Sambava

Sambava is a town and district on the east coast of Madagascar and the capital of the SAVA region. Along with Antalaha and Andapa, 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 motorcycle taxis 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 being extended in the mornings once a week: Antaimby on Tuesdays, Ambodisatrana on Fridays and Antanifotsy on Saturdays. Every Sunday from early afternoon close to there is a large beach party with several beach bars, small hand powered ferris wheels, gambling stalls etc. Every other Sunday there is Moraingy in Analamandrorofo along the road between Antaimby and Antanifotsy.

A domestic airport is located approximately 2km 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

• Madagascar Spices
• Biovanilla
• Bemiray
• Madagascar Flavors
• Madex Vanille

Souvenirs

• Mme Olivia

Medical

• Pharmacie Janga
• Pharmacie MEVA - Antanifotsy
• Besopaka Hospital

Restaurants, cafes and bars

• O'Delice de Mily
• Chez Sophie
• Sunset Bar Ampandrozonana
• Gargotte Sylvia Sambava in the Ampandrozonana district
• Happy Sambava - pastries
• 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

Beach

Hotels and restaurants

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

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: +261 032 0263586

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

Various

• École de coupe et couture - cutting and 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

Radio channels

• RNA Sambava
• Radio Vanille
• Radio Fiaingana Vaovao
• Radio Beton Armé SAVA
• Radio Tropique

Map of Sambava

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Transport

• Ralph, English speaking tuktuk (Bajaj) driver: +261 (0)32 68 662 68
• Haja Rabearivelo tuktuk (Bajaj): +261 (0)32 61 052 53
• Hery's Taxi-brousse between Sambava and Vohemar: +261 (0)32 87 834 60
• Jimmy's Taxi-brousse between Sambava and Vohemar: +261 (0)32 40 200 21
• Sambava Airport

Additional information

• Sambava photos
• Sambava videos

Sambava Newsfeed

Madagascar: Tropical Cyclone Gamane Flash Update No. 1, 28 March 2024 - ReliefWeb

28-Mar-2024 07:00

In Madagascar, Endangered Lemurs Find a Private Refuge (Published 2020) - The New York Times

27-Oct-2020 07:00

Figure 2: Local prices of black vanilla in Sambava between 1960-2017,... - ResearchGate

30-Nov-2018 20:03

Vanilla brings cash and crime to Madagascar - The Seattle Times

28-Sep-2018 07:00

How fortunes are being made and lost in Madagascar's vanilla boom - ABC News

21-Jan-2019 08:00

Alphabet of Dalit pride: Reviving Sambava, a ‘secret’ ancient language - The News Minute

23-Oct-2018 07:00

Chinese doctors perform life-changing surgery on Madagascan patient - China Daily

08-Dec-2023 08:00

Cyclone Batsirai slams Madagascar at major hurricane strength, killing 20 - The Washington Post

07-Feb-2022 08:00

Sambava - Madagascar: Wind Storm Situation as of 10/03/2017, Grading Map - ReliefWeb

15-Mar-2017 07:00

Precious as Silver, Vanilla Brings Cash and Crime to Madagascar (Published 2018) - The Indian Express

30-Aug-2018 07:00

Tropical Storm Cheneso, ensuing rain kill 16 in Madagascar - News24

27-Jan-2023 08:00

LDF gets electoral support - The Hindu

18-Apr-2019 07:00

Lemur runs rings around park keepers - The Times

18-May-2012 07:00

Muslim parents break Kerala school's 'Dalit only' tag - Deccan Herald

28-Jun-2019 07:00

How Glue Helps Frogs Out of Sticky Situations - The New York Times

07-Aug-2024 07:00

Call for hartal in Kottayam by CSDS on dalit issue - The Times of India

16-Jan-2017 08:00

Muslim students join ‘Dalits only’ Kerala school, break caste barriers and effect difference - Maktoob media

28-Jun-2019 07:00

After decades, Kerala Dalit neighbourhood gets basic facilities, ownership documents - The News Minute

07-Mar-2019 08:00

Once famous for bamboo products, this Kerala village is losing its tradition - The News Minute

29-Jan-2020 08:00

'They don’t want their kids to sit with Dalits': Kerala school struggles to break caste barriers - The News Minute

09-Jun-2015 07:00

Why does this Kerala school have only Dalit students? - Asianet Newsable

20-Apr-2018 17:01

Raharaham-piangonana : Potehin-dRavalomanana ny Fjkm - La Gazette de la Grande Ile

11-Jul-2024 02:25