Around an hour's flight and short road transfer from the capital, Princesse Bora Lodge is located on the idyllic tropical island of Il St Marie and is one of the best value-for-money beach accommodations in Madagascar.
The lodge is made up of 20 villas split into 3 categories. The lead-in Comfort Villas are further back from the beach and offer small thatched bungalows with en suite facilities, fan and a terrace complete with hammock. The next category up is the Luxury Villas which are larger at 55m2 and offer a queen sized bed, mezzanine floor with 2 smaller cots, and en-suite facilities. The villa also has a wooden decking terrace and air-conditioning. The highest room category is the Executive Beach Villa which at 90m2 is much larger with a king sized bed and optional smaller bed for children. It has an impressive view out over the lagoon and a large stone bathing tub, as well as shower and en-suite facilities. It also has air-conditioning, a private terrace and garden leading to the sea. All of the villas are tastefully decorated and in keeping with the surroundings.
The restaurant at Princesse Bora offers great food using local produce and is cooked with Malagasy, Creole and French influences. The fresh fish, grilled lobster, zebu steak and home-made ice cream must be tried!
Activities at Princesse Bora include various guided tours of the island by road and boat, mountain biking, watersports (waterskiing, wakeboarding, fishing, snorkelling and diving) and of course whale watching in season, which is a real draw for many visitors. Every year from 1st July to the end of September, with local researchers CétaMada ONG, the lodge organises daily whale watching trips. It is the opportunity to discover these amazing marine mammals with an eco-guide who will tell you all about them and the ongoing research. Departure is every morning from the beach of the lodge, with the boat normally being out for around 3 hours. You can also contribute to the CétaMada scientific collection of data; a fantastic experience.
