BABAOMBY – PARADISE FOUND

With the almost guaranteed promise of wind & waves, María Andrés and Chiara Socin setoff on an adventure of a lifetime to the incredibly beautiful paradise of Madagascar.

Photos: Pandora Chiara Socin, Babaomby Lodge Crew & María Andrés.

Words: María Andrés.

Separated from the African continent by the Mozambique Strait, Madagascar is a hidden gem in the vast expanse of the Indian Ocean. As the fourth-largest island in the world, it boasts nearly 5,000 kilometres of pristine coastline to lose yourself in its turquoise and emerald shades.

Dubbed a “World Apart” for its distinctive evolutionary path, Madagascar serves not only as a haven for biodiversity, but also as a utopia for enthusiasts of adventure, wind, and waves. Positioned ideally, just like the popular neighbouring islands of Reunion and Mauritius, Madagascar is directly exposed to the swells and trade winds of the Indian Ocean. Given that Madagascar is much larger than the other islands, and is blessed with countless capes and reefs, the potential to discover numerous incredible surf and wind sports spots is huge, and it was simply somewhere I couldn’t get out of my head!

WE’RE HEADING TO MADAGASCAR!

The idea of visiting Madagascar popped up as I was frantically searching for a remote tropical paradise, where I could windsurf and wing-foil every single day. The allure of pristine turquoise water and sun-kissed beaches was simply too much to resist. I craved somewhere I could immerse myself in the culture, while still being able to train every day, but above all, I wanted to go somewhere off the beaten track, so that I could avoid the crowds…

Madagascar has long been on my bucket list… so after talking about it with a couple of friends (and incredible windsurfers such as; Victor Fernandez, Antony Ruenes, and Jules Denel), they encouraged me to go! But, if you think my search criteria was demanding, I can assure you that Madagascar more than surpassed my expectations. I honestly couldn’t have found anywhere better! Madagascar has it all!

I suggested to Chiara Socin that she should join me for the trip. I didn’t know her personally, but she is also a Duotone rider and a super talented photographer. As expected, from one adventurer to another, she didn’t hesitate for a moment! It was going to be perfect, we would windsurf and wing-foil while taking photos of each other in paradise! Not a bad plan! So, there we were, just the two of us armed with all of our boards, heading into the unknown, about to embrace a unique experience without even knowing each other yet!

ARRIVING AT THE EMERALD SEA

After a bit of research, it was clear that the most consistent spot for wind and waves in Madagascar was the Emerald Sea. This lagoon located north of Madagascar blends more shades of greens and turquoise blues than you could ever imagine.

When we arrived in Diego Suarez we saw the traditional Malagasy fishing boats with their instantly recognisable sails dotted along the coast. However, we quickly found out that these boats aren’t just used for fishing… they are also the primary means of transportation for both goods and yep… you guessed it… tourists on scenic trips, so our adventure was about to get a whole lot more exciting as we would arrive at our final destination via one of these incredibly beautiful wooden boats.

As soon as we boarded the boat, we were handed raincoats in the midst of calm seas and 27 degrees. We exchanged slightly skeptical glances… but we cruised upwind in the calm waters with the aid of a little motor. Upon reaching the opening of the Diego Suarez Bay, we were hammered by 35 knot winds, but the crew showed no hesitation in hoisting the sail despite the strong winds. Me and Chiara may not have known each other well yet, but we felt connected from the very first second – sometimes no words are needed. We simply looked at each other with a slight state of shock on our faces, and huge eyes, as we sailed at full speed across the wind. Instead of being scared, our faces lit up with delight as the boat began to lean more and more and we became increasingly soaked by the spray. We were definitely alive. What a start to our adventure – and this was only the beginning…

At the entrance of the bay, just before gliding into the beautiful lagoon of the Emerald Sea, several whales extended their welcome greeting! Could it get any better than this?! After cruising downwind, gracefully navigating between islands, channels and shallows, we would eventually reach Babaomby. The lagoon is truly something else to behold with its incredible range of hues evoking childlike laughter from both of us as we exchanged glances and ginormous smiles. It was official – we had reached paradise on our trip of a lifetime.

WELCOME TO THE WIND FACTORY

The wind statistics don’t lie, and Babaomby ranks in the top 10 windiest spots in the world on WindGuru! Boasting 98% of days with winds in excess of 20 knots – fun is guaranteed. The windy season lasts for more than half the year, starting in April and running until around the end of November. During the windiest months, July and August, 30-35 knot winds are the average, blowing from sunrise to sunset (and sometimes even through the night too, haha!). Consequently, the wind swell hitting the reef delivers almost non-stop waves! In August, we sailed on either a 3.4m for windsurfing or a 3.0m wing on at least 50% of the days, while heavier riders opted for 4.2s or 4.5s.

