The essential interest of Nosy Be is its maritime situation. It’s a starting point to navigate in the North-West of Madagascar which is full of islands and coastal landscapes all more wonderful than the others. A stay in Nosy Be requires a visit of the surroundings ! Differents options are available depending on whether you want to marke short or long trips : a good number of sailing yachts are based at the Crater and many offer excursions at sea, even to Mayotte. You just need to get to the Crater pier ( Pier 13-48) to find the skippers that offer this private service. They are generally very good sailors who live year-round at sea. Some yachts are marketed by companies specializing in charter and sea trips from the Radama Islands to the Mitsio Islands. The other means of discovering the maritime zone is the motor vessel, from the fishing boats to the big boats to the dugouts through the resin « shells ». Several agencies or tourist structures offer day tours in the neighboring islands or longer to the Radama or Mitsio. On all the bays and beaches, you can be solicited by sailors with a boat or canoe offering these outings in the islands or fishing. They are often fishermen who « round up » their activities through tourism. Often they know navigation very well. You just have to make sure they have lifejackets and a paddle in addition to their motor or canoe sail.