Belo sur Mer

Belo sur Mer is located 70km south of Morondava on the Mozambique Channel. From Morondava it takes about 2 hours by boat to reach this Vezo village. The village with its small houses and huts lies on the border of a small lagoon with a beautiful beach. Nine coral-fringed offshore islands provide excellent snorkelling and diving. The temperature can be very high, the best time for travelling is in the coolest time of the year between June and July.

Belo sur Mer is the regional ship-building centre. Huge cargo-vessels lie along the palm-fringed lagoon. The ships are built using the same designs as centuries back. The construction is done by hand and takes about four to six years to completion.

How to get there

• By motor boat from Morondava (about 2 hours) (laetiti@tsangatsanga.com)
  
• By pirogue (50.000 - 60.000 Ariary for a 3 to 4 day return-trip), a slightly uncomfortable adventure for 6 to 10 hours with a possible overnight stay in a fishing village.
  
• By taxi-brousse Taxi be de Mer.
  
• By 4x4 from Morondava (about 4 hours) or Morombe (1,5 days). Once the river level drops the road is open, typically mid-June to mid-October.
  
  

Where to stay

• Ampanareta Village Camp - 5 comfortable bungalows with private bathroom and kitchen in front of the sea with private beach, 2 hectares of tropical garden suitable for tenting, 10 tents to rent including sanitary facilities. Restaurant with hut on the beach. Tel: +261 033 06 951 32. amparetra@gmail.com

• La Marina - 8 bungalows, 1 suite, high price. lamarinabelo@yahoo.fr
  
• Ecolodge de Menabe - 5 double, 3 twin rooms, diving school, medium price.

Website: http://www.menabelo.com. Email: info@menabelo.com.

• Hotel Le Dauphin - 6 spacious bungalows with separate toilet/shower block, low price.
  
• Bungalows Chez Dorothé - 7 basic bungalows on the beach close to the village, shared toilet, basic shower, simple restaurant, very low price.
  
• Chez Lova - family run business, clean, very good food. Email: restolovabelo@yahoo.fr / rluc7177@yahoo.fr.
  

Numerous other hotels opened, starting price 10.000 Ariary.

• Nosy Andravano Bungalows - bungalows on island Nosy Andrano, no water, not nice.
  
  

Nearby
- Nosy Andravano (biggest island) and many islets.
- Kirindy-Mitea National Park

Photos
http://www.pbase.com/maceg/ma_bello
picasaweb.google.com/pacou974/Madagascar...

Video
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4tn26_belo-sur-mer_travel