Guide to Nosy Mangabe

Nosy Mangabe is an island in front of Maroantsetra, and this place is full of wildlife. There are 5 species of lemurs and many other wildlife, even though this is a very small island. There are also tombs to discover, and the beach is also very lovely. Nosy Mangabe is a treasure in Antongi Bay and should be on your Madagascar itinerary. If you want to know more about this park, keep reading!

Price: Difficult to say, as it is mostly part of a Masoala trip.

Tourist occurrence: Very low

How to get here: 2-hour by boat from Maroantsetra through lovely nature.

How much time needed: 1 Day and night.

Hiking trails

There are several hiking trails on the island, with different levels of difficulty. You have easy, moderate, and difficult trails (in the picture, the difference between easy and difficult is hard to distinguish), and you can do whatever you and your guide think is a good one. The tougher ones are better for lemur spotting, but the easiest one is probably the best for giant leaf-tailed geckos. Talk with your guide about what you want to do. All trails are doable for most people and won't take longer than 4 hours if you don't combine the trails.

Black and white ruffed lemurs

Black and white ruffed lemurs are probably the most important lemurs to find on Nosy Mangabe. They are pretty easy to find when you take the tougher hikes. They are active, loud, and weigh around 4 kilograms, which makes them one of the biggest lemurs in Madagascar. It is fantastic to spot these amazing lemurs in the wild.

Other lemurs and other wildlife

Besides the gorgeous back and white ruffed lemurs there are 4 more species of lemurs on the island. The only other diurnal species is the white-fronted brown lemur (see picture), which is very common here. There are 3 nocturnal species, which are the Rufous' brown lemur, the greater dwarf lemur, and the aye aye. This is a good spot to find aye aye, but a sighting is not guaranteed. The better option is to get to Farankaraina for aye aye. The other 2 species are likely to be seen during a night hike. There are good chances to see other animals during both day and night hikes, like leaf-tailed geckos, tenrecs, chameleons, and Madagascar tree boas.

Night hikes

Nosy Mangabe is a great place to do a night hike, with chances to find 3 nocturnal lemurs (although there is a small chance to see aye aye, but relative good chances). Besides, there are great chances to find greater leaf-tailed geckos, bats, and frogs. A cool highlight was when a greater hedgehog tenrec crossed the path and stayed very close to us (it is rare to find tenrecs). The hike is very easy, and you can see many different kinds of animals.

Beach

The beach is pretty small, but very cool, as the rainforest is right next to it. You can have a nice swim here or enjoy the surroundings. There are even chances of seeing wildlife at the beach, as it is on the whole island.

Tombs

On a higher point of the island, there is a holy place to go. These are the tombs of the Betsimiraka tribe, which mostly occurs in this part of Madagascar. Ask your guide about the traditions and habits of the tribe (good chance your guide is from that tribe). Always ask with respect, and respect the tombs when you are there. When you are there, the area is the best on the island to find black and white ruffed lemurs.

When to go

I would say that September through December are the best. The place is often quiet, but during November and December, it can be really quiet. During January to April, it can be cyclone season, and it is not advisable to get here. May to December are safe to come, but it can be rainy throughout the year, even in the dry season. In October, the lemurs get their babies.

Where to stay

Although you can visit Nosy Mangabe on a day trip, I would absolutely recommend sleeping a night here. It is very basic, and you can only sleep here in a tent underneath a roof (see picture), but that makes it even more beautiful. You sleep close to the sea, which makes a lovely sound to sleep in. It can get very warm in the evening to sleep, but you will be dry during the night. The restaurant, Western toilets, and showers are available as well, and the stay is perfect for a night. If you do not stay on the island, you cannot do a night hike. When sleeping here, remember that you are sleeping on an inhabited island.

In combination with... + itinerary

Nosy Mangabe is mostly a one-night stop, which is part of a "Masoala week." A Masoala week mostly exists from Monday to Monday (the flights from Tana arrive and depart only on Monday). Most of the week looks something like this, including Farankaraina as well. This is my favorite itinerary for the week.

Monday: Arrive in Maroantsetra and look for tomato frogs

Tuesday: Head to Farankaraina and have a day and night hike

Wednesday: Head to Masoala and do hikes

Thursday: Masoala

Friday: Masoala

Saturday: Head to Nosy Mangabe and have day and night hikes

Sunday: Morning hike in Nosy Mangabe, head to Maroantsetra, look for cultural event in Janel park.

Monday: Go to Tana

Tours

There are some tour operators that are doing tours in this area. I booked through Visit Masoala, and I do not regret it a second. It was fantastic and could not be better. Lauriot is the man organizing it, and he wants the best for you. He is happy to help throughout the stay and for all your needs. Here is a link:

https://visitmasoalablog.wordpress.com

Final thoughts

Nosy Mangabe is the perfect ending to a week in the Masoala area. The chances of seeing different species of lemurs, sleeping on an inhabited island, and doing some night tours are fantastic and make this week a great end. I would recommend visiting different parks in the area as well, but it can be good for a day trip as well. This is also the best place to find black and white ruffed lemurs.