Madagascar, Réunion and Mauritius - Mahe to Port Louis

Discover Mahé, the main island of Seychelles and also the largest of the archipelago, home to the capital, Victoria. Mahé has almost 70 beaches of fine sand, framed by the emblematic granite rocks, and whose crystal clear waters are renowned for their rich underwater life. The island is also famous for its splendid mountain panoramas accessible on hikes, such as the Morne Seychellois, which is 905 meters high and overlooks the Indian Ocean. Mahé is also an island full of history where fine colonial properties rub shoulders with Creole houses - and don’t forget the marvelous Botanical Gardens in Victoria.

La Digue Island is a veritable concentration of all the beauty of the Seychelles. Located 6 km south-east of Praslin, this small piece of land that looks like paradise is the third-largest island in the Seychelles, despite its modest size (5 km by 3km)! Turquoise waters just asking you to swim in them, lush vegetation sheltering giant tortoises, beaches of fine sand fringed with coconut trees and surrounded with those emblematic large granite rocks with their pink highlights like at the famous Anse Source d’Argent: the perfect picture postcard… Authentic and preserved, the island follows a peaceful rhythm, with the only means of transport along its little roads being bikes or traditional oxcarts.

Alphonse Island is located off the Seychelles archipelago. Discovered in 1730 by the Knight Alphonse de Pontevez, this island, specialized in coconut processing in the past, is now a veritable natural reserve, home to different species of marine mammals, sea turtles and many birds. Alphonse Island is also renowned for its rich underwater life and coral, among the best preserved in the Indian Ocean. A marvelous spectacle that can be admired with just a mask!

During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

The Scattered Islands are like minuscule confetti sprinkled around Madagascar and form an archipelago of unrivaled beauty. Their geographical isolation, and their very limited human settlement make them a true geological sanctuary, classed as a nature reserve since 1975. Regularly used as the “zero point” in scientific studies, they offer their rare visitors almost pristine vegetation composed mainly of mangrove, as well as long beaches of shimmering sand stretching out behind turquoise lagoons, and coral reefs that are home to the world’s highest concentration of sea turtles. 

During your cruise, your ship will stop in Nosy Komba, otherwise known as “lemur island”. Not far from the Madagascar mainland, this volcanic island shaped like a gigantic turtle shell is covered in dense tropical rainforest. This vegetation is home to amusing black lemurs – furry orange-brown and black creatures that are surprisingly agile and call to each other from amongst the trees. The many small beaches and the emerald-colored water make Nosy Komba a natural gem that only a select few visit.

Choose from the following excursions:
ANKARAFANTSIKA NATIONAL PARK
From the pier, board your vehicle for the 2-hour drive to the entrance of the Ankarafantsika National Park. On the way, two photo stops will be made to appreciate the scenery or observe local life in the rice fields. Ankarafantsika (formerly known as Ampijoroa Forest Station) is one of the largest and last remaining sections of dense, dry deciduous forest in Madagascar and is filled with critically endangered and endemic species. The park lies about 110 km / 68 miles South of Majunga covering a surface of almost 1,350 km². It became a National Park in 2002. The vegetation consists mainly of relatively low and scrubby deciduous forest with areas of savannah and gallery forest. The main ethnic group is the Sakavala, which are mainly zebu holders and farmers.  On arrival at the national park, you will board 4-wheel drive vehicles for the short but very bumpy ride to the site of “Lavaka”. Lavaka, the Malagasy word for "hole", usually found on the side of a hill, is a type of erosional feature common in Madagascar. Spend some time here observing this lunar landscape borne of massive erosion. The geological formation and appearance of this lavaka is very similar to the “red tsingy” that can be found in the north of Madagascar. Back at the park entrance, follow your guide on a 1.5 km / 1 mile tour of the Lemur Trail. The park is the last refuge of several lemur and bird species, which makes the conservation of the park so important. The area is home to 2 diurnal and 7 nocturnal lemurs. The park is also renowned for its birdwatching, endemic reptiles, chameleons and crocodiles around the lake. The endemicity rate is very high, and it therefore deserves special attention in terms of conservation. After lunch at the park’s restaurant, take the 2-hour drive back to Majunga where a short panoramic drive will be made (time permitting) before reaching the pier and your ship.
Or
SACRED LAKE
From the pier, board your local vehicle for a slow drive across town on the way to the famous giant Mahajanga baobab, which has a circumference of 14 m and is the symbol of Majunga. A photo stop will be made. On the way to the Mangatsa sacred lake, a stop will be made at a Sakalava village for a visit and meet the locals as they go by their daily lives. “Local legend tells us that in the past Mangatsa was a village. One day, the village chief’s son fell ill, and they asked a sorcerer to heal him. But alas, the son died and the sorcerer was expelled. He returned in the night, transforming the village into a lake and turning the people into fish.” (Guide Touristique de Madagascar). The site is a very important place for the customs and beliefs of the Sakalava tribe. The water of the sacred lake (actually more the size of a pond) is very clear; you will easily spot the many large fish and sacred eel. The tamarind trees are wrapped in red and white material with zebu skulls as distinctions and signs of honor to their ancestors.  A short walk away is a baobab tree and you might get a good chance to see lemurs. Refreshments will be served before the drive back to the pier.
Or
THE RED CIRCUS
From the pier, board your vehicle for the 45-minute drive to Grand Pavois Beach. Here you will board zebu-drawn carriages which will bring you to the heart of the red circus. The Red Circus is a sedimentary formation from the Quaternary Period. It was a former delta 1.8 million years ago and has an area of 40 hectares. The site consists of sedimentary layers, colorful sandstones and marls which could be both fluvial and marine. The Red Circus is of great geological and palaeontological importance. See the 12 colors the circus has to offer and discover its lunar landscape, the small fairy chimneys and silicified wood, which bear witness to the site’s age. This site was a former English military camp and was used as a shooting range. The Red Circus has been classified as a National Heritage Site since 2010.
Back on the beach, refreshments will be served. You will have some time to walk along the beach. Before returning to the port, stop in a Sakalava workshop to observe a local artist making beautiful drawings with colored sand. You might be tempted to buy a bottle of the colorful, layered sand.

