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mwanasimba from La Réunion CC BY-SA 4.0 Wikimedia Commons

Nosy Be

Island

Nosy Be off Madagascar's northwest coast offers sandy bays, coral reefs and ylang‑ylang plantations. Visitors dive, snorkel and take boat trips to nearby islets for marine wildlife encounters.

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In this guide

Nosy Be essentials

Address: Nosy Be, Diana Region, Madagascar
Admission: No general entry fee to the island. Local conservation areas or excursions may charge.
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About Nosy Be

Nosy Be is an island off the northwest coast of Madagascar in the Diana Region, well known as a tourist destination for beaches, diving and biodiversity. The island’s economy combines tourism with agricultural products such as ylang-ylang.

Beaches, coral reefs and diving sites are primary attractions, while the island’s internal roads connect visitors to markets, distilleries and small resorts. The Lokobe Reserve on the southeast of the island preserves patches of lowland rainforest and endemic species and is one of the island’s main nature attractions.

The island has a colonial and trading history and developed as a tourist destination during the 20th century; plantations for aromatic plants like ylang-ylang remain an economic feature. Local towns retain colonial-era architecture and a mixture of Malagasy and settler influences.

Nosy Be lies off Madagascar’s northwest coast in the Mozambique Channel; the island’s main town Hell-Ville (Andoany) is the ferry and transport hub connecting to the nearest mainland ports.

  • Tourism and agriculture: A popular tourist island known for beaches, scuba diving and ylang-ylang plantations that supply local distilleries.
  • Access and main town: Main access from the mainland is via the Ankify/Ankofia ferry point; Hell-Ville is the island’s principal port and town.

What to See#

  • Hell-Ville (Andoany): Hell-Ville (Andoany) is the island’s main town and administrative centre with markets, colonial-era buildings and ferry connections to the mainland.
  • Lokobe Reserve: Lokobe Reserve, a protected area of lowland rainforest on the island preserving endemic species including black lemurs and other wildlife.
When to Go

Best Time to Visit Nosy Be

Visit Nosy Be in the dry months (May-October) for the best beach and marine-activity conditions, with peak crowds in July-August.

Dry season
May - October · 22-29°C
Sunny, drier conditions ideal for beaches, snorkeling and strolling the island; this is peak tourist season.
Wet season
November - April · 24-30°C
Warmer with more frequent rain and higher humidity; some services may be reduced during the heavier rains and cyclone-prone months.

Weather & Climate near Nosy Be

Climate

Nosy Be's climate is classified as Tropical Monsoon - Tropical Monsoon climate with consistently warm temperatures year-round. Temperatures range from 18°C to 31°C. Heavy rainfall (2179 mm/year), wettest in January with a pronounced dry season.

Air Quality: AQI 23 Good
Best Time to Visit
JuneJulyAugust
Temperature & Rainfall
Temperature Range
32°
Warmest Month
20°
Coldest Month
Monthly Conditions
Month Comfort Temp Feels Rain Sky Humidity Wind UV Daylight
January Good 23° - 30° 26° 508 mm overcast 83% 3.0 m/s 2.6 extreme 12.7h
February Good 23° - 30° 27° 425 mm overcast 83% 2.1 m/s 2.7 extreme 12.4h
March Good 23° - 31° 30° 296 mm partly cloudy 82% 2.5 m/s 2.6 extreme 12.1h
April Very Good 23° - 31° 27° 177 mm partly cloudy 77% 2.9 m/s 2.3 extreme 11.7h
May Excellent 21° - 30° 26° 70 mm some cloud 73% 3.3 m/s 1.9 very high 11.4h
June Ideal 19° - 29° 24° 41 mm some cloud 69% 4.7 m/s 1.7 very high 11.2h
July Ideal 18° - 28° 23° 36 mm some cloud 69% 4.8 m/s 1.8 very high 11.3h
August Ideal 19° - 29° 24° 37 mm some cloud 69% 5.2 m/s 2.1 extreme 11.6h
September Ideal 20° - 30° 25° 37 mm some cloud 70% 4.6 m/s 2.4 extreme 11.9h
October Excellent 21° - 31° 26° 72 mm some cloud 72% 4.0 m/s 2.7 extreme 12.3h
November Very Good 22° - 31° 27° 138 mm partly cloudy 75% 3.2 m/s 2.7 extreme 12.6h
December Good 22° - 31° 27° 342 mm partly cloudy 80% 2.9 m/s 2.7 extreme 12.8h
Getting There & Around

How to Get to Nosy Be

Nosy Be is served by Fascene Airport (IATA: NOS) with domestic flights from Antananarivo and regional connections; the airport is a short drive into Hell‑Ville (Andoany). Alternatively, take the mainland ferry/fast-boat from Ankify to Hell‑Ville-crossings typically take around 20-30 minutes. Local taxis and minibuses connect the port, airport and main towns.

Tips for Visiting Nosy Be

  • Travel in the dry season (May-October) for calmer seas and the best visibility for snorkeling and diving; avoid the cyclone-prone months (January-March).
  • Most ferries to Nosy Be depart from Ankify on the mainland-book crossings in advance in high season and time your mainland arrival to daytime sailings to avoid overnight transfers.
  • Include Lokobe Reserve (reachable by short pirogue from Hell-Ville) for close encounters with endemic wildlife - local guides there know the best spots many day-trippers miss.