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Madagascar

Courses

Courses

Dive Sites

Dive Sites

Wildlife

Wildlife

Dive Trips

Dive Trips

Events

Events

© Shutterstock/Michail_Vorobyev

Explore Madagascar

Madagascar is a nature lovers’ heaven, boasting plenty of healthy reefs, colorful tropical fish, pelagics, turtles, dolphins and even whales. Divers of all levels can explore many endemic species on some of the longest coral reefs on earth. 

Madagascar, situated off the east coast of Africa, has four main diving areas; Nosy Be, the Mitsio archipelago, Sainte-Marie Island and the archipelago of the Radames. 

Nosy Be, has diverse waters with beautiful coral and topography. You can find plenty of fish, and even mantas and whale sharks among the many dive sites, which also include walls and wrecks. 

The diving around the Mitsio Archipelago has been well preserved and is very tranquil, thanks to its remote location and lack of human activity. 

East of Madagascar, Sainte-Marie, is a hotspot for humpback whales and southern whales during their breeding season.

The Radames Archipelago features dramatic underwater topography and structures, such as tunnels and arches. With plenty of prolific marine life to discover here, divers will not be disappointed. 

Diving is available year-round, with plenty of dive centers and dive resorts to cater to your needs. Most diving is done by boat for easy access to dive sites, but for the best experience, many opt for liveaboards.

Power Plug Type
C, E
Payment Method
VISA, MC
Tipping
5–10% / Service Staff & Guides / Tipping is appreciated in restaurants and for tour services; amount may vary based on service quality
Currency
MGA
Dial Code
+261
Electricity
220 V / 50 Hz
Time
UTC+3

Upcoming Events

    • Dive Centers

    SCUBA NOSY BE

    SCUBA NOSY BE

    AMBONDRONA, 207 HELL VILLE, Madagascar
    AQUA DIVING NOSY BE

    AQUA DIVING NOSY BE

    HOTEL CORAIL NOIR, 207 DZAMANDZAR, Madagascar
    Andilana Beach Diving Center

    Andilana Beach Diving Center

    Andilana, 207 NOSY BE, Madagascar
    BLUE WAVE DIVING

    BLUE WAVE DIVING

    AMARINA VOI HOTEL, 207 BEFOTAKA, Madagascar

    Nosy Be Diving & Excursions

    Andilana Beach, 207 NOSY BE, Madagascar

    YLANG DIVE CENTER

    Maison Ylang Nosy Bé, 207 AMBATOLOAKA, Madagascar

    BLUE WAVE DIVING MADIROKELY

    Madirokely, 207 Madirokely - Nosy Be, Madagascar

    SAKATIA LODGE

    Nosy Sakatia, 207 HELL VILLE - NOSY BE, Madagascar

    FREEDIVE NOSY BE

    Hôtel Beluga, Plage de Madirokely, BP 428 NOSY BE, Madagascar

    DOUBLE DEEP DIVING CENTER

    Orangea Ampasy, 207 NOSY BE, Madagascar

    MANTA DIVING

    Ambondrona Avaratra Route de l’Ouest, 207 NOSY BE, Madagascar

    ULYSSE EXPLORER

    Ankazoberavina, Madagascar

    Dive Sites

    SCUBA NOSY BE, 207 HELL VILLE
    Boboss Epave <span class="text-color-primary text-sm"> (★4.3)</span>

    Boboss Epave (★4.3)

    2 sites in one! And yes, at the beginning a trawler wreck transformed into a shrimp boat, then to finish a beautiful reef constituted by 2 big potatoes rich in macro and small (frog fish ....).
    SCUBA NOSY BE, 207 HELL VILLE
    Les Arches de Sakatia <span class="text-color-primary text-sm"> (★4.3)</span>

    Les Arches de Sakatia (★4.3)

    The arches of Sakatia: Rock placed on a bottom of 23-24 meters, the top of the rock is at 19-20 meters. This rock has 3 entrances, 3 small arches, after this arch there is a smaller one 30 meters further on, and after a walk on a plateau at 15 meters depth.
    SCUBA NOSY BE, 207 HELL VILLE
    Tanikely sud <span class="text-color-primary text-sm"> (★4.3)</span>

