Antsiranana is the capital of Antsiranana Province, and has one of the finest harbours in the world, which serves is a naval base and fuelling station and is the third largest port of Madagascar. This town on Diégo Bay was once a French pirate colony called Libertalia, until the end of the 17th century. The modern town was founded in the 1800s. From 1885 to 1895 it was the capital of the French colony of Diégo-Suarez.

La Note Bleue Hotel is on the road between Antsiranana and Ramena beach, about 18 km to the east, an on a drive you will see the magnificent baobabs on the route between Diego and Ramena. East of Ramena is a series of deserted bays: Baie des Dunes, Baie de Sakalava, Baie des Pigeons, all well worth visiting.

Make it a day trip.

From the rock formation known as 'Windsor Castle', you can enjoy a panoramic 360 view of the Indian Ocean and perhaps find some “tsingy”, the big green, shiny geckos which quite common in this area during Madagascar holidays. From the top, the panorama stretches from Montagne d'Ambre in the south to the remote Cap d'Ambre, the northern tip of Madagascar.