CLIMATE

Daytime temperatures usually hover around 30 degrees, but with the wind, it doesn’t feel too hot, while nighttimes are cool, perfect for catching up on some well-earned sleep. Water temperatures range from 26-28^ºC, so whether you opt for a swimsuit, or a shorty, is entirely up to you.

VARIETY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

With the Emerald Sea thriving with biodiversity, the wind, waves and currents have a life of their own, bringing you a diverse range of conditions all within just a few kilometres of each other. Depending what your desires are, you can find; ramps for jumping in both directions, beautiful wave riding, wind swells for downwinders, flatwater for freestyle or just cruising up and down in paradise. The world really is your oyster here and the best part is that it’s usually just you and your friends! Priceless!

ANOTHER WORLD

While the conditions are world class, the nature in this remote corner of the Earth is simply incredible… The diversity of landscapes and colours in the Emerald Sea is unparalleled with rivers, mangroves, baobab forests, sand dune beaches, sandy islands, wooded isles, diamond-shaped eroded islets and crystal-clear water – what more could you want? Each element adds to the vibrant tapestry. On land, lemurs curiously keep a watchful eye on you, while in the water, turtles surround you in the lagoon and humpback whales breach beyond the reef to leave you mesmerised.

TOREKY ISLAND – JUMPING PARADISE

Just a 7-minute sail away from the lodge, you reach this rocky islet guarded by seabirds. Encapsulated by a reef, even at low tide, this place offers waves every day. We came to love this spot, not only for its consistency, but also for the amount of fun it offers, while still feeling safe. Offering perfect starboard tack kickers – generally 1-2m high – this is a great place to hone your jumping skills with cross to cross-onshore winds. The waves become hollower at low tide with less water over the reef, but don’t worry it’s still deep enough to safely jump., while you can also wave ride here too. Toreky Island is great for both windsurfing and wing-foiling.

SUAREZ ISLAND – WAVES AND WHALES

With its beautiful white sand, Suarez Island is considered one of the best wave riding spots in the area by the locals, and this wave is one of the reasons I originally wanted to go to Babaomby, as it would allow me to train in starboard tack conditions for the Aloha Classic in Maui. Indeed, I found some similarities to Ho’okipa… When the wave is working it opens up and allows for multiple turns. If mountainous walls of water are your thing, then you can also join some of the locals on the outer reef at low tide. This spot is perfect for winging, but for windsurfing I found the wind to sometimes be a bit too onshore. I preferred the inside reef as the wave bends meaning the wind is more side to side-off – offering you a cleaner, hollower wave face. By moving up and down the reef, you can cherry pick the conditions you crave. FYI: You can sail to Suarez Island in one upwind reach from the lodge.

As well as the world class watersports, this is the only spot where you are outside the lagoon, and where you sometimes have the opportunity to sail alongside whales! Migrating from Antarctica to Madagascar for reproduction and breeding, this northeastern zone is a hotspot between June and September. If and when you are lucky enough to witness this, you’ll more than likely just want to watch the show. Seeing a humpback whale up close is something else! You experience a mix of emotions from fear to excitement, to nervous laughter and gratefulness. It’s hard to keep a smile off your face in moments like this.

THE PASS – THE DEVIL’S TACK FOR SOME

This spot is more for windsurfing as it is super shallow for wing-foiling. Situated at the southern end of the lagoon, the reef bends here, which offers some port tack jumping in cross onshore conditions. Be warned though it is quite shallow, but if you ever want to change tack, this is the option for you!

LA PISCINE – FLATWATER PERFECTION

La Piscine offers the flattest water with the best water clarity I have ever experienced in my life. My main passion may be wave riding, but I loved spending days here simply cruising in its crystal clear waters. La Piscine boasts an abundant underwater world with vibrant coral heads providing the perfect environment for a rich and diverse marine life. With the foil you need to be aware of these coral heads and carefully pick your route, but with water clarity of this quality it’s easy to navigate your way through. By the shore, the water is so flat that it offers world class freestyle, while the sand is so white that you can’t help but chase your shadow. La Piscine was without doubt our favourite place to shoot with its incredible makeup of colours.

