Doany
Doany is a small fishing village on the Ankify half island on the northwest coast of Madagascar including a picture-perfect beach popular with day visitors from Ambanja and surrounding villages.
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The name "Doany" originates from Sakalava referring to a Royal location of ancestral worship. Still today, traditional tromba events take place in and around the village of Doany, usually during times of full moon and especially in October when the descendants of the Salakava tribe from the Analalava district come to Doany to visit their relatives and connect with their ancestors.
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Several holiday villas have transformed Doany from the sleepy fishing village it was a few years ago into a beach destination, especially on weekends, providing the local community with an income beyond fishing.
The occasional foreign tourist exploring Madagascar beyond Nosy Be sometimes discovers Doany, although the influx of tourism is nowhere near comparable to Nosy Be which receives the highest number of holiday visitors in northern Madagascar. Due to a lack of tourism related services tailored specifically to foreign visitors Doany still retains its Malagasy charm and authenticity.
Accommodations in Doany village include Shambala directly on the beach which organises sailing and various other watersports while Le Panoramique on the hill behind the village offers a beautiful ocean view from where one might spot the humpback whales on the horizon during their migration periods.
Other accommodation options in Doany include Les Jardins D'Ankify and simple rooms offered behind the outdoor Ravinala restaurant in the village centre which serves daily fresh seafood among various Malagasy specialities. For example, order a freshly caught fish with Kanto at Ravinala (+261 32 13 698 68) for that perfect beach picnic. The restaurant is open every day, although, according to Sakalava tradition, the inhabitants of Doany do not work on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
As of 2024, prices for accommodation in the village range between 40,000 Ar and 200,000 Ar per night.
Continue about 500 metres after the main beach to find another less frequented beach named Ampagnamo where there are only a few private villas along the shore.
An approximate 30-minute walk across rocks and through a small forest leads to a more secluded beach named Antonremba where construction of a new lodge is ongoing as of 2024.
Continue a little further over the hill at the end of the beach until Ampasikely Beach where the luxurious Diana Lodge with an upscale restaurant overlooking the ocean can be found.
The additional beaches Beyond Doany and around the peninsula can easily be reached by pirogue if asking one of the local fishermen for the ride.
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Doany village and beach are located three kilometres from Ankify where boat transfers connect Hell-Ville on Nosy Be with Ankify harbour on the mainland or by a 30-minute drive from Ambanja.
Further information
- Bike ride Ambanja - Ankify - Doany - Ambanja - 52.14 km
- https://www.wildmadagascar.com/en/ankify
- https://www.mewithmysuitcase.com/2021/10/from-nosy-be-to-ankify-by-public-ferry.html
- https://www.shambalamadagascar.com
- https://www.booking.com/hotel/mg/les-jardins-d-ankify-andimaka.fr.html
- https://mg.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saikinosy_Ankify
- https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ankify
