At African Boutique Retreats, we curate places that capture both spirit and setting, and Miavana does so effortlessly. It is not just a castaway island but a living sanctuary where conservation and indulgence share the same horizon.

 

Why We Love This Retreat

• Castaway-chic villas with private pools and sweeping views of the Indian Ocean
• Immersive adventures from heli-safaris over Madagascar’s lemur forests to diving vibrant reefs
• Time + Tide Foundation’s deep commitment to marine conservation and local communities
• Seasonal highlights like whale migrations and turtle nesting right on the island’s shores
• A rare blend of barefoot seclusion, natural beauty, and refined luxury

Location & Setting

 

Miavana rests on Nosy Ankao, the largest island in a protected archipelago off Madagascar’s northeast coast. Encircled by the Indian Ocean’s blues and greens, the island feels untouched, yet every detail has been thoughtfully preserved and presented. From long, empty beaches to mangroves and forests alive with lemurs, chameleons, and rare birdlife, the setting is as wild as it is exquisite

 

Design & Villas

 

Miavana is designed as a sanctuary of barefoot luxury, where each villa becomes its own private haven. Fourteen oceanfront villas line the island’s edge, all crafted to blend in with their surroundings. Expansive, light-filled spaces that blend stone, Malagasy wood, and hand-dyed textiles. The result is island-inspired design with an effortless flow between indoors and outdoors.

 

Each Villa Features:

• Private pool and deck with direct beach access
• Spacious open-plan lounge, dining area, and kitchenette
• Floor-to-ceiling retractable windows to invite the ocean breeze
• Eco-cooled sleeping spaces with fans throughout
• Bathrooms with soaking tubs, plus indoor and outdoor showers
• A study that converts into a children’s bedroom with ensuite facilities
• Private butler service for seamless, discreet care
• Personal cruiser bicycles and an electric buggy for exploring

 

Each begins at a minimum of 620 sqm, ensuring an abundance of space and privacy.

For the ultimate escape, the island can be reserved as a private, exclusive-use retreat. With all 14 villas, Miavana becomes a world of your own. A castaway dream for up to 44 guests.

 

Dining & Culinary – A Taste of Madagascar

 

Island Dining

Madagascar is a land of exotic rarity, and Miavana invites you to taste its treasures with every bite. From luscious mangoes and juicy limes to punchy pink peppercorns and aromatic vanilla pods, the island’s natural abundance is celebrated in dishes that are as vibrant as the landscape. Expect freshly-caught fish, giant lobsters, local crabs, and delicacies like ‘Rova’ caviar and buffalo mozzarella, all crafted into daily menus that balance simplicity with refinement. Each plate is a reflection of the place. Seasonal, local, and alive with flavour.

 

The Piazza

At the heart of Miavana lies the Piazza, where dining becomes both communal and deeply personal. Perfectly designed for privacy or shared moments, it offers everything from barefoot breakfasts with your toes in the sand, to wood-fired pizzas at lunch, to candlelit dinners beneath a canopy of stars. With an infinity pool shimmering alongside, a rooftop lounge crowning Toulou’s Bar, and a beachfront firepit for sunset canapés, every setting is designed to make the most of island rhythms.

 

La Cave

Miavana’s wine cellar, La Cave, houses more than 2,000 bottles gathered from both storied Old World regions and innovative New World producers, with a thoughtful focus on South Africa’s rising terrains. Each label has journeyed across oceans to rest here, offering pairings that elevate the island’s cuisine into a symphony of flavour. It is not just a collection but a narrative of resilience, elegance, and memory with wines that bring stories of the wider world to this secluded shore.

 

Cabinet des Curiosities – Dining with Wonder

 

Beyond the Piazza lies a treasure chest of stories that is Miavana’s Cabinet des Curiosities. Here, delicate butterfly collections, ancient dinosaur fossils, and the rare shell of an elephant bird egg sit beside traditional Malagasy costumes and even a message in a bottle once found drifting offshore. It is a reminder that dining at Miavana nourishes not only the palate but also the imagination, which is rooted in culture, wonder, and discovery.

 

Anytime, Anywhere

 

Meals at Miavana are not confined to a table. In-villa dining is always at hand, whether a quiet breakfast on your private deck, a snack by the pool, or a midnight indulgence. With chefs and butlers on standby, every craving is answered, and every meal becomes an experience of its own.

 

Wellness & Seclusion

 

On Miavana, wellness isn’t confined to a spa menu because the entire island becomes the sanctuary. With only the sound of waves, the sway of palms, and the scent of Madagascan botanicals on the breeze, every sense is invited to slow down and reset.

 

Island Spa

 

Therapists bring treatments to wherever serenity calls. On the beach, beneath the shade of palms, or in the privacy of your villa. The signature Seashell Massage evokes the ocean’s rhythm, while the Afrique-in-Harmony Coconut Massage draws on ancient traditions. Each ritual begins with a purifying foot ceremony using sea sand and lime, a grounding prelude to total relaxation.

