Sakatia Lodge, Madagascar

Sakatia Lodge is located on the island of Sakatia, a 5 minute boat ride from the island of Nosy Be, which in turn is located off the northwest coast of Madagascar. We visited in April of 2013, and it was one of the most relaxing, laid-back dive vacations I’ve ever had.

The main lodge is set on a long, white sand beach. It consists mainly of the lounge/bar, and the restaurant, each located in separate open-air rooms. The view from the bar is reminiscent of an idyllic Corona commercial, only better. Very comfortable beach loungers are abundant, and we spent many an afternoon sitting in the shade looking out at that Corona-commercial view and enjoying the sea breezes.

Room rates include breakfast and dinner, with lunch available on a pay-as-you-go basis in the bar. The food was uniformly excellent: a breakfast buffet followed by whatever order of eggs you would like, and dinner with a salad bar followed by a set menu. Though the dinner menu varied, it was always 5-star.

Most of the guest rooms are located a little higher up on the hillside, amid sculpted gardens occupied by a variety of charming chameleons. The rooms are definitely basic, and don’t seem to catch the sea breezes that are ever-present at the beach. There are a couple of villas, however, down on the beach and these may be a bit cooler. Windows are covered in lacy fabric to maximize ventilation. Fans are provided on request, and I would definitely suggest requesting one. Beds are outfitted with good mosquito nets. The bathrooms were again adequate but basic.

The dive operation is first-rate, with good quality rental equipment (including 15 litre tanks) and nitrox available. The diving is run by the owner’s son Jacques, a very professional diver and very personable guy. The diving is good, with ample marine life and healthy corals. In addition to a variety of tropical fish, we came across some more unusual species like crocodile fish and mantis shrimp. Most days my wife and I were the only divers (the rest of the guests seemed to be doing deep-sea fishing or snorkeling), though even when there were more of us the pace was totally relaxed.

We bought a flight and lodge package out of Johannesburg South Africa, so I can’t quote a separate rate for the lodge. Our package was $1500 per person, which was pretty good considering the posted price for the flight alone was the same amount.

I am advised that there are direct flights to Nosy Be from Milan, Italy, and that a variety of other flights from Europe that connect through the capital Antananarivo. I would advise anyone venturing that way to combine the dive holiday with a few days in the Andasibe National Park, to do some lemur watching. The side trip was well worth the price.

If you want to visit a truly exotic corner of the planet and can manage a week without air conditioning, I can’t think of a better place to relax and dive than Sakatia lodge.

Additional details can be found at their website: http://www.sakatia.co.za/