Diego-Suarez.Com Charming Small Guesthouse with Nine Comfortable and Cosy Rooms with Mini Bar and Satellite TV
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Travel Madagascar HOME | CONTACT | SIT E MAP www.travelmadagascar.org P LANNING Y O UR T RIP P LACES O F INT EREST PARKS AND RESERVES The Highlands | The North | The East | The South | The West The North Antananarivo to Mahajanga (Majunga) Mahajanga to Nosy Be Nosy Be Antsiranana (Diego Suarez) The islands around Nosy Be History | What to see | Where to sleep | Where to eat | Entertainment | Shopping Nosy Be to Antsiranana | Transportation | Practical guide | Communications | Useful addresses | Tour Antsiranana (Diego Suarez) operators Surroundings of Diego Suarez Antsiranana to Antalaha Antsiranana, situated in the extreme north of Madagascar, known as Diego Suarez until 1975 and still called Diego by many, is the capital of Madagascar's northernmost province. It has one of the world's most beautiful deep-water harbours, complete with a photogenic sugarloaf mountain. Visitors usually love this city, which is probably the most French city on Madagascar. It has this colonial feel over it. This is the largest city of the north with a huge cosy market, a range of fine restaurants and some fantastic places and national parks to visit nearby. Diego is the perfect place to hang around and prepare for visiting the neighbourhood. Hist o ry Diego Suarez is named after the two Portuguese explorers who “discovered Madagascar, is on the island’s northeastern end. Their names were Diego Diaz and Fernando Suarez who visited Madagascar in 1506. In 1885, the beginning of the French protectorate, the French Navy built a military base. The urban growth followed. In 1942, the Allies launched Operation Ironclad and landed forces at Courrier Bay and Ambararata Bay, just west of Diego Suarez. Hundreds of British soldiers fell in the Battle of Madagascar, most of them buried in the special British cemetery in the centre of town. The cemetery, with its rows of white gravestones, is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Until 1973, Antsiranana has served as a port to the French fleet of the Indian Ocean. The military awarded lapsed, the port has been transformed into a site of construction and naval repairs. It is one of the largest in the Indian Ocean. The importance of the port and relations with France explain the presence of one of the most developed shipyards in the Indian Ocean. The legend of Libertalia is said to have its origin here. Libertatia is said to have consisted of a free enclave forged by pirates under the leadership of Captain James Misson in the late 1600s. It is described in the book A General History of the Pyrates by Captain Charles Johnson, an otherwise unknown individual who may have been a pseudonym of Daniel Defoe, though whether or not Libertatia actually existed is disputed and it seems that the whole story could be entirely fabricated. The bay of Diego Suarez, considered to be one of the most beautiful and largest in the worl, probably inspired the legend about the utopian Libertalia Republic © David Darricau The story and the legend say that: “Towards the end of the 17 th century, a strange community settled in the Bay area and gave birth to the Libertalia Republic. Characters that were closely related to buccaneering: a French pirate named Misson, and a Roman priest, Angelo Caraccioli. They were both inspired by a utopian philosophy based on the freedom of men, religion and races. Libertalia thrived for a few years until the Malagasy, aroused by their chiefs that hardly understood this threat to their authority, attacked Libertalia by surprise and destroyed it”. What t o see The town is the gateway to Montagne d'Ambre and Ankarana national parks, and many visitors simply pass through Antsiranana, careless of its charms. Those with the time to linger and discover the decaying colonial architecture (the old covered market and the former Hotel de la Marine for seafarers are notable examples), the vibrant market and the wealth of crafts workshops will find Diego atmospheric and enjoyable. The old military quarter, north of Place Foch, occupies a peninsula and overlooks the port. A particular pleasure of walking around Diego is the unexpected variety of stunning views over the bay, seemingly around almost every corner. Colonial buildings The most successful example of colonial architecture is offered by the thread of colonnades of the rue Colbert, which ends in rue Richelieu. By turning left, one discovers an imposing colonial-style residence surrounded by ravenala trees. These are the current