Pre-Departure Info

Luggage limit is 20kg per person in soft bags without any overweight possibility. The total size of each bag must not exceed 140 linear cm (height + width + depth).

Wi-Fi is available at the lodge Beach House. It depends on the local mobile network, Orange, which can be slow and requires patience. Email and mobile phone communications are available at the lodge reception for emergencies.

Electricity in the lodge is available 24/7 and is generated by solar power with a back-up generator.

Charging stations are provided inside the bungalows and in the Beach House for charging small electronic devices.

Torches are provided for each guest. These make good reading lights in the bungalows and are also good for night walks.

The Masoala Adventure tours to the Masoala Forest Lodge do not require a high level of fitness, but participants should be in good general health as much of the wildlife viewing will be done on foot and may require walking for several hours at a time. Some, but not all, of the trails can be quite steep and slippery, especially after rain.

All the activities are optional and all guests are able to plan and enjoy their activity at their own pace.

Should you have any physical limitations, please notify us in advance. We will then choose a bungalow for you that is close to the dining area.

Meals in the Masoala Forest Lodge are a combination of traditional Malagasy and European style menus. Fresh fish, shellfish, beef, rice, fruit and vegetables are the staples of the diet.

The lodge has a salad and herb garden.

The drinking water provided is very clean ground water that is passed through a 3-stage filter and bottled in glass at the lodge.

The lodge has a non-plastic bottled water policy.

Cold soft-drinks and sparkling water, local coffee, tea and herbal teas, local beer, imported wines, flavored rums and other liquors are always available in the lodge.

Meals are served as follows:

Breakfast (Sea Deck)

7:00-09:00

Lunch (Beach House)

12:30-14:00

Tea time (Sea Deck)

16:00-17:00

Snacks and sundowners (Beach)

17:00 – 19:00

Dinner (Beach House)

19:00

These times are flexible and can always be adjusted to your schedule. If you have a long hike planned, we are happy to pack you a picnic or snacks.

Please inform us at the before your stay about any special dietary requirements or food wishes so that we can cater for these.

Each group has their own private guide. The guides stay at the lodge in the guide facilities and are always available when you want to go on an activity – day or night.

Your guide is not only available for you in the rainforest and its surroundings, but also in the lodge for the duration of your stay, whether you are interested in challenging them to a board game or learning more from our books about the region. You are required to be accompanied by an official Masoala National Park guide whenever you are inside the national park – however you are welcome to discover our beaches and private reserve on your own, as they are not part of the national park.

The guides all speak English and French, some speak German. If you would like a German speaking guide, please let us know in advance.

The Masoala Peninsula is an extremely healthy area due to the pristine natural environment and very low population density. We enjoy some of the cleanest air on the planet, blowing off the southern Indian Ocean and through the oxygen enriched rainforest.

Strangely, for a dense rainforest, there are very few mosquitoes or other flying insects, no sand flies and no malaria, dengue fever or other contagious tropical diseases are present in the area of the Masoala Forest Lodge. There are also no leeches in the rainforest unless one ventures far up into the mountains away from the sea. There are no venomous snakes or dangerous wildlife in the forest and no sharks near the swimming beaches or the shallow coral reefs.

While malaria does occur in Madagascar, some areas have a higher prevalence of malaria and others a very low or no risk. In addition to taking preventative measures against mosquito bites, such as sleeping under mosquito netting, using insect repellent and wearing protective clothing (preferably light colored), it is recommended that you consult your travel physician about taking a malaria prophylaxis.

The main health concerns are to avoid injury on slippery rocks or sharp sticks in the forest and corals and other pobungalowially dangerous creatures in the sea by taking care and using suitable foot-ware. Any minor injuries sustained will be treated immediately by the qualified lodge management.

Yellow fever and cholera vaccinations are only required if you are arriving within six days after leaving or transiting an infected area or countries situated in endemic areas (South Africa is not considered an infected or endemic area). It is recommended that you consult your physician to gain the most updated information in this regard.

We recommend that you purchase travel insurance to protect yourself against losses due to medical reasons, (such as hospitalization, accidents or illness); trip cancellation; curtailment of arrangements and delays; loss or damage of baggage and for medical evacuation.

Malagasy is the official language and French the commercial language in Madagascar. English is not widely spoken but this is rapidly changing as ecotourism expands on the island.

Masoala Forest Lodge’s staff and the local people in the lodges surroundings speak the Malagasy dialect Betsimasaraka. Over the years the staff have learned some English which is the best language to choose for direct communication.

Laundry service is available at the Masoala Forest Lodge and free of charge.

The only cash required during a stay at the Masoala Forest Lodge will be for some alcoholic beverages, massage, souvenirs, tips and for extra excursions by boat.

These expenses can be paid in cash Euro, Pound Sterling or US Dollars at the lodge, but not with credit card.

We have compiled a checklist of necessary items to pack. It can be downloaded by clicking the following link: RECOMMENDED CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT LIST

A passport valid for at least six months after the departure date is required for entry into Madagascar. All visitors are required to have a tourist visa to enter Madagascar; these may be obtained upon arrival at Ivato airport in Antananarivo, Madagascar. For stays of 30 days or less costs 37 Dollars.

The Masoala Peninsula is an extremely safe destination. All bungalows provide lockable bedside cupboards and a lockable wardrobe. Guests are also welcome to hand valuables in at reception for storage in the lodge safe.

Madagascar is 8 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time and 3 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.