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Well known for its shipbuilding skills, the local population of Belo-sur-mer constructs boats used for transport, to sail up and down the Mozambique Channel and across the Indian Ocean. Tourists can admire in fascination the different stages, from A to Z, of the work of constructing schooners and dhows.
Belo-sur-mer is a peninsula lying 80km to the south of Morondava. The beauty of this Vezo fishing village comes from its landscape, where rocky outcrops alternate with sandy beaches. The combination of colours is absolutely superb, creating breathtaking scenery. The blue of the sea contrasts with the greenish hues of the immense mangrove that surrounds this charming little village. Further south, visitors can discover Morombe, the Andavadaoka or Salary. The landscape, with its baobab forests and savanna grassland, offers the potential for exploration and adventure.
However there is more to come. The village is also the site of the salt beds of Antsira. Often referred to as ‘Madagascar's salt pot’, here, visitors can discover how sea salt is processed, with whole families working on separating the salt from the clay, so that the former can find its way to the table: a traditional activity handed down from generation to generation.
Useful Information
When to go
The region of Menabe has a tropical semi-arid climate, so it is advisable to visit outside the rainy season, which lasts from January to April.
How to get there
The best way to get to Belo-sur-mer is by sea. Sailing there by schooner will enable you to admire the extraordinary landscapes: baobab forests and coral reefs. By road, it is a 90km journey from Morondava. The whole trip takes around five hours.
Where to stay
Belo-sur-mer has several comfortable hotels where you can stay: Ecovillage Hutamac, Ecolodge Tsara Belo, Hôtel Entremer, Hôtel Le Dauphin Vezo, or Ecolodge du Menabe.
Where to eat
Take advantage of your visit to the region to taste the seafood of the west coast of Madagascar, prepared in one of the local restaurants, such as the hotel-restaurant of Le Dauphin Vezo or the restaurant of the Hôtel Entremer.
What to see
This is a destination for lovers of the sea. Snorkelling is a popular activity. The area, with its spectacular scenery, is also a paradise for landscape photographers. While you are in the region, you visit the National Park of Kirindy Mité, with its amphibians, reptiles and birds. It is located to the east of Belo-sur-mer. At low tide, you can explore the neighbouring bay, with its giant bats (referred to as flying foxes) living in the mangrove forest.