The islands off Madagascar worth the boat ride

The main island bases for visitors are Nosy Be in the north-west and Île Sainte-Marie off the east coast. Off the north-west coast there's Nosy Be and the small islands around it: Nosy Komba, Nosy Tanikely, Nosy Sakatia, Nosy Iranja and, further out, the Mitsio archipelago. Off the east coast there's Île Sainte-Marie, with Île aux Nattes at its southern tip. Nosy Hara near Diego Suarez and Nosy Ve off Anakao take more planning, and there you either camp or come back the same day.

Most of these are boat trips from a base, so what you're really choosing is the base and the month. Nearby island countries and territories, including Mauritius and Réunion, require a separate international flight. Three of our private trips end on an island: two in the north finish on Nosy Be, and the Eastern trip on Sainte-Marie.

Nosy Komba, Nosy Tanikely and Nosy Sakatia: the short hops

• Nosy Komba. A roadless island about 3 km off Nosy Be's Lokobe peninsula, 20 to 30 minutes by motorboat from Hell-Ville. At Ampangorina, the main village, black lemurs protected by a local fady (taboo) have lost their fear of people, and visitors are often handed bananas to feed them. We'd say no: primate specialists advise against feeding or touching lemurs anywhere, since they can bite and diseases pass both ways. More in our Nosy Komba guide.
• Nosy Tanikely. A marine national park 8.5 km south of Nosy Be, and the classic snorkelling day. The park protects reefs used by green and hawksbill turtles. It's open all year, touching the animals is forbidden, and at the time of writing the park asks visitors to book online. Boats often pair it with Nosy Komba.
• Nosy Sakatia. A small island just off Nosy Be's north-west coast, 10 to 20 minutes by boat, with no roads and a handful of places to stay. Its beaches are among the most important for nesting turtles around Nosy Be. On our 12-day trip it's the snorkelling day, and with a bit of luck you may find yourself swimming alongside sea turtles.

Nosy Komba and Nosy Tanikely aren't on our set trips. Every trip can be reshaped, so if you'd like a day for them, ask us.

The Mitsio archipelago and Tsarabanjina

About 70 km north-east of Nosy Be, the Mitsio archipelago offers a more remote island stay. Rough Guides calls this whole area of shallow seas excellent for diving and snorkelling. Tsarabanjina, a small island in the group, has a resort reached by a boat transfer from Nosy Be. Confirm the actual transfer allowance with the resort.

The Mitsio islands aren't on our set trips. If diving is the point, tell us: extra days for it can be added to any trip.

Further out: Nosy Hara, Nosy Ve and Nosy Mangabe

• Nosy Hara, off Diego Suarez. A national park of sea and islets off the far north-west tip. Madagascar National Parks says you drive about 34 km from Diego Suarez to Ampasindava, then take a speedboat for 45 minutes to an hour, and the road is hard going in the rains. Madagascar National Parks lists a campsite; confirm the facilities and permissions before planning a night. The main island is home to Brookesia micra, one of the smallest chameleons in the world. Arrange transport and park access ahead. Both our north trips spend days around Diego Suarez but don't go out there, so ask us about adding a day.
• Nosy Ve, off Anakao. A small, uninhabited island off the south-west coast, in the Nosy Ve-Androka marine national park. Anakao is across St Augustin Bay from Tulear and more or less cut off by road, so you go by boat, about an hour by speedboat and longer in a slower one. From the village a pirogue takes you out to Nosy Ve, known for its red-tailed tropicbirds, with snorkelling on the reef. It's day trips only. Our Classic South ends at Ifaty, north of Tulear, so Anakao is a change to ask about.
• Nosy Mangabe, off Maroantsetra. A rainforest island in the Bay of Antongil, in the north-east, and a national park since 2015, with leaf-tailed geckos and five lemur species. Getting to Maroantsetra is the hard part: check current flights and boat access before adding it to a route.

When to go: the islands by season

• The north-west: Nosy Be and its islands. Dry from May to October, with about 20 to 35 mm of rain a month. December to March is properly wet, with nearly 400 mm in January. Whale sharks usually visit from September to December.
• The east coast: Sainte-Marie. Wet in every month and driest from September to November. For whales, August or the first half of September usually brings more calves and far less rain than July.
• The south-west: Anakao and Nosy Ve. The dry side. Tulear gets about 360 mm of rain a year, and whale watching at Anakao runs from mid-June to September.

Cyclone season normally runs from November to April. The east coast takes most of the hits, especially in February and March, but the north-west isn't spared: Cyclone Belna made landfall there on 9 December 2019. Travelling between December and April, leave spare days. Our cyclone season guide goes month by month.

Boats and beaches: staying safe

Almost every island day starts with a boat. The UK Foreign Office advises getting local advice on ferries and checking the weather before you sail, after accidents caused by overcrowding, poor maintenance and unexpected squalls. Canada adds life jackets for every passenger, and no boat that looks overloaded. Ask whoever runs your boat days, us included, which boat they use and what happens if the sea is too rough.

The UK also warns of violent robberies on isolated beaches, even in daytime, and names Nosy Be among the places where they could happen. Don't walk empty beaches alone. More in Is Madagascar safe?

Which of our trips end on an island

• Northern Madagascar, 11 days, from €1,790 per adult, priced from Diego Suarez. After the Three Bays, Montagne d'Ambre and two kinds of Tsingy, four nights on Nosy Be, with Lokobe and two days on Nosy Iranja.
• Northern Madagascar Adventure, 12 days, price on request. A round trip from Antananarivo with four nights on Nosy Be: Lokobe, Nosy Sakatia with sunset from Mont Passot, and a day on Nosy Iranja.
• Eastern Madagascar, 10 days, from €1,620 per adult. Andasibe and the Pangalanes Canal, then three nights on Sainte-Marie.

We can also add Nosy Be to the end of any trip. For the mainland coast too, see the best beaches in Madagascar. Send your dates on the booking form or WhatsApp, and a real person in Antananarivo replies, usually within 24 hours.

Island countries and territories near Madagascar

• Réunion. A French overseas department east of Madagascar, rather than part of Madagascar. It can make sense as a separate stop if your flights connect there. Check current routes and entry requirements for your passport.
• Mauritius. A separate country east of Madagascar, often considered for a resort stay after a mainland wildlife trip. Our guide to combining Madagascar with Mauritius covers the flight planning and the extra travel days.
• The Comoros and Mayotte. In the Mozambique Channel to Madagascar's north-west. The Union of the Comoros is a separate country; Mayotte is a French department. Neither is a boat excursion from Madagascar, so build a separate international travel plan.
• The Seychelles. A separate island country north-east of Madagascar. A stop there depends on your international flights and requires its own accommodation and entry arrangements.

Photos: Alessandro Zanini, David Bruyndonckx and iAko Randrianarivelo on Unsplash.