    Tanikely sud (★4.3)

    The Tanikely park is very famous, beautiful dive site, full of fish, very beautiful corals, in good health, moreover easy diving, not deep, for all levels.
    SCUBA NOSY BE, 207 HELL VILLE
    Banc 06 <span class="text-color-primary text-sm"> (★4.4)</span>

    Banc 06 (★4.4)

    The site Banc 06 is for all levels, site located at 5 KM behind Nosy Sakatia. My point of view on the site: site in general very good vis-a-vis the quantity of fishy 9 times on 10, but from time to time, without apparent reason, few fish.

    Top Wildlife Sightings in Madagascar

    Madagascar is vast and hosts extremely rich, divers marine life no matter where you dive. All year round divers can observe an array of hard and soft corals, sea fans and anemones, all while enjoying encounters with a myriad of tropical fish, angel and clownfish, schools of larger fish, such as baracuda and trevally, and a wealth of macro life, from nudibranch and shrimp to frogfish. 

    That’s not all, as divers can meet turtles, dolphins and pilot whales and even a ton of shark species, like hammerheads and black tips. Depending on the season, you can also see humpback whales from July to November, and whale sharks, devil and manta rays between October and December.

    Wildlife Sightings are Based on User Generated Content

    Shutterstock-Shane Myers Photography
    Green Turtle

    Green Turtle
    624 Sightings
    J
    41
    F
    3
    M
    5
    A
    22
    M
    27
    J
    10
    J
    43
    A
    83
    S
    82
    O
    118
    N
    104
    D
    86
    Shutterstock-Andrey Armyagov
    Hawksbill Turtle

    Hawksbill Turtle
    478 Sightings
    J
    19
    F
    1
    M
    4
    A
    44
    M
    21
    J
    12
    J
    37
    A
    53
    S
    64
    O
    76
    N
    100
    D
    47

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 200

    Alamy-WaterFrame
    Moray Eel

    Moray Eel
    454 Sightings
    J
    18
    F
    0
    M
    3
    A
    4
    M
    5
    J
    18
    J
    59
    A
    53
    S
    86
    O
    104
    N
    56
    D
    48

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 27

    iStock-Global_Pics
    Barracuda

    Barracuda
    190 Sightings
    J
    21
    F
    2
    M
    2
    A
    0
    M
    6
    J
    1
    J
    6
    A
    13
    S
    40
    O
    49
    N
    21
    D
    29

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 300

    Alamy/Reinhard Dirscherl
    Octopus

    Octopus
    76 Sightings
    J
    1
    F
    0
    M
    2
    A
    0
    M
    4
    J
    2
    J
    7
    A
    1
    S
    18
    O
    7
    N
    28
    D
    6

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 600

    iStock/ultramarinfoto
    Wrasse

    Wrasse
    64 Sightings
    J
    4
    F
    0
    M
    0
    A
    1
    M
    1
    J
    15
    J
    0
    A
    4
    S
    17
    O
    13
    N
    2
    D
    7

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 80

    iStock/Extreme-Photographer
    Stingrays

    Stingrays
    925 Sightings
    J
    7
    F
    3
    M
    4
    A
    74
    M
    65
    J
    28
    J
    68
    A
    127
    S
    116
    O
    152
    N
    169
    D
    112

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 90

    Shutterstock-Rich Carey
    Angelfish

    Angelfish
    769 Sightings
    J
    11
    F
    2
    M
    3
    A
    63
    M
    34
    J
    44
    J
    31
    A
    91
    S
    138
    O
    174
    N
    102
    D
    76

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 130

    Shutterstock_Krzysztof Odziomek
    Butterfly Fish

    Butterfly Fish
    705 Sightings
    J
    14
    F
    2
    M
    9
    A
    43
    M
    27
    J
    44
    J
    39
    A
    95
    S
    120
    O
    151
    N
    85
    D
    76