The wind is slightly lighter here than in the rest of the lagoon, and the water is incredibly flat, making it a paradise for freestyle, freeride, or slalom and ideal for those who are learning. At low tide, it becomes as smooth as glass!

The lodge organises boat trips here, but you can also sail there. If you opt for the latter, it’s a long and fun downwinder.

PARADISE – THE DEEPEST BLUE

Paradise, as our friend Nico Martin named it, is an area of the lagoon upwind from the lodge, in front of a tiny village on a beach with mangroves, where the happiest children bathe, play, and chase their homemade toy boats, which are powered by the wind – constructed from pieces of wood and plastic bags for sails – they sail them like seasoned pros. They tension the sails with threads and place stones to weight the hulls – adjusting them accordingly to suit the intensity of the wind. Men fish, women wash, zebus take to the beach. Everything is in perfect harmony, amidst smiles and curious glances. In front of the beach, Paradise is the area of the lagoon that I have seen the deepest turquoise blue I have ever witnessed. The water is so incredibly crystal clear that every fold on the surface casts its shadow on the white sandy bottom! It’s another unbelievable part of the world to be able to experience and you sometimes have to pinch yourself to double check that it is in fact real! We were all gliding, shouting with excitement, and smiling from the soul, knowing that at that precise moment in time, it was not possible to be any happier!

INTERMEDIATE FRIENDLY ZONES

The rest of the lagoon is relatively flat and deep enough to not have to worry about touching the bottom with the foil or fins, while in many areas you can still stand, which makes it perfect for intermediates. Directly in front of the lodge, the water is flat and with consistent side-shore winds, making it a great option for practicing your skills or having windsurfing, kiteboarding or winging lessons.

CHILLING AND SHARING

After riding waves on the reef, we always loved to stop at Suarez Island beach – sheltered from the wind. The spot is incredibly beautiful and calm. Somehow, the colours here seem to have taken on a completely new spectrum – almost as if your eyes have unlocked a new feature! Surrounded by corals and a couple of little islands you are blessed with a prime view of the waves on the outer reef. This is a place where local boats bring tourists from time-to-time to spend the day and enjoy delicious freshly caught grilled fish with tasty coconut rice. With all the traditional boats anchored by the beach you feel as though you are quite literally part of a postcard.

This was our place and moment to share with our new friends and the locals about anything from; the session, to life, about our cultures, food, our visions of life, family, friendship or relationships. This place became special to us because of the deep conversations we harvested here.

BABAOMBY ISLAND LODGE – GLAMPING IN PARADISE!

Babaomby is located on the northernmost peninsula of Madagascar, right at the entrance of the stunning Bay of Diego Suarez – which is the second-largest bay in the world, only behind the famous Rio de Janeiro Bay. To kick off your trip, you navigate through the bay, setting the tone for the adventure!

Babaomby Island Lodge is without doubt the place to be in the Emerald Sea. This charming eco-lodge nestled in the heart of paradise is truly a waterman’s dream, because it is designed by one! When Nicolas Martin first visited Madagascar to windsurf, he simply couldn’t ignore its potential. Nicolas built his beautiful lodge in the best spot – right in front of the best wave and the windiest area of the country. It doesn’t get any better than that!

The lodge is carefully thought out, designed, and constructed to minimise its natural and visual impact. Exquisitely decorated, every detail has been considered. We stayed in a super cool tent right by the water, and as we strolled from our cabin to the beach, we passed through the botanical garden with beams of light shimmering their way through the tropical plants, while mysterious wild lemurs observe, sing, and play freely. It was such a different experience from any other trip I have been on! It was like being in the wild, but with all your creature comforts!

Fresh food arrives by boat every day, at the mercy of the tides, along with the clients. The logistics are certainly no joke, but everything is perfectly prepared. Bread and croissants are carefully baked each morning in a wood-fire oven, while every single meal is spectacular with the freshest vegetables from the garden, or market, and fish straight from the ocean! Sharing a table with adventurous people from all walks of life and nationalities is always enriching. Conversations, ideas, and connections arise that will last a lifetime.

MADAGASCAR MAGIC

In Diego Suarez I generally found that there’s a relaxed and festive atmosphere. The Malagasy people are cheerful and vibrant. They wear a smile that lights up their faces, adorned with the most beautiful garments. Style matters and their clothes display their vivid colours flawlessly, without a single crease, everything is perfectly coordinated. The hairstyles and the face paintings are incredibly beautiful. They are beautiful both inside and out!

