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Madagascar

© 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

Courses and Events

Dive Centers

Dive Sites

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

Green Turtle

621 Sightings
J
41
F
3
M
5
A
22
M
24
J
10
J
43
A
83
S
82
O
118
N
104
D
86

Hawksbill Turtle

484 Sightings
J
19
F
1
M
4
A
42
M
29
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

Moray Eel

452 Sightings
J
18
F
0
M
3
A
3
M
4
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

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

Octopus

75 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
2
A
0
M
3
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

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

Stingrays

907 Sightings
J
7
F
3
M
4
A
61
M
60
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

Angelfish

763 Sightings
J
11
F
2
M
3
A
61
M
30
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

Butterfly Fish

707 Sightings
J
14
F
2
M
9
A
46
M
26
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

Parrotfish

707 Sightings
J
20
F
3
M
5
A
34
M
24
J
41
J
34
A
96
S
95
O
186
N
93
D
76

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

Total number of species approx.: 28

Clownfish

630 Sightings
J
12
F
6
M
5
A
34
M
25
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

Grouper/Basslets

580 Sightings
J
25
F
3
M
0
A
26
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

Bannerfish

506 Sightings
J
8
F
0
M
0
A
26
M
22
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

Pufferfish

420 Sightings
J
10
F
2
M
4
A
14
M
17
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

Triggerfish

406 Sightings
J
21
F
0
M
3
A
35
M
12
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

Nudibranch

403 Sightings
J
6
F
0
M
3
A
10
M
4
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

Surgeonfish

345 Sightings
J
12
F
2
M
0
A
11
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

Lionfish

338 Sightings
J
10
F
0
M
3
A
8
M
8
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

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

Boxfish

275 Sightings
J
10
F
2
M
4
A
8
M
6
J
17
J
12
A
34
S
27
O
99
N
30
D
26

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

Silvertip Shark

235 Sightings
J
5
F
4
M
0
A
17
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

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

Jackfish

213 Sightings
J
14
F
2
M
0
A
31
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

Scorpionfish

189 Sightings
J
6
F
2
M
1
A
7
M
8
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.: 60

Soldierfish

177 Sightings
J
17
F
0
M
0
A
10
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.: 90

Goatfish

175 Sightings
J
4
F
0
M
3
A
15
M
11
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.: 3

Trumpetfish

170 Sightings
J
14
F
0
M
0
A
9
M
6
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

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

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

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

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

Cornetfish

65 Sightings
J
9
F
2
M
0
A
12
M
0
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

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

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

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

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

Total number of species approx.: 60

Squirrelfish

46 Sightings
J
1
F
0
M
0
A
1
M
4
J
1
J
2
A
24
S
3
O
7
N
0
D
3