Sambava

Sambava is a town and district on the east coast of Madagascar and the capital of the SAVA region. Along with Antalaha, Andapa and Vohemar, Sambava is the centre of vanilla production and the source of most of the world's vanilla export.

Almost half of the population in the Sambava region live from farming and raising livestock. The most common agricultures are vanilla, coconut and rice farming.

Activities include a visit to a vanilla plantation and one of the many processing facilities to learn about traditional vanilla production, a guided tour of the Soavoanio coconut plantation, a visit to Antongompahitra and Bemanevika. Small boats leaves from behind Maison Ravelo/Tandramena at Antaimby and costs 1,000 Ar across the creek where "taxi motos" (motorcycle bike drivers) are offered. This is a shortcut to reach Bemanevika and Bemarivo.

There are three main market places in different areas of Sambava with each of the market places extended in the mornings once a week: Antaimby on Tuesdays, Ambodisatrana on Fridays and Antanifotsy on Saturdays.

Every Sunday from early afternoon there is a beach party with several beach bars, small hand-powered ferris wheels, gambling stalls etc. Also on Sundays there is often Morengy tournaments at the stadium in Ambodisatrana.

A domestic airport is approximately 1 km from the town centre with flights connecting Antananarivo, Toamasina (Tamatave), Maroantsetra and Diego Suarez. Scheduled flights are operated by Tsaradia and Madagasikara Airways.

Transport to/from Sambava

Scheduled flight connections are opereted by Madagasikara Airways and Air Madagascar.
Samy Express Head Office - boat transfers to/from Diego Suarez (during rain season only).

Places

Ambodisatrana market place and Taxi-brousse station direction Antalaha.

Vanilla exporters

Souvenirs

Medical

Pharmacie Centrale - Antaimby
Pharmacie Manantenasoa - Sambava-Centre
Pharmacie Janga - Ambodisatrana
Pharmacie MEVA - Antanifotsy
Besopaka Hospital

Restaurants, cafes and bars

Chez Aline - Restaurant and bar in the Besopaka area
Arc en Ciel - Bar and restaurant with live music and karaoke
Soa Sakafo Gasy
O'Delice de Mily
Chez Sophie
Sunset Bar Ampandrozonana
Gargotte Sylvia Sambava in the Ampandrozonana district
Happy Sambava - pastries
Gargotte Nouvelle - La Soupe, Min Sao, coffee, Thé-Cola
Le Capricorne - restaurant and event location
Epi-Bar La Vanilla - bar, shop and restaurant
Resto Mimi - popular with visitors to Marojejy
Orchidea Beach II - popular with tourists and expats
Carrefour - popular with vanilla traders
Chez Orlance - restaurant and juice bar
Gargotte Camila
Le Baladin - restaurant, bar and night club
Gargotte Ezaka - breakfast, lunch and dinner in the Antanifotsy district of Sambava
Tasty Box - burgers, fries, coffee, cupcakes, donuts - opened in 2020 it is the first fast-food restaurant in Sambava
La Rosace - simple roofed outdoors breakfast and lunch eatery in central Sambava
Bar Bleue - outdoors dinner restaurant in Sambava centre
Zaza Mila Vola - large menu with only Malagasy food, open daily
Tao Fy - restaurant, bar and cafe in the Antanifotsy district of Sambava

Beach

Hotels and restaurants

Hotel Sky Blue
Ambodisatrana

Hotel Hazavola
Sambava-Centre
Tel: +261 (0) 32 03 002 08

Identic.MG
Antohomaro, Sambava
Tel: +261 (0) 32 54 566 67

Hotel Carrefour
Sambava-Centre
Tel: +261 (0) 20 889 2060

La Pirogue
Ampandrozonana

Le Jardin Arhumatic
Ampandrozonana

Mimi Hotel or Resto Mimi (16 rooms, 4 bungalows)
Tel: +261 (0)32 0761028 or +261 (0)32 04028855
Email: mimi.hotel.resto@gmail.com

La Paillotte - Chez Jo (4 bungalows)
Tel: +261 (0)20 88 998 94 or +261 (0)32 21 221 21 (mobile)

Las Palmas (6 bungalows, 3 rooms)
Tel: +261 (0)20 8892087 / +261 (0)32 4007372
Email: laspalmas.hotel@gmail.com
www.laspalmas-hotelsambava.com

Hotel l’Ambassadeur - Chez Zoé
Tel: +261 (0)32 0292745 or +261 (0)32 0211347
Email: razafizoe@yahoo.fr

Hotel Orchidea Beach II
Tel: +261 (0)32 0438377
Email: orchideabeach2@yahoo.fr

Florencia
Tel: +261 032 0246621

Hôtel Cantonnais
Tel: N/A

Hotel Melrose
Tel: +261 33 1457479 or cellphone: +261 (0)32 04572

Hôtel Paradis
Tel: +261 208892297 or +261 324012689

Hôtel la Romance de Jupiter
Tel (cellphone): +261 (0)32 0463389

Hotel Noumea
Tel: +261 (0)32 02 635 86

Hotel le Giroflier
Sambava-Centre
Tel: +261 32 97 792 10

Tiako Marojejy
Antaimby, Sambava
Tel: +261 (0)34 07 423 05 / +261 (0)34 44 555 55

Various

Arhumatic - liquor shop Sambava-Centre
Raffia Travel & Tours - local tour operator and flight bookings
École de coupe et couture - Rollina's tailoring school
Dr Gervais
Prulab - vanilla analysis laboratory
Tsara Lay - bespoke mosquito-net tailoring
CLUE - Center for Learning and Understanding English
Alliance française de Sambava - French alliance of Sambava
Post Office
Colis Express S.A. - courier service by land and air
DHL Sambava
Telma Sambava
ProGym - well equipped fitness centre
François' bike repairs
Madabike rentals
3J Electronic - PC and parts store
Zcom Sambava - printing service
Photo SAVA - photographic prints and cameras
KOM’SEC - sale and repair of IT equipment, PCs, laptops, etc.
Soamazava supermarket
Rambo - camping equipment store and more.
Soavoanio - coconut plantation and producer of various coconut-based products
Andron'ny vehivavy Sambava - Women's Day
Duke Lemur Center SAVA Conservation - project dedicated to preserving the natural biodiversity of Madagascar
Lemur Conservation Foundation - conservation of Marojejy National Park and critically endangered lemurs
Sambatex - general store, hardware, electronics, household goods etc.