Doany

The small fishing village of Doany on the Ankify half island in northwest Madagascar is a popular beach destination among day visitors from Ambanja and surrounding villages.

The name "Doany" is of Sakalava origin meaning a place of Royal residence and ancestry. Traditional tromba events, which are spiritual gatherings, take place in and around the village of Doany, usually during times of full moon and especially in October when the descendants of Doany's inhabitants return to connect with their relatives and ancestors.

The village has seen changes in recent years, with the development of holiday villas turning the location into a popular beach destination, especially on weekends. This has provided the local community with additional income aside from fishing.

The occasional foreign tourist exploring Madagascar beyond Nosy Be sometimes discovers Doany, although tourism is nowhere near comparable to Nosy Be which receives the highest number of holiday visitors in northern Madagascar. As there are limited tourism-related services tailored specifically to foreign visitors, Doany has retained its authentic Malagasy charm.

Accommodation options in Doany include beachfront villas such as L’Arche de Noé and Shambala while Le Panoramique tucked up on a hill behind the village offers a spectacular view from where one might be lucky to spot the humpback whales on the ocean during their migration periods.

Other options include Les Jardins D'Ankify and simple rooms offered behind the Ravinala outdoor restaurant in the village center, known for serving daily fresh seafood and various Malagasy specialties.

For a perfect beach picnic, visitors can order a freshly caught fish from Kanto at Ravinala. 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 over rock boulders and through a small tropical forest leads to a more secluded beach named Antonremba where construction of a new lodge is ongoing as of 2024.

Continuing at the end of the beach over the hill, visitors will find Ampasikely Beach where the Diana Lodge with an upscale restaurant overlooking the ocean can also be found.

The additional beaches beyond Doany village and around the peninsula can easily be accessed by hitching a ride with a local fisherman.

Doany village and beach are located three kilometres from Ankify harbour where boat transfers connect with Hell-Ville on Nosy Be.

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Regular and overcrowded taxi-brousses run between Ambanja and Ankify harbour throughout the day. Occasionally, a special taxi-brousse goes the whole way to Doany. Otherwise, the three-kilometre distance between Ankify and Doany makes for a scenic walk.

Alternatively, visitors can rent bicycles at Palma Nova and bike 25 kilometers from Ambanja to Doany, partly through cacao plantations until the gigantic mangrove area between Ankahabe and the Ankify peninsula.

Google Maps directions

Accommodation

• Le Panoramique: +261 (0)32 75 324 88
• Shambala: +216 (0)32 55 482 88
• Les Jardins D'Ankify: +261 (0)32 20 066 06
• L’Arche de Noé: +261 (0)32 78 113 87 / +261 (0)34 89 638 29
• Ravinala: +261 32 13 698 68
• Diana Lodge (Ampasikely Beach): +262 (0)693 00 70 01

Further information

• Ankify harbour
• Bike ride Ambanja - Ankify - Doany - Ambanja - 52.14 km
• https://www.wildmadagascar.com/en/ankify
• https://madagascar-hotels-online.com/hotels/larche-de-noe/
• 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
• Another "Doany Beach" is in the Lokobe nature reserve on Nosy Be