Groups of friends, families, and children stroll through the streets and beaches; joyful, joking and smiling. The locals were friendly and open with us right from the beginning. They were curious to know about us and our culture, and enthusiastic to share about themselves and their own culture. They wanted us to experience the true Madagascar – where all the children play together, while the adults look out for everyone like a huge interconnected family.

Even in the markets, we had a great time! To begin with we were a bit shy to take photos… but it turned out that everyone encouraged us to take them! We posed together – us, them, with chickens, with vegetables… haha, it was so much fun. The locals possess a great sense of humour.

During one sunset, while on our way for dinner at Diego beach, we were fascinated by how the streets seemed to be alive. Children ran along the beach near the bars, playing and chatting, while moving to the rhythm which fills the air. They may not realise it, but they are dancing while playing and walking! Music and rhythm are seemingly built within their DNA. Live music enriches every corner and you could see how well everyone danced! Western twerking is a joke compared to the local dance! Haha.

Madagascar is like somewhere I have never experienced before. I felt like they not only look into your eyes, but also your soul, and you can feel them and see them. There is an innate connection with no language or cultural barrier. It is hard to put into words without experiencing it yourself.

SOLO OR NOT IT PROMISES TO BE THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME

Babaomby is perfect for travelling with a group of friends, or family as it caters for different skill levels of a variety of watersports. However, if you’re traveling alone, fear not, as it’s also a fantastic option as you’ll meet people at the lodge with whom you’ll connect and share interests. You can chat during meals, join group excursions, and cheers with a couple of refreshing rhum arrangé in the evenings. During our stay we met many people: solo riders, couples and families. We shared a lot of amazing moments together and had a lot of fun!

PARADISE ON EARTH

Madagascar is definitely a dream for those seeking adventure as you have to earn your reward with the taxing journey to get there. However, those who are willing to undertake the challenge will be rewarded with a piece of paradise on Earth. Madagascar is a nature lovers playground, which offers you the chance to enjoy some of the best windsurfing / wing-foiling on the planet almost every single day.

DREAM TRIP

Our trip was a total success with wind every single day of our month long stay! We had indescribable amounts of fun! We met people from all walks of life and spent more time laughing and shouting like kids than we would care to disclose. Me and Chiara made, not only great travel buddies, but also a great team when it came to shooting for our projects. It certainly helps that Madagascar is so incredibly stunning and we’ll let the pictures do the talking.

NOT GOODBYE, SEE YOU LATER

Sadly, like every trip, it has to come to an end at some point and the month passed by far too quickly! Due to the tides, our departure was at night, which left the magic of our minds to takeover as we reminisced about a trip of a lifetime. We were both still smiling, but I think we both also had heavy hearts at what we were leaving behind. We sat back, relaxed and simply watched in awe as the sail glided against the deep black sky, which was alive with a million dancing stars. We took this moment to show our gratitude to the Universe for everything that we had been lucky enough to experience over the last month. It was incredibly difficult to leave this paradise behind – particularly with so many new friends, but I have no doubt in my mind that we will be back!

IMPORTANT NEED TO KNOWS:

EQUIPMENT, RENTAL, CLASSES

The school has a wide range of equipment available for rent, but it’s always a good idea to contact them in advance to ensure they have what you need.

For lessons, the location is ideal and safe, and the instructors are highly experienced. They even have a jet-ski for safety.

If you prefer to bring your own gear, check with Babaomby Lodge about the right equipment and sizes for the month of your visit and the discipline you plan to practice. As a reference, in August, I mostly used a 69l board with a 3.4 or 3.7 sail for wave riding. Others often used boards around 80l with 4.2 or 4.5 sails.

WHAT TO BRING

– Sunscreen

– Insect repellent

– A shorty or a 2mm full wetsuit if you’re learning

– A puffy jacket or windbreaker. Evenings can be cool if the wind picks up.

– Spare parts for anything you consider hard to replace.

TRAVELLING TO THE EMERALD SEA IN MADAGASCAR

Fly to:

– Diego Suarez (Antsiranana) (+ 30 min transfer)

– Nosy Be (+ 8h transfer to Diego Suarez)

– Antananarivo + Internal flight to Diego Suarez (+ 30 min transfer)

– The lodge can arrange transfers to Diego Suarez and the boat (1h) to Babaomby

WHERE TO STAY

No doubt, the best place to stay is Babaomby Island Lodge. Comfortable, authentic and charming. They are located perfectly just in front of the best spots, while offering amazing food and the best crew! For more info visit @ www.babaomby.com or email babaomby@hotmail.com to enjoy your very own trip of a lifetime.

 

 

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