EDEN LODGE

Eden Lodge was the world’s very first 100 percent solar-powered hotel, and today it’s still seen as a real pioneer in eco-tourism. There are just eight safari-style, semi-tented bungalows positioned right on the beach, with open sides inviting the cooling sea breeze to drift in. Cossetting four-poster beds are built from the gnarled remains of fallen trees, while vast outdoor bathrooms open out onto the resort’s serene tropical garden. Each bungalow comes with its own massage table for spoiling spa treatments under the sun-dappled palms.

Nature really shows off here, and the calm, turquoise waters lapping the butter-soft sands are a playground for dolphins and humpback whales during the calving season. The ocean is teeming with fascinating marine life, including the majestic green turtle – if you’re lucky, you might even spot the reptiles’ golf ball-sized eggs hatching on the sands. Cheeky black lemurs swing from the ancient baobab trees dotted across the resort, and rare endemic bird species flutter and swoop overhead. If you’re feeling active, enjoy guided wildlife walks through the jungle or a dhow trip out to the dazzling coral reefs ringing the Nosy Be archipelago – but if you’d rather just settle into the Robinson Crusoe way of life, take out a paddleboard or sip a cocktail with your toes in the sand. Meals served in the open-sided restaurant and bar are simple but delicious, with fish brought in each day by local fishermen and fruit and vegetables plucked directly from the hotel’s extensive kitchen garden.

SUITABLE FOR:

• Couples and romantics
• Nature lovers
• Serenity seekers
• Marine adventurers

THINGS TO DO AT THE HOTEL:

• Kick back on the hotel’s deserted sandy beach with a cocktail in hand
• Take out a paddle-board, kayak or sailing boat to explore the beautiful waters lapping the lodge.
• Go snorkelling or swimming with wild turtles on the lodge’s house reef, or head out to a more remote location by motorboat to see dolphins, whale sharks, humpback whales and manta rays.
• Ask the hotel to pack you a gourmet picnic for a remote beach walk.
• Head off on a guided walk into the forest behind the hotel to spot lemurs and see the area’s amazing flora and fauna.
• Feast on some of the freshest seafood you’ll ever have.

THINGS TO DO NEARBY:

• Explore the waterfalls, bamboo forests and river channels of the Ampasindava Peninsula
• Go on a guided tour of the local fishing villages to meet the semi-nomadic Sakalava people
• Visit the volcanic craters and waterfalls on the nearby islands of Nosy Iranja, Nosy Sakatia and Nosy Kisimasy
• Go birdwatching in the Sambirano Valley to spot a fascinating array of endemic birds and reptiles.
• Stroll around Nosy Be and enjoy the island’s colourful colonial architecture and bustling markets.
• If you’re a keen diver or snorkeller, organise an excursion to nearby Nosy Tanikely Marine Reserve for a taste of some of Madagascar’s most impressive underwater life.