Sakalava Bay or Emerald Sea: Which Spot to Choose for Kitesurfing in Madagascar?

This article is written by the founder of Madakitecamp, an IKO-certified kitesurf instructor based at Sakalava Bay, Diego Suarez, since 2012. Sakalava Bay and the Emerald Sea are the two flagship spots of northern Madagascar, about twenty kilometers apart, and yet very different. Here's how to choose, or how to enjoy both.

Sakalava Bay or Emerald Sea, what's the real difference?

The difference comes down to one thing: the skill level required. Sakalava Bay is a protected playground, sandy underfoot with waist-deep water at low tide, built for progressing safely at any level. The Emerald Sea is a spectacular but noticeably more technical lagoon, with very little beach and a seabed scattered with coral heads, reserved for riders who are already independent.

Which spot for a beginner?

Sakalava Bay, without hesitation. Beginner lessons are given there at low tide, over a sand and seagrass bottom with no hazards, with side-shore wind that always carries riders back to the beach. That's what allows real, safe progression (see our [guide on learning to kitesurf]). At the Emerald Sea, a rider who fails to go upwind can't simply walk back: rescue by jet ski or boat is required, which makes it a poor fit for a first kite trip.

Which spot for a confirmed rider looking for a challenge?

The Emerald Sea then shows a different face. The lagoon, protected by a vast coral reef and dotted with islets, offers an almost limitless playground: reef waves, secret spots, long downwinders through strikingly clear turquoise water. It's a setting with few equivalents in the kite world, both wild and technical, where turtles and rays are a common sight in water between 24°C and 28°C year-round.

Can you do both on the same trip?

A day downwinder from Sakalava

A downwinder excursion is organized regularly from Sakalava Bay. Departure by 4x4 around 7:30 am to the village of Ramena, where a boat picks up the group at 8 am. After about a 45-minute sail across the lagoon, Suarez Islet serves as the base camp for the day: riding in the lagoon and in the waves of the Emerald Sea for confirmed kiters, lounging, massages, and snorkeling for everyone else.

Two downwinder formats are offered. The first involves rigging up right at the lagoon entrance and following the boat for about 5 km to Suarez Islet, followed by a full day riding around the islet and in the reef waves for those with the level. The second pushes further, toward the Pool spot (Nosy Antalibe) at the north end of the lagoon, about ten kilometers away, with riding all morning followed by a return to Suarez Islet for lunch: the more determined ride back upwind, a roughly one-hour session that calls for good fitness and solid upwind technique, while others return by boat. Lunch is served in a beach shelter under the coconut trees: fresh fish, crab, and seafood.

The reverse trip, an excursion organized from the Emerald Sea to Sakalava Bay, doesn't exist.

Splitting your trip between both spots

For those with more time in Madagascar who want to explore both spots in greater depth, a second option, often recommended for intermediate to advanced riders, is to split the trip in two: starting at Sakalava Bay to get familiar with the Varatraza in an easier, safer setting, then finishing the trip at the Emerald Sea once more comfortable, on a noticeably more demanding spot.

Where to stay at Sakalava Bay and the Emerald Sea?

At Sakalava Bay, Madakitecamp

Madakitecamp is set right on the Sakalava Bay spot, with beachfront, sea-view, and garden-view bungalows to fit every budget, even for a solo traveler. The property has an IKO-affiliated school with free certification at the end of the course, direct access to the safest spot in the region for progressing at low tide, and high-speed Starlink wifi throughout the property, including every bungalow. It's the ideal base to learn or progress safely before heading, if you choose, to the Emerald Sea.

At the Emerald Sea

There's no accommodation linked to Madakitecamp at the Emerald Sea. For those who want to spend several days there, four independent properties are based on-site, each with a very different positioning:

• Tao Resort: reportedly the most upscale of the four, with 60 m² sea-view villas right on the beach, reached by boat from Ramena. Geared toward comfort and relaxation as much as kitesurfing.
• Babaomby Island Lodge: reportedly the most kite-focused property in the area, with its own IKO-affiliated school and a dedicated jet ski for on-spot safety, alongside a boat. A guided downwinder to the Pool spot is organized there every week.
• Mazava Loha Resort: situated facing the Pool spot, with a mix of wooden bungalows tucked into the vegetation and more upscale sea-view suites, reportedly well suited to both kitesurfing and a family stay.
• Les Paillotes de Babaomby: reportedly the simplest and most budget-friendly option of the four, with gear rental and lessons on-site.

To narrow down your choice, compare each property directly on its level of safety coverage (jet ski available or not), the comfort you're after, and your budget.

Continue planning your trip

Our article on [how to get to Diego Suarez] covers flight and transfer options, our [wind and season guide] helps you pick the best time to ride both spots, and our guide to [Kitesurfing Madagascar, every spot] gives you an overview of the island if you're still deciding on your destination.

Book your stay at Sakalava Bay

Based right at Sakalava Bay since 2012, we're the ideal starting point to progress safely before heading, if you choose, to the Emerald Sea on an excursion. Contact us to plan your trip.