headquarters of a territorial administration. The bay and the port The Bay of Antsiranana is one of largest and most breathtakingly beautiful lagoons in the world. Shaped like a four-petalled flower with a narrow mouth at its eastern tip, it opens into the Indian Ocean. At the southern edge of the bay the so called Sugar Loaf is its fabulous landmark which one can easily photograph by the roadside when approaching the Emerald Sea. What t o see in t he so rro undings o f Ant siranana Ramena Beach A day trip to the nearby beach at Ramena is very recommendable. Ramena is a small village with a sandy uncrowded beach, which does not seem to have benefited much from the tourists excepting some hotels and restaurants on the spot. The beach is popular among aging vazahas aging with young Diego Bay from Ramena Beach © MauritsV Malagasy fee-washing girls. You can reach the place by bush taxi from Diego. Taking a taxi is inexpensive too. It's a short but bumpy trip of about an hour. Right at the roadside, there are some clusters of baobabs. These are strange-looking trees that look upturned by a divine whim of some sort. Its branches look more like roots. Of the 8 species of these bizarre trees with branches that look more like roots, six are found ONLY in Madagascar. If you drive by taxi, tell your taxi driver to pull over. The pictures will be worth the stop. Where t o sleep in Ramena (Ho t els in alphabet ical o rder, prices f ro m 2013) 5’Trop-près Phone: +261 20 82 908 52 Mail: [email protected] This small hotel has double rooms for 27 € and triple for 30 €, all rooms with private bath and hot water. In summer they offer sea trips with its own boat for 28 € including food and drink. It is the only hotel directly on the beach, so there is no better place to enjoy Ramena Beach. Good food and a nice atmosphere. Badamera Café Phone: + 261 032 07 773 50 Mail: [email protected] Here you can camp, stay at a bungalow or in a room with or without a private bathroom. It is a nice place surrounded by a botanical garden ideal to relax reading a book or to enjoy the nice atmosphere and buffet on Sundays for 9 € (with a traditional orchestra playing life music). Only 50 m. to the beach. English and German spoken. Price for two people from 8 to 24 €. Case en Falafy (Chez Bruno) Phone: 0320267433 Mail: [email protected] Web: www.case-en-falafy.com This is one of the best places in Ramena. Not only very well located, but with plenty of activities waiting for you. The bungalows are very clean and offer you a small terrace and hot water. A refreshing swimming pool and an excellent restaurant offering tasty food. Also lots of activities like diving and fishing. Bungalows up to three people for 18 €, chalet for 5 people 28 € and for eight people 33 € Chez Jeannette In the centre of the town, close to the beach. It is a simple but very charming place, and you will only have to walk 50 meters to the beach! Double rooms from 22,000 to 40,000 Ar Villa Palm Beach Phone: +261 (0)32 02 409 04 Mail: [email protected] Cosy hotel with a warm atmosphere. Rooms have a private bathroom and sea view. There is also a room with air conditioning. At the entrance of the house you will find a small shop, you might find some nice surprises! Double room from 18 to 24 € Emerald sea Emerald Bay is just one of 3 enclosed bays in Diego Suarez. It is round shaped, about 20 km in perimeter, shallow in the first few meters- hence the “emerald” appellation and just moderately deep at the centre to change the colour to turquoise and not blue black. The bay comprises several pristine and empty beaches with almost no tourist development (excepting the a few bed and breakfast cottages expatriate-owned huts). There are a lot of fishers willing to take tourists the bay. Ali (mobile: + 261 (0) 32 04 651 49) is a recommendable one. T he t hree bays A series of beautiful turquoise bays, lined with long white beaches that bear fascinating names such as the Pigeons’ Bay, the Duns’Bay, the Sakalava Bay. In the latter, there are three islets but also the Hotel Club baie des Sakalava, a tourist resort with 1O bungalows in a bay open to the winds and big waves of the Indian Ocean that make this place one of the best surfing spots in Madagascar. You can get there by sea or by the road that leads to Ramena. A superb corner and very not much visited. You can go to the Bay Dunes first, through Ramena (only with a 4x4). But visitors have to pass through the military zone and therefore be sure to pay some money to a corrupted guard. To avoid this, better access the bays through Sakalava. From there you can access the other bays via a bad track.