinerary
Itinerary for a week’s charter
The rare companies offering this destination are at Nosy Be, in the north-west of ‘Mada’. Here you will find sublime beaches bordered by coconut trees and bathed in turquoise waters. This is the ideal departure point for a cruise, either to the Mitsios, or the Radames.
Here are two examples of itineraries, but the possibilities are numerous, and you can return here for several years before you have done everything...
Jour 1
Port Nosy Be - Nosy Komba.Jour 2
Port Mitsios archipelago.Jour 3
Port Nosy Lava.Jour 4
Port Cap Saint Sebastien.Jour 5
Port Grande Mitsio.Jour 6
Port Nosy Be.Jour 7
Port Free...To the South
