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Voykit pocket guide · Madagascar
Île aux Nattes
Nosy Nanto
A half-day to one-night stop: a quiet sand island with a day spa and empty beaches, best as a side trip from Île Sainte-Marie.
Île aux Nattes is a tiny island off the south coast of Île Sainte-Marie, in Toamasina Province. With a population around 1,500, it offers little beyond a day spa, a long empty beach and a self-catering house. Most travellers visit as a half-day trip from Île Sainte-Marie or stay one night for total quiet.
- Country
- Madagascar
- Local name
- Nosy Nanto
- Best months
- Apr–Dec
- Avoid
- Jan–Mar (cyclone season)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- MGA
- Money
- Currency is the Malagasy ariary (MGA). Cash is the norm outside larger hotels; ATMs exist in towns but not in national parks or on long road stretches.
- Daily spend
- Budget MGA 50,000–80,000 (check) · Mid MGA 80,000–150,000 (check) · High MGA 150,000+ (check) (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telma, Orange and Airtel (Yas) sell SIMs at Ivato and in towns with passport registration; data bundles are cheap.
- Emergency
- Police 117 · Fire 118 · Medical 124
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 220 V · 50 Hz · European two-pin plugs; power cuts (délestage) are common in Tana — bring a power bank.
- Tipping
- Park guide: 10–20% of the guide fee, or €5–10 a walk.; Driver for a week-plus: €5–10 a day at the end.; Restaurant: Round up or 5–10%.; Porters: 2,000–5,000 ariary a bag.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Buy sealed bottles or use a filter.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels; long-drop or squat toilets at many park gates and roadside stops. Carry paper.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Boat transfer from Île Sainte-Marie (one way) | MGA 15,000–20,000 (check) |
| Day spa treatment (full day with lunch) | MGA 80,000–120,000 (check) |
| Coffee at The Beach House | MGA 5,000–8,000 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SMS · Île Sainte-Marie Airport
- Then a taxi-brousse or boat to Île aux Nattes; about 30–45 min total
Typical fares
- Boat Île Sainte-Marie → Île aux Nattes
- about MGA 15,000–20,000, 15–20 min (check)
- Taxi-brousse SMS airport → Île Sainte-Marie port
- about MGA 10,000–15,000 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
On foot: the island is small enough to walk across in about 20 minutes. No cars, no roads.
See and do
Known for
- Empty beaches
- Betsie Day Spa
- Quiet island escape
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Île Sainte-Marie | Boat from Île aux Nattes, about 15–20 min | About 30 min |
Sleep
- The Beach House
- The only listed accommodation; self-catering house on the beach, about €180 per night
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Salamasah-LAH-mah |
| Thank you | Misaotramee-SOW-trah |
| How much? | Ohatrinona?oo-ah-tree-NOO-nah |
| Yes / No | Eny / TsiaEHN-yee / TSEE-ah |
| Please | Azafadyah-zah-FAH-dee |
| Where is the boat? | Aiza ny sambo?EYE-zah nee SAHM-boo |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake with a smile; 'salama' first; avoid: Rushing straight to business
- Fady: Ask your guide what is taboo in each place; avoid: Pointing at tombs with a finger — use a bent finger
- Villages: Greet the chief or elder with your guide; avoid: Walking into tombs and sacred groves
- Gifts: Support schools through registered projects; avoid: Handing sweets or pens to children
- Bargaining: Smile and settle fairly; avoid: Hard haggling over tiny sums
Scams and watch-outs
- No ATMs or shops: bring cash (ariary) and supplies from Île Sainte-Marie.
- Cyclone season January–March: check the forecast before you go.
- The Beach House is the only formal accommodation; book ahead.
Very safe; the main risk is isolation — no medical facilities, no shops. Bring everything you need.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Île aux Nattes yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Empty beaches
- Betsie Day Spa
- Quiet island escape
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Île aux Nattes, revision 5055730 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5055730
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/ile-aux-nattes). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.