Masoala Forest Lodge

A small and exquisitely located forest lodge, this property is accessible only by speedboat from the access airport at Maroantsetra. (40km, transfer time approximately one and a half hours). The owner-run Masoala Forest Lodge is set in a rainforest clearing fronted by white sand beach in Tampolo Marine Park, part of the enormous Masoala National Park in remote north-east Madagascar.

Seven ravinala-thatched tree-house-style rooms are elevated on stilt-supported wooden platforms, allowing guests to enjoy superb rainforest views and to see arboreal wildlife. Each room has private facilities. Wholesome meals, which often include fresh seafood and local produce, are taken in an open-air restaurant where guests can also relax and read or play games. Another open-air, communal area is perched on large boulders over the Bay of Antongil. Massages and beauty treatments are on offer, thanks to proprietor Maria Bester having enlisted the training skills of a South African beauty therapist.

The site is on fairly level ground and well managed, at last enabling less fit people to visit the Masoala. There are some easy walking trails for guests who do not want to take on the more challenging trails which this rainforest park is known for. The lodge is well located to allow nature enthusiasts the chance to access Lohatrazona, the part of the park perhaps best known for its endemic wildlife and sought-after birdlife. Currently we recommend only charter flights to get guests to and from Maroantsetra, and will work with the proprietors to arrange the most competitive rates. The lodge’s remoteness and the variety of activities available in the area means guests should aim to stay for at least three nights.