The North / East it is the most luxuriant region in Madagascar, thanks to the abundant rains that it receives for most of the year and to his northern geographical position, near to the equator.
The Nature is rich of forests, rivers, lakes, cultivated lowlands, plantations of spice and tropical fruits, traditional villages.
The region of the SAVA – from the name of the 4 principals cities: Sambava, Antalaha, Vohemar, Andapa, connected by good oaved roads – it is a vast territory laying between the west chains of mountains and the Indian ocean to east. The Marojejy (National Park) reaches an altitude of more than 2.000 ms. slm.
However, the access to these regions is difficult due to the absence of modern roads, therefore the local people has adopted a way to live in in equilibrium with the environment and they have developed an almost independent economy for the most rural. Particularly flourishing the tied up activity to the vanilla, a native orchid of Mexico. Despite that the pollination is manually made here, Madagascar has become the greatest world producer of it! The vanilla is cultivated at so many small producers and locally sold for the treatment and the preparation, therefore exported all over the world.
Sambava(Google Map)
The North / East it is the most luxuriant region in Madagascar, thanks to the abundant rains that it receives for most of the year and to his northern geographical position, near to the equator.
The Nature is rich of forests, rivers, lakes, cultivated lowlands, plantations of spice and tropical fruits, traditional villages.
Welcome at the airport of Sambava; departure for the visit of the young commercial town, the heart of the SAVA, inhabitated by people of the whole Madagascar come looking for job in this region rich in resources of the land and the subsoil; the agglomeration is unraveled for some kilometers along the National Road n.5, therefore without a real center; visit to the plantations of spices, above all cinnamon, cloves, coffee, cocoa, green and black pepper; to follow visit of a small plantation of vanilla and an unity of treatment of this important national resource; then if the time allows standstill near the beach of Ampandrozoana where bath is possible among the foamy waves of the Indian ocean; meals and overnight in the guest-house Les Appart’s.
After breakfast, excursion on the river Bemarivo that allows to enter depth in these regions of great naturalistic charm; departure by car up to reach Nosiarina on the banks of the river; embarkation and beginning of the navigation on the clear waters of the river, between two wings of luxuriant forest; during the journey of about 3 hours tou can observe the activities of the local people whose life is in symbiosis with the river; arrival near the plantation of coconut palm Soavoanio, one of the greatest of the world, that will be crossed bay car up to reach the beaches of the ocean; last brief line in traditional pirogue and the town of Sambava is reached; continuation by car along a beautiful panoramic road toward Antalaha for a journey of about 1h30; during the trip stop for the lunch near a great plantation of vanilla; at the arrival visits of the residential town of Antalaha, leaned out on the Indian ocean and protected by the reef, with the old colonial administrative district, very well preserved, the dock with the traditional wood boats and up on the hill from which the underlying panorama is breathtaking; according to the time possibility of baths in the clear waters of the coral reef; supper and overnight in the guest-house Les Orchids.
Breakfast; departure by car to Andapa for a journey of about 3 hours; after Sambava the road penetrates in the inland and the path becomes winding; the landscapes are spectacular, characterized by cultivated valleys, crossed by rivers and you set among the mountains; Andapa sets to 721 ms. slm; this great agricultural suburb enjoys of a fresher climate and constitutes one of the principal zones of rice production of Madagascar; after the lunch visit some places among valleys of mountain, cultivations and bamboo forests, cried tropical and perfumed essences, particularly of the biological plantation Beradaka, laying among the mountains and fed by riversr and the reserve of Antanetiambo, where in late afternoon you can admire the flamingos; crossing these pleasant places of great beauty, link yourself with the total calm of these isolated regions; meals and overnight in the guest-house The Chalet.
After breakfast, according to the time further visits of the places; then back to Sambava, lunch in restaurant and transfer to the airport.
