Nosy Sakatia

A small island with a big personality

No roads, no cars and no crowds — just warm water, lush vegetation and an island community that has been welcoming visitors for decades.

Plan your stay

Location

Six kilometres
from Nosy Be

Nosy Sakatia is a small island sitting six kilometres off the north-western coast of Nosy Be, Madagascar. The crossing takes around 15-20 minutes by traditional pirogue, just long enough to feel the distance from ordinary life open up.

There are no roads and no motor vehicles on the island. That's not an oversight. It's what makes it worth coming to.

Map showing Nosy Sakatia location off Nosy Be, Madagascar

The Story

Over twenty years
on this island

Sakatia Lodge was established over two decades ago by a family who came to Nosy Sakatia and simply didn't leave. What started as a small guest operation has grown slowly, carefully and always with the island as the priority.

The lodge has been extended over the years, with more bungalows, a proper dive centre, a restaurant and bar, but the philosophy has remained the same: build in the island's rhythm, not against it. Low-impact, locally integrated, genuinely hospitable.

Most of the team are from nearby communities. Many have been here for years. It shows in the kind of hospitality you can't train, the sort that comes from people who actually like where they work.

The Team

The people who make it work

The Sakatia Lodge team, 2025

The lodge is run by a small team who between them handle everything from the kitchen and bar to the dive centre and island transfers. There are no faceless resort staff here, and you'll know everyone by name within a day.

The dive team are experienced local guides who know every site around the island. The kitchen team source food locally wherever possible and cook dishes that reflect the island's Malagasy and French-Creole influences.

We're proud that many members of the team have been with Sakatia Lodge for a long time. Good hospitality is built on continuity, people who know the place and enjoy showing it to others.

Sustainability

Looking after
the island

Sakatia Lodge has always operated with the understanding that this island is the product we're selling, so looking after it isn't optional, it's essential. Our approach to sustainability is practical and ongoing.

Mangrove restoration

We support and participate in ongoing mangrove planting and protection on the island.

Lemur conservation

The introduced lemur population on Nosy Sakatia is monitored and protected. No feeding by hand outside of managed encounters.

Reef protection

Our dive guides operate a strict no-touch policy and avoid anchoring on coral. Guest briefings cover reef behaviour before every dive.

Waste management

We return all non-organic waste to the mainland for proper disposal. The island has no waste collection of its own.

Local employment

We prioritise hiring from the surrounding Nosy Be communities and pay above the local average wage.

Local sourcing

Wherever possible, food is sourced locally, from Nosy Be market, local fishermen and island gardeners.

Our approach

Low-impact by design

No pool. No concrete jetty. No air conditioning. No single-use plastics in the rooms. No motorised water toys. These aren't features we're missing, they're choices we've made deliberately, because they're not compatible with the kind of place we're trying to be.

If you're looking for a resort, we're probably not it. If you're looking for a genuinely wild, genuinely cared-for island with excellent diving, honest food and people who are happy to be here, you're in the right place.

Plan your visit

About the island

About Nosy Sakatia

Nosy Sakatia is a small island located a short boat ride from Nosy Be, the main tourist island in North-West Madagascar. The island is home to a small village, coconut groves, tropical forest and the Sacred Mountain, which rises at the centre of the island and is protected by local tradition.

With no roads and no motorised vehicles, life on Nosy Sakatia moves at a gentle pace. Fishermen head out at dawn, children walk to school along island paths and the lodge sits quietly beside the beach.

Wildlife

Wildlife and nature

The waters around Nosy Sakatia are home to green sea turtles, which are commonly spotted while snorkelling just off the beach. The reef system is healthy and largely unvisited by mass tourism. On land, chameleons, geckos, tropical birds and the occasional lemur can be found — and the forest around the Sacred Mountain is particularly rich in birdlife.

Getting there

Getting to Nosy Sakatia

Fly into Nosy Be (Fascene airport, NOS) from Antananarivo (Tana). From Nosy Be, a short boat ride brings you to Nosy Sakatia. The lodge arranges all transfers — just let us know your arrival details and we will handle everything.