Eden is the name of the Botanical Garden, located as part of Tsara Komba Luxury Beach & Forest Lodge. And the name is so appropriate! Here we are on one of the largest islands in the archipelago of Nosy Be in the northwestern part of Madagascar. Nosy Komba (or Lemur Island as some call the island) is home to a number of small traditional peach villages and lots of fragrant cocoa, vanilla and coffee plantations. Large parts of the island are wilderness, with tropical forests and a myriad of sea life.
This program is a source of inspiration — each trip is unique and tailored to you.
Welcome to Tsara Komba, an island resort with amazing biodiversity and harmony. This is a green volcanic island and close to the hotel you will find a nature reserve with, among other things, baobab trees, hummingbirds, parrots and chameleons. Here you live between forest and sea, can look out over the sea from your private terrace and maybe spot a dolphin. Here the pace is slow and there is room to breathe more slowly…
During your stay, you choose how the time is to be spent. Maybe head over to the island of Nosy Faly, a sacred island with burial sites from local dynasties. Discover the most amazing beaches, mangrove areas and say hello in the small fishing villages. Go snorkeling on the island of Tanikely with a guide – it’s like looking down into an aquarium and a spectacular experience.
Sail around Nosy Komba in a pirogue (local boat type) to find your completely private beach, or head over to Nosy Mamoko to see the fine waterfalls and maybe spot a turtle. Take a break on the island of Nosy Kisimany where you and your guide have a picnic on the beach.
Have dinner in the most amazing surroundings.
Choose between staying in an Ocean View Lodge (90m2) or in a Suite in the lush forest close to the beach. All rooms and suites have sea views.
Tsara Komba Lodge has one of Madagascar’s best restaurants. Chef Tina invites to new experiences every night, and all meals are produced from local ingredients, purchased with fair trade in mind.
Main Lodge – The Divine House is the house where the restaurant, bar and lounges are located. There are also four terraces where you can enjoy the spectacular 280 ° view of the bay, Madagascar’s Grande Terre Tsaratanana mountains.
Opportunity for exciting excursions. Take a hike with a guide from south to north on the island. The trip takes a few hours and here are good chances to experience black lemurs, chameleons, lots of butterflies, birds and beautiful nature. Along the way you look past Madame Yvonne, who will tell about natural medicine and how nature can heal in its own way.
Or stop by the local distillery (Dzamandzar) and the market – Ambanja.
Crazy about chocolate? Then you will love visiting a cocoa plantation.
Head up to Mont Passot, the highest point on Nosy Be. Fantastic views of the ancient craters which are now lakes, especially at sunset.
Visit the Lokobé Reserve. Here you can experience all the island’s animals in a free environment with a guide. Get close to a boa constrictor and see the beautiful birds in its true element.
Order a relaxing massage with fragrant oils.
There are also opportunities for many water activities.
You can dive, whether you are a beginner or experienced. The snorkeling here is also fantastic. Places to discover marine life are, for example, at Tanikely, the Ankify wreck or Manta Point. Dive in and say hello to turtles, starfish, thousands of fish, corals and anemones.
More options:
Go fishing to catch swordfish, Jack Crevalle fish, red snapper, kingmackeral, dogtuna tuna or barracuda. After catching, you usually let the fish go again.
You can learn how to navigate a pirogue boat.
Take an excursion to the island of Tanikely. A perfect place for diving and snorkeling but also an island that can be discovered on foot. Head up to the old lighthouse through the woods, a nice hike.
Head over to Baie des Russes (Russian Bay) to see if you can spot dolphins, whale sharks, manta rays or humpback whales (from August to mid-November). The beaches here are breeding grounds for some of the largest water turtles.
You can also just relax on the beach.
When can you travel?April – December
Airport: Ivato International Airport (TVR)
Length: 12 nights or longer
Price includes: activities as suggested in the program
Price does not include: international flights, Travel insurance, visa, drinks, extra activities, gratuities,
Good to know about Madagascar: This is the world’s 4th largest island and is located outside Mozambique. As much as 90% of the island’s animals and nature are unique to the island – they are only found here.
Travel ethics: Things take longer here and you need to calm down … Always ask before taking a picture of people. Bring small change in local currency to be able to buy, for example, handicrafts or local art.
Mobile coverage and internet: Internet access in most hotels and restaurants. Mobile coverage is good but it is expensive to make international calls.
Visa: You must have a visa to travel to Madagascar. Can be obtained from home or on arrival. Price 35 euros (approx. 250, -). Your passport must be valid for a minimum of 6 months after arrival in the country. You are responsible for the visa and that your passport is valid.
Time zone: GMT – 6
Vaccinations: Read more about which vaccinations to use here Statens Serum Institut
Packing: To best cope with the heat and moisture, we recommend thin cotton clothes in the summer if you are high up in the summer and basically all year round in the north and south – where it is basically always hot. Bring a warm sweater or jacket for use in the evening. Rainwear is good to bring if you visit Madagascar during the wet period (November to April). Take a soft rather than a hard travel bag, easier to handle along the way – maybe a large backpack? Mosquito spray is not a bad idea.
Local currency: Malagasy Ariary (MGA) has been in use since 2005.
Weather: Madagascar
Water: Clean water is available at the hotel.
Security: Madagascar is a relatively safe country to travel in. However, do not walk alone at night in the big cities such as Antananarivo.
This product meets our requirements for Ecorating, a product that is good for humans and the environment.
The island of Nosy Komba is located in one of the world’s most amazing ecosystems. In a practical way, the hotel works to preserve and protect this unique environment so that future generations can enjoy and use the area as it is today.
This is done, among other things, by recycling materials such as metal, plastic, cardboard and biowaste. Locally sourced building materials and local plants are also used at the hotel.
The amount of water in the hotel is limited. The water comes from a source, and is transported to the hotel by means of an aqueduct-like system instead of using a petrol-powered pump. Wastewater and wastewater are filtered and used to irrigate the garden. Biowaste turns into compost, also for use in the garden.
Solar panels are used to produce electricity and heat water. Low-energy light bulbs are almost exclusively used.
There is no TV, telephone or air conditioning in the rooms, this is to limit the amount of electricity that is used.
Tsara Komba encourages locals to use the forest in a sustainable way. One tries to limit the traditional way of cultivating the land (slash and burn) and instead use the land in a more sustainable way.
As much as possible, the hotel purchases locally produced food and other things to be used in the operations of the hotel. Craftsmen and employees all come from the local community. The salary the hotel pays allows the local communities to stay on the island and avoid having to move to a major city in Madagascar, for example.
The hotel also provides microloans for families so you can buy or build a boat or a house.
A big part of the employees live in the nearby town. The hotel provides staff with training and education in various professions, and also provides basic health insurance as part of the salary.
Tsara Komba works closely with the NGO “Des Villages Et Des Hommes”.
In the nearby town of Antrema, less than a kilometer away, the hotel supports projects in the field of water supply, sewerage, construction of houses in the local style, initiatives in health and wellness, a school project and work on establishing a library.
