Ile aux Nattes
Ile aux Nattes (Nosy Nato or Nosy Nanto) is a small island located south of Ile Sainte Marie (Nosy Boroha) off the east coast of Madagascar. This car-free idyllic beach paradise can easily be reached by pirogue, leaving from the beach southwest of the airport runway on Ile Sainte Marie. The transfer is inexpensive and does not take longer than a couple of minutes.
Ile aux Nattes has many sandy beaches, with the best beeing at the north of the island. An eight kilometres walk around the island takes about three hours at low tide. Tiny villages and an amazing flora can be discovered during the walk. Ile aux Nattes is well known for The Queen of Madagascar - a two metres tall orchid with pink flowers. Some groups of lemurs can be found on the island. Some of the best reefs in the Malagasy region can be found near Ile aux Nattes. La Pagode is a large coral formation up to twelve metres deep.
One of Napoleon's sons, a Malagasy chief customary, was living on the island. It was him who found out that the island has been recorded under the wrong name at the town council arround 1840. Instead of Nosy Nanto, the name Ile aux Nattes was written in the records. Nanto refers to a tree which grew in abundance on the island in those days. Its wood, which is very hard, has been used for navy carpentry. Ile aux Nattes means "the island with the plaits".
Accommodation on Ile aux Nattes
In February 2008, the cyclone Ivan destroyed and damaged quiet a few beach bungalows. In August 2008 some rebuilding was still in progress.
Maningory (7 bungalows)
Tel: +261 57 04069, +261 (0)32 07090
Email: maningoryhotel@wanadoo.mg
Website: www.maningory.com
Baboo Village (14 bungalows)
Tel: +261 5704207, +261 (0)32 0479126
Website: www.baboo-village.com
Meva Paradis (6 bungalows)
Tel: +261 (0)32 4680281
Email: hotel@mevaparadis.com
Website: www.mevaparadis.com
Les Lemuriens (10 huts)
Chez Regine (6 bungalows)
Tel: +261 57 04214
Chez Titi
La Petite Traversée
Email: booking@madxperience.com