In a magnificent bay, 45 miles northeast of Nosy Be, many islets formed of rocks and shallows skim the sea to form the Mitsio archipelago. With its immaculate beaches and its turquoise waters, it serenely appears like a majestic haven of peace and beauty, an ideal place for relaxation or exploration. With many orchids and baobabs, the lush tropical vegetation is a spectacle in itself. Several fishing villages stand alongside its very well preserved idyllic beaches. To the south of the island, basalt columns, known as Organ Pipes, emerge from the sea and the bowels of the earth in the form brown rock rods several tens of metres high.

During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

Off the east coast of Madagascar, discover the island of St. Mary. A real Garden of Eden, this peaceful land will offer you landscapes of stunning beauty, with lush vegetation, enormous waterfalls and sumptuous natural pools. In addition, the island is home to a very large variety of orchids. An idyllic natural setting that contrasts with the eventful past of the island, which once played host to pirates and prisoners. This port of call will also provide you with privileged access to the Île aux Nattes, renowned for its wild beauty.

Located 350 kilometers northeast of Antananarivo, the capital of the eastern province and the island’s biggest commercial port, Tamatave will charm you with its many assets: a town shrouded in history where you’ll be able to admire its many 19th-century vestiges as much in one of its museums as by walking the streets. With colonial type architecture, it is the second-largest conurbation on the island. You’ll feel its beating pulse with a ride in a rickshaw into the heart of the markets of Bazar Kely or Bazar Be. You’ll appreciate walking along Avenue de l’Indépendance, bordered by magnificent coconut trees, whose unique charm reflects the vestiges of French colonization.

During your day at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This day without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

At the end of the 19th century, the construction of the port of Pointe des Galets lasted seven years, with the town called Le Port emerging in its wake. You’ll also hear the name “Port-Réunion” used to designate the Pointe des Galets, which is the main port on the island of Réunion. In fact, it is the only port in France that has five functions: naval base, passenger terminal, commercial port, fishing port and marina. The old town of the Port conjures up the area’s rich history, which is connected to transport. Here you’ll be able to discover the former house of the Réunion Railway and Port Company (1878), its marine cemetery and its teeming covered market.

On the north-west coast of Mauritius, discover Port-Louis, the country’s multicultural capital. Constantly in motion, the city, which was once a port of call on the route to India, is home to many cultural and historic treasures. In addition to the city’s market where you will be able to discover all the local flavors and many handicrafts, make sure that you visit Fort Adelaide. Nestling on the heights of Port-Louis, this citadel built in the 16th century, classified as a national heritage monument, offers sumptuous views over the surroundings. Not far from there, the Pamplemousses Botanical Garden will reveal to you its countless plant species, coming from all four corners of the world.

After breakfast aboard the ship, disembark at Port Louis.