Nosy Be Tourist Traps

We just came back from a trip to Madagascar. We really enjoyed it. One thing we were less charmed of was the trip from Diego Suarez (Antisaranana) to Nosy Be.

We bought tickets for the complete trip at Hotel L'Orchidee. These tickets included going directly to Ankify (the harbour) and a rapid boat to Hell-Ville (Nosy Be). We would leave at 4 a.m.

At 4.30 a.m. we got picked up by a mini-van. The next hour we picked up several other people including the driver. At 5.30 we finally left Diego Suarez.

In stead of going straight to Ankify we went to a small village about 20 kilometers from Ankify. There we took a taxi. When we finally arrived at Ankify there were no regular boats, at least the boatmen said so. In fact there was a boat, but therefore we should pay extra. Of course we didn't want to. After a lot of talking and shouting we managed to get in the boat without paying extra. At Hell-Ville we went to the police and told them about the situation in Ankify. They said they knew, but couldn't do anything about it. The major problem is that there is no police in Ankify, so the boatmen can do what they want.

Unique Suggestions: Maybe it's better to arrange transport to Ankify and buy boat tickets as soon as you arrive at the harbour.

Fun Alternatives: I think the best way to avoid this trap is to go by plane.