Madagascar Live aboard

There are several different catamarans available for these nomadic extreme fishing expeditions based on the number of fishermen and the specific needs of the group.

In the catamarans you will find:

• comfortable sleeping in private cabins (1 fisherman = 1 cabin), with single or double bed depending on the set up
• bathrooms with integrated toilet and shower
• relaxation areas, whether in the living room with sofas or on the deck (sun deck) to enjoy the great outdoors, relax in the sun, observe the impressive stars of Madagascar at night or prepare your fishing gear
• a catering area where you will have your aperitifs and meals on board the catamarans

All the cabins are ventilated with either portholes or auxiliary fans and it is also possible a “luxury” and very spacious catamaran, equipped with air conditioners in the cabins. On board you will of course have access to electricity and fresh water for your sanitary needs. Depending on the catamarans you can also enjoy a television for viewing your video or photo files, and a sound system to provide some background music.

The boats are feature fridge and freezer which provide cold drinks every day and preserving food. The chef also has a gas stove and microwave oven at his disposal to prepare delicious dishes for you.

The breakfasts, aperitifs and dinners will be served on the catamaran, while lunches are served on the fishing boats in the form of complete on-board packed lunches. With regard to drinks, bottled spring water is provided free of charge and included in the full board of our formulas. All other drinks as soft drinks, beers, wines, spirits, espresso coffees etc are at extra cost and to be paid locally at the end of your stay.

The boats have a double-hull concept which make them particularly stable and secure and ensure pleasant overnight stays even in moderate winds. At the end of the day sheltered anchor sites are chosen like protected bays, behind islands or sometimes in controlled drift as is the case in the Western zone and offshore on the immense Leven bank. The boats are equipped with both sails and engines, VHF radio, GPS-sounder-chart reader, first aid kit, life jackets, and a nautical annex. A satellite telephone allows the crew to always make contact when necessary.

The staff of the catamaran consists of the captain, chef and assistant. They are at your disposal to offer you optimal service in a friendly atmosphere.

Non-fishing guests can stay on the catamaran and enjoy the cruise to discover the fabulous wild landscapes of the North West coast of Madagascar. Possible activities during the day (while the fishermen are in action!): relaxing, swimming, walking accompanied by our staff on islets to discover unspoiled nature and authentic landscapes, or even snorkeling (fins, mask and snorkels are provided free of charge) around the coral reefs. Unless certain cabins are free, the accommodation of the accompanying persons is to be shared with the fishermen (cabins with double beds).

The quality of the fishing boats is always one of the most important element in the success of your exotic fishing trip. There for there are two (almost) identical fishing boats, They are called Yin and Yang and only the color of the engines is different.

They are "open" style V hulls with a center console and build from fiberglass which provide these boats the exceptional robustness . They are 10.25 meters long and 2.60 meters wide. There are two very clear spaces at the front and at the rear, allowing two guests on each end of the boat to do popping, jigging or trolling with a lot of space.

The front deck features a small platform with guardrail which allows you to cast in an elevated position while the rest of the platform is completely clear which also is the case for the spacious rear deck. In total it allows 4 fishermen (2 at the front and 2 at the rear) to practice with ease in popping mode and up to 5 fishermen in jigging mode.

The freeboards are perfect in height and allow you to fish comfortably without hitting your knees or being hampered when fishing or fighting around the entire boat.

The boats are powered with double Suzuki 250APX engines with a cruising speed of 28 knots and a top speed 45 knots. So there is time wasted sailing and there for gives you more fishing time!

Thanks to the combined effect of the perfect design, the mass of the boat and speed in combination with the comfortable foam seats these boats provide you with unparalleled comfort and safety in navigation, even in rough seas.

The cabin has a sanitary area inside offering you a toilet, sink and even a shower as the boats are equipped with fresh water tanks. Next to that the boats have a total of 32 rod holders: 12 vertical on either side of the center console, 12 inclined rod holders including 6 on the T-top and 8 horizontal (for jigging rods). The inclined T-top rod holders are positioned forward to not interfere when casting at the rear deck.

Also there are different storage spaces available for your lures and small equipment as well as specific coolers that are placed in underfloor storage boxes to not interfere in the fishing areas. The coolers store the packed lunches and on-board drinks, are supplied with ice and cooling plates and make sure that your drinks are cool and fresh throughout the day.

In all these are the perfect fishing machines that ensure high quality and safety.

There are several ways to travel to Nosy Be in Madagascar. We can arrange all of them for you either via South Africa, Istanbul, Paris etc. Just inform us on the preferred airport of departure and we will sort out your flights.

Please note that the periods from October to December and from March to May are in high demand for flights by tourists and generally it is advisable to book as early as possible to ensure places are available for the most favorable rates.

Your passport needs to be valid for more than 6 months at the end of your stay. A tourist visa is issued by customs at the airport of arrival in Madagascar. It costs for a 30 days version are around € 35,- per person in cash.

Even as corruption is officially prohibited by Malagasy law, this practice is still widespread. You may be asked by border police or customs agents upon arrival to hand them some money. We advise you not to give in to the requests to which you may be subjected: you are a tourist with a valid passport and do not have anything special to declare. Also refuse politely, be courteous but firm and otherwise, a small note can in practice sort things out.

The north western trip can be best made from October till June as July till september is usually difficult due to the weather.
The southern trip can be best made all year long.

There are two climatic periods in the region of Nosy Be:

1- The "dry" season which goes from May till October : the temperatures are between 25°C and 29°C, rains are rare, the sky is clear and sunny practically all the time. Between June and September, we can have some wind.

2- The "wet" season which goes from November till April : the temperatures go of 28°C in 32°C (but often around 26°C with a cloud layer) with a higher rate of humidity in the air because of the rains which show themselves the very big majority time only at night, in the form of stormy rises of the beginning of evening. Rains do not last more than 2 or 3 hours and rarely in the day. Most of the sorts of sport fishes are present and active, in particular for surface fishing ( popping ).

There are a lot of possibilities in numbers of days of fishing, number of fishermen, catamaran type etc. But to give you a general idea about a nomadic trip onboard a regular catamaran inlucing two accompanying fishingboats the costs are for a regualt week with 6 days fishing like this:

• 3 persons + 1 boat: € 3825.- per person
• 4 persons + 1boat: € 3125,- per person
• 8 persons + 2 boats: € 2725,- per person

INCLUDED :

• Reception at airport of Nosy Be [NOS] /airport transfers in taxi (outward journey and return, excepted if special program).
• Transfer in boat between Nosy Be and the fishing area the day of arrival (according to program).
• Sport fishing in modern and fast boat, double engines SUZUKI 250 cv, with crew (skipper-guide and mate) and fuel.
• Embarked safety equipments : life jackets, lifebelt, complete first-aid box, extinguishing, whistle, flashlight, rocket of distress, VHF radio,
• Telephone GSM and satellite telephone Isatphone 2 (Immarsat network).
• Complete packed lunches embarked in fishing season, with collations, spring water and coffee (thermos flask).
• Accommodation in the catamaran (cabins with double bed and private shower) in complete pension (dinners and breakfasts).
• Towel and soap are provided.
• One fight belt is provided to you aboard on Nirvana Fishing boats.
• Snorkeling equipment (fins, mask, snorkel) available free of charge on the catamaran (ask us before going on cruise).
• Small excursions for accompanying : accompanied walks, visit islands, swimming, snorkeling, etc.
• Depending on the sailing and arrival schedule it might be necessary to book a hotel for the first or last night. These costs are not included in the rates mentioned yet.

But the best is to contact us and ask for a free quotation so we can inform you properly and make a custome made quotation for you.