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 100

    iStock-burnsboxco
    Parrotfish

    Parrotfish
    703 Sightings
    J
    20
    F
    3
    M
    5
    A
    34
    M
    20
    J
    41
    J
    34
    A
    96
    S
    95
    O
    186
    N
    93
    D
    76
    Show More

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 28

    Udo Kefrig
    Clownfish

    Clownfish
    629 Sightings
    J
    12
    F
    6
    M
    5
    A
    31
    M
    27
    J
    35
    J
    41
    A
    58
    S
    107
    O
    149
    N
    81
    D
    77

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 250

    Shutterstock-Henry_and_Laura_Whittaker
    Grouper/Basslets

    Grouper/Basslets
    584 Sightings
    J
    25
    F
    3
    M
    0
    A
    30
    M
    22
    J
    18
    J
    31
    A
    58
    S
    76
    O
    143
    N
    115
    D
    63

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 8

    Alamy-Reinhard Dirscherl
    Bannerfish

    Bannerfish
    504 Sightings
    J
    8
    F
    0
    M
    0
    A
    26
    M
    20
    J
    35
    J
    27
    A
    74
    S
    66
    O
    131
    N
    68
    D
    49

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 130

    AdobeStock-JirinaVFR
    Pufferfish

    Pufferfish
    420 Sightings
    J
    10
    F
    2
    M
    4
    A
    10
    M
    21
    J
    21
    J
    9
    A
    54
    S
    43
    O
    125
    N
    73
    D
    48

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 40

    iStock-wrangel
    Triggerfish

    Triggerfish
    408 Sightings
    J
    21
    F
    0
    M
    3
    A
    36
    M
    13
    J
    2
    J
    8
    A
    55
    S
    50
    O
    107
    N
    66
    D
    47

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 3000

    SSI-Peter-Schinck
    Nudibranch

    Nudibranch
    406 Sightings
    J
    6
    F
    0
    M
    3
    A
    10
    M
    7
    J
    4
    J
    8
    A
    52
    S
    49
    O
    116
    N
    119
    D
    32

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 85

    iStock-mirecca
    Surgeonfish

    Surgeonfish
    346 Sightings
    J
    12
    F
    2
    M
    0
    A
    12
    M
    4
    J
    31
    J
    23
    A
    36
    S
    38
    O
    75
    N
    63
    D
    50

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 12

    iStock/cinoby
    Lionfish

    Lionfish
    340 Sightings
    J
    10
    F
    0
    M
    3
    A
    8
    M
    10
    J
    28
    J
    23
    A
    42
    S
    50
    O
    78
    N
    50
    D
    38

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 150

    Shutterstock-aquapix
    Sweetlips and Grunts

    Sweetlips and Grunts
    297 Sightings
    J
    6
    F
    2
    M
    0
    A
    17
    M
    3
    J
    26
    J
    7
    A
    43
    S
    25
    O
    63
    N
    63
    D
    42

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 25

    AdobeStock_Vladimir Wrangel
    Boxfish

    Boxfish
    276 Sightings
    J
    10
    F
    2
    M
    4
    A
    8
    M
    7
    J
    17
    J
    12
    A
    34
    S
    27
    O
    99
    N
    30
    D
    26
    iStock-June Jacobsen
    Whitetip Reef Shark

    Whitetip Reef Shark
    243 Sightings
    J
    9
    F
    8
    M
    13
    A
    9
    M
    5
    J
    7
    J
    29
    A
    31
    S
    30
    O
    40
    N
    14
    D
    48
    iStock-Lindsey Dougherty
    Silvertip Shark

    Silvertip Shark
    236 Sightings
    J
    5
    F
    4
    M
    0
    A
    18
    M
    6
    J
    4
    J
    28
    A
    32
    S
    51
    O
    33
    N
    47
    D
    8

