Melissa Express

Melissa Express offers scheduled boat transfer between Toamasina (Tamatave), Sainte Marie and Maroantsetra.

The company has two fiberglass boats, each fitting about 60 passengers.

The boat from Maroantsetra to Toamasina goes each Friday and Monday and the price for a ticket is 180,000 Ariary per person (in 2015). The price inludes a 4-hour car transfer to Soanierana Ivongo, a small town 163km north along the RN5, from where the Melissa Express leaves. Usually passengers are told to come around midnight to the boat, but one shouldn't be surprised if the departure is delayed until 2am. Hotel Concorde at the taxi-brousse station offers simple clean rooms where one can rest until the final departure. The Melissa Express takes about 8 hours to Maroantsetra with a stop in Mananara

Ticket office in Toamasina
GPS coordinates: S 18D57.025' E048D25.123'