Seasonal · Humpbacks Sep–Nov · Whale sharks Oct–Jan
Each year, humpback whales migrate up the Mozambique Channel to breed and calve in Madagascar's warm waters — and Nosy Be sits right on their route.
We head out in the morning when the sea is calmest and scan the channels around Nosy Be and Nosy Sakatia for blows, breaches and tail slaps. Mothers with calves are a common sight at the height of the season, and on quiet days the skipper cuts the engine so you can hear them breathe — or even sing through the hull. From October to January whale sharks also feed in these waters, so keep your mask ready.
The day is combined with a stop at Sakatia's reef for snorkeling and a beach lunch, so even a quiet whale day is a great day at sea. We follow respectful approach rules: limited distance, no chasing, engines idle near animals.
For a few months each year the warm water off Nosy Be fills with giants. From mid-August into January whale sharks — the biggest fish in the sea — drift through the plankton-rich channel, and from September to December humpback whales pass on their way through the Mozambique Channel, breaching and tail-slapping within sight of the boat. This is the trip we build around them.
The humpbacks come to breed and calve, and they are watched from the boat — no chasing, engines idled, a respectful distance kept. When a forty-tonne whale throws itself clear of the water and lands in a wall of spray, you feel it in your chest. On a good morning you will see breaches, pectoral-fin slaps and the slow lift of a fluke as a whale sounds. The photos below are of the same humpback population that passes Nosy Be, shot off the Madagascar coast.
This is the one you can get in the water for. Whale sharks are gentle, slow-moving filter feeders — no teeth to worry about — and when our guides spot one at the surface you slip quietly in with mask and fins and swim alongside. A big one is the length of a bus, patterned in white spots like a night sky, trailed by a cloud of small fish. You keep a respectful distance and let it set the pace; more often than not it simply carries on feeding beside you.
We head out early, when the sea is calm and the light is soft, and give the day the time it needs — finding whales is patient work, and the boat is comfortable and shaded while our guides scan the water. Between sightings there is snorkelling over the reef, and on the full-day trip a lunch stop on a quiet beach. Whale season runs from August into January; September to November is the richest stretch, with the best chance of seeing both the whales and the sharks.
See all our trips on the Nosy Be tours page. Outside whale season, or if you would rather snorkel a calm reef, our Nosy Sakatia day puts you in the water with green turtles instead.
✓ Boat trip with an experienced crew and guide, whale and whale-shark watching, snorkelling gear (mask and fins) to swim with whale sharks, life jackets, bottled water, soft drinks and beer; lunch on the beach on the full-day trip.
Humpback whales are here from September to November, best in September. Whale sharks run from October to January, best in October and November — so there's a good chance of sightings across the whole season. We run full-day trips throughout.
Yes, often. The boat needs four people to go out, but we can usually combine two couples on the same date. Send us your dates on WhatsApp and we will tell you what is already running that week.
No wild animal encounter can be guaranteed, but success rates in peak season are high — and the Sakatia snorkeling stop means the day never depends on whales alone.
Morning seas are usually gentle, but if you are sensitive take a seasickness tablet an hour before departure and sit toward the stern.
Reserve online through our contact form — no payment, card details or transfer are needed to hold a date. For some tours we ask for a deposit the day before departure, paid in cash to your guide when you meet. Everything else is paid to your guide on the day of the tour, in cash (EUR, USD or MGA) or by mobile money. We never ask for online payments or bank transfers — if anyone contacts you claiming to be us and asks for one, it is not us.
80 € per person, with a minimum of four people. If you are fewer, we can merge two couples on the same date. You pay your guide on the day of the tour, in cash or by mobile money — nothing is charged when you reserve.
Visiting outside whale season? The Sakatia turtle tour runs year-round, and Nosy Iranja is spectacular in any month.
Watch
Whale watching off Sakatia Island – filmed on one of our trips.