 

Holistic Therapies

 

The wellness journey spans from half-day escapes to full-day Miavana Journeys, with treatments ranging from Ayurvedic therapies to rejuvenating facials. Organic products from Terres d’Afrique, which are enriched by rare African botanicals and hand-harvested island ingredients, amplify each experience, ensuring both body and spirit are nurtured.

 

Movement & Mindfulness

 

Wellness here is as dynamic as it is restorative. Greet the sunrise with yoga on the helipad, balance on paddleboards with SUP yoga, or settle into a quiet evening stretch on your villa deck. Complimentary group classes are offered daily, while private one-on-one sessions flow on your terms, wherever on the island feels most inspiring.

 

Ocean-View Fitness

 

For those who crave energy, the air-conditioned gym faces the sea, equipped with everything from treadmills and rowing machines to weights, resistance bands, and a boxing bag. It’s fitness framed by nature. A workout with an endless horizon.

 

Wellness for All

 

Even children are welcomed into Miavana’s circle of wellbeing. Spa treatments tailored to young guests and playful yoga classes (tree pose, mountain pose, child’s pose) introduce the art of stillness and breath from an early age.

 

The Deeper Reset

 

Here, wellness isn’t just an activity, it’s an ethos. To be barefoot, breathe deeply, reconnect with nature and self. Miavana invites you to wake with the tides, stretch into the sunrise, and immerse fully in the art of being alive.

 

Sustainability & Conservation

 

Miavana is not only a retreat but also a steward of Madagascar’s fragile environment. Time + Tide, the brand behind Miavana, invests heavily in conservation and community empowerment. The lodge helps protect endangered species like lemurs and sea turtles, funds marine patrols to curb illegal fishing, and supports reforestation projects that safeguard native habitats. Guests can even take part in conservation-led activities, from observing turtle hatchlings to learning about local flora with resident naturalists.

 

By staying here, travelers contribute directly to the preservation of both land and sea, ensuring that this island paradise remains unspoiled for generations to come.

 

Experiences & Activities

 

At Miavana, every day unfolds like a new chapter in a storybook, whether you’re seeking stillness or the thrill of discovery. The island is a gateway to some of Madagascar’s rarest landscapes and encounters, and the adventures seem to feel as limitless as the horizon.

 

Ocean Adventures

 

The surrounding waters are a playground of coral reefs and turquoise shallows. Guests can dive into a marine world alive with technicolor fish, sea turtles, and rays. Snorkeling, scuba diving, paddleboarding, and kite-surfing make the ocean your constant companion, while deep-sea fishing lures in the big game of the Indian Ocean.

 

Wildlife Encounters

 

Madagascar is home to species found nowhere else on earth. With Miavana’s naturalists and guides, guests can track lemurs in lush forests, encounter chameleons in rainbow tones, or birdwatch among mangroves. Conservation is woven into every experience, ensuring these fragile ecosystems are celebrated and protected.

 

Heli-Adventures

 

For those drawn to the extraordinary, Miavana’s helicopters unlock exclusive frontiers. They soar over volcanoes, land beside hidden waterfalls, or fly to emerald islets for a castaway picnic. These aerial journeys reveal Madagascar in ways few ever witness.

 

Wellness & Connection

 

Balance adventure with quiet moments of yoga at sunrise, a massage with ocean breezes as your soundtrack, or evenings gathered around a firepit under constellations unspoiled. Every experience is designed to immerse guests fully in nature, in culture, and in the soulful rhythm of the island.

 

Planning Your Stay

 

Miavana has been designed with flexibility in mind, whether you’re a couple seeking seclusion, a family looking for shared adventure, or a group marking a milestone together. Villas come in one-, two-, and three-bedroom configurations (spanning a generous 620 sqm minimum), each with private pools, direct beach access, and all the comforts of home reimagined in island style. For the ultimate experience, Miavana can be booked exclusively, transforming the island into your own private sanctuary for up to 44 guests.

 

The lodge is open year-round, though seasons shape the rhythm of experiences. Whale watching between July and September, turtle nesting from October through April, and crystal-clear waters for diving from April to November.

 

Access is by private helicopter transfer, a scenic 30-minute flight from Diego Suarez or an hour from Nosy Be. International arrivals connect via Antananarivo or Nosy Be, making the journey seamless while preserving Miavana’s sense of remoteness.

 

Final Thoughts

 

To stay at Miavana is to live in a rare harmony between wilderness and refinement. Here, barefoot ease meets high design, ancient baobabs share space with infinity pools, and encounters with lemurs and turtles become as natural as the tides.

This is not simply an island retreat but a living sanctuary. A vision of what travel at its highest level can mean, restorative, responsible, and deeply human. At Miavana, every detail invites you to slow down, reconnect, and discover the rarest luxury, time well spent in a place unlike anywhere else.