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 350

    Alamy-Andre Seal
    Damselfish

    Damselfish
    222 Sightings
    J
    2
    F
    0
    M
    0
    A
    16
    M
    0
    J
    15
    J
    20
    A
    36
    S
    31
    O
    49
    N
    30
    D
    23

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 40

    iStock-Hoatzinexp
    Jackfish

    Jackfish
    210 Sightings
    J
    14
    F
    2
    M
    0
    A
    28
    M
    7
    J
    14
    J
    6
    A
    11
    S
    30
    O
    45
    N
    15
    D
    38

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 250

    iStock-Miguel-Angelo-Silva.
    Scorpionfish

    Scorpionfish
    190 Sightings
    J
    6
    F
    2
    M
    1
    A
    7
    M
    9
    J
    12
    J
    9
    A
    14
    S
    44
    O
    30
    N
    36
    D
    20

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 90

    Shutterstock-Levent Konuk
    Goatfish

    Goatfish
    176 Sightings
    J
    4
    F
    0
    M
    3
    A
    15
    M
    12
    J
    10
    J
    5
    A
    23
    S
    28
    O
    56
    N
    0
    D
    20

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 60

    iStock-Global_Pics
    Soldierfish

    Soldierfish
    173 Sightings
    J
    17
    F
    0
    M
    0
    A
    6
    M
    4
    J
    5
    J
    7
    A
    40
    S
    16
    O
    48
    N
    0
    D
    30

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 3

    Shutterstock_Leo Lorenzo
    Trumpetfish

    Trumpetfish
    169 Sightings
    J
    14
    F
    0
    M
    0
    A
    5
    M
    9
    J
    16
    J
    9
    A
    20
    S
    25
    O
    37
    N
    28
    D
    6

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 20

    Shutterstock-Lewis Burnett
    Guitarfish

    Guitarfish
    139 Sightings
    J
    0
    F
    0
    M
    0
    A
    0
    M
    0
    J
    17
    J
    26
    A
    24
    S
    24
    O
    23
    N
    25
    D
    0
    AdobeStock-Marc Henauer
    Grey Reef Shark

    Grey Reef Shark
    131 Sightings
    J
    4
    F
    5
    M
    0
    A
    0
    M
    6
    J
    5
    J
    20
    A
    19
    S
    14
    O
    28
    N
    17
    D
    13

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 110

    iStock-Rainer von Brandis
    Snapper

    Snapper
    85 Sightings
    J
    1
    F
    0
    M
    2
    A
    2
    M
    1
    J
    13
    J
    3
    A
    8
    S
    18
    O
    18
    N
    0
    D
    19

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 30

    SSI-Peter-Schinck
    Stonefish

    Stonefish
    75 Sightings
    J
    0
    F
    0
    M
    0
    A
    5
    M
    0
    J
    1
    J
    1
    A
    7
    S
    26
    O
    28
    N
    0
    D
    7

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 3

    Shutterstock-Miroslav Halama
    Cornetfish

    Cornetfish
    61 Sightings
    J
    9
    F
    2
    M
    0
    A
    7
    M
    1
    J
    2
    J
    0
    A
    0
    S
    0
    O
    1
    N
    22
    D
    17

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 50

    istock-atese
    Frogfish

    Frogfish
    55 Sightings
    J
    6
    F
    0
    M
    0
    A
    0
    M
    0
    J
    0
    J
    6
    A
    8
    S
    1
    O
    22
    N
    0
    D
    12

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 60

    iStock-Global_Pics
    Spiny Lobster

    Spiny Lobster
    53 Sightings
    J
    0
    F
    0
    M
    0
    A
    0
    M
    0
    J
    2
    J
    0
    A
    2
    S
    23
    O
    2
    N
    19
    D
    5

    The image shown is a representative illustration and does not depict every individual animal in this category.

    Total number of species approx.: 3400

    Shutterstock-Shane Gross
    Shrimp

    Shrimp
    48 Sightings
    J
    1
    F
    0
    M
    0
    A
    3
    M
    1
    J
    1
    J
    5
    A
    0
    S
    5
    O
    3
    N
    21
    D
    8