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#1 of 3 lodges in Tampolo
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•Paradise of pristine nature, bio-diversity and traditional culture•Comfort and privacy in the owner-managed exclusive eco-lodge with private forest reserve and beaches •Wide range of activities and meals of organic fresh local produce and seafood•An authentic experience - an interactive journey of information, education and inspiration Nestled in a cove of golden sand and blue water, at the meeting of rainforest and sea, a luxurious outpost awaits – The Masoala Forest Lodge. The handful of thatched tree-house bungalows is tucked into the forest at the water’s edge, each with a private beach access and uninterrupted views of forest and sea. Constructed with sustainably harvested local materials, each bungalow is raised 2-3 meters above the ground and contains a fully netted and screened canvas safari tent, with en-suite bathroom, hot water, palissandre furnishings and solar lighting.
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Property amenities
Free breakfast
Bar / lounge
Beach
Hiking
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Airport transportation
Massage
Laundry service
Restaurant
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Non-smoking rooms
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HOTEL STYLE
Romantic
Languages Spoken
German
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+1
Masoala Forest Lodge really is a slice of heaven in Madagascar. From the moment you arrive into the tranquil and protected cove you'll feel the magic of what has been created here. There are so many wonderful activities to enjoy here that 4 nights is simply too short. I could easily have spent 7-10 nights here. From land to sea your day's can be as active or relaxed as you wish. The food was especially excellent and careful attention paid to dietary requirements. Everything is hyper locally sourced and so much comes from the local village just a short walk away. Forest honey, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, chillies and so much more comes from the neighbouring village. Coffee is grown, roasted and ground on site, fisherman show up daily with their catch- it's wonderful! You also really get a sense that the local villagers benefit from visitors to the lodge either through employment, buying of supplies or via the school that was built for the local community by the lodge. In a country where so much habitat is under threat it's heartwarming to see this relationship between people and place. I can't wait to return one day. …
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Date of stay: October 2023Trip type: Travelled with friends
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Masoala Forest Lodge! Just being at the lodge with the beach in front and the forest all around was such an incredible treat, and there were so many delights at every turn. Our guide Elysee was always finding treasures for us to enjoy, from sleeping kingfishers on the night walks, to geckos that blended into the bark of the tree, to resident chameleons and lemurs. The canoe ride on the river was stunning, and the kayaking along the shoreline and out to the Sacred Island was truly fantastic. Probably one of our most memorable experiences was the afternoon that the camp manager found us just lazing around and prompted us to kayak out and see the humpback mother and baby that were just offshore (we are very experienced kayakers). Not only were we able to spend time floating in the vicinity of the mother and baby on the ocean, they swam within a couple of feet of our kayaks as they headed out to sea. As if that was not wonderful enough, on our way back to shore we found ourselves in the middle of a group of 8 large humpbacks moving quickly on their way out to sea. Thrilling beyond words! The food was very good, dietary preferences were easily accommodated, and we enjoyed the daily camaraderie of happy hour around the bonfire on the beach. Elysee was a wonderful guide and I highly recommend asking for him on your trip. Strongly recommend a stay here if you are going to Madagascar!…
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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+1
Incredible lodge surrounded by pristine forests teeming with wildlife & the stunning Indian Ocean. Everything from the flight to the meals & accommodations was top notch, & the guides were some of the best we've had throughout our Madagascar travels. Our only regret is not having stayed longer, but we will certainly not make that same mistake again. During our day walks, we saw the iconic red ruffed lemurs & the elusive helmet Vanga. During night walks, we encountered mouse lemurs, sportive lemurs, dwarf lemurs, wolly lemurs, & the lovely tenrec. We also saw bamboo lemurs, which was a special treat. Make sure to head out for a snorkel while there, the reef was untouched & had some of the healthiest coral l've ever seen. We saw beautiful blue spotted rays, cuttlefish, & too many nudibranchs to count. The management & staff at the lodge were wonderful as well, it felt like a stay with friends.…
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Date of stay: October 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
If you are interested in visiting Madagascar I would say Masoala Forest Lodge is the place you want to go! They treat you like family, the food is beyond amazing, and all the activities offered are a lot of fun! The beach was relaxing and the water was crystal clear! I had a personal guide that took me into the forest to find the one weevil I wanted to see and he found it!!! This lodge went above and beyond! Also! The staff were super awesome! I will definitely be returning!
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Date of stay: October 2022Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Masoala Forest Lodge is a heaven on Earth providing the visitor a best vacation including nature, local culture and food, comfortable stay, excellent service and a feeling of freedom. The place is so beautiful surrounded of nature and animals on surface and under the water. The villas are clean and comfortable. The food is luxurious containing the freshest ingredients, it is super tasty and different every day. The guides are available for guests 24/7 and you are free to choose any activity to do or not to do ( sometimes all you need is just to lay on the beach and watch the ocean). The place provides a lot of activities to choose from and also equipment ( like kayaks, snorkel etc.) Everything you can think of is taken care by amazing stuff- you literally don’t have to think or worry about anything. You can ask any question, you hear a lot of stories, you gain a lot of knowledge and you get to know local people. Everyone in the lodge and surrounded villages is friendly and welcoming. We were staying in Masoala Forest Lodge for 10 days and enjoyed every moment there. It was a real vacation for two hard working people- a combination of rest in beautiful nature together with activities. We recommend the place and miss it every day…. Many thanks to everyone in the lodge for our amazing vacation.…
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Date of stay: September 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
We were staying in Masoala Forest Lodge for three nights in July 2022. We are mostly interested in nature photography and we wanted to focus on that during our visit to Masoala. It was taken into account in the activity recommendations/selections. The guide provided for us took this into account. Guide Elysee was awesome. His guidance was professional and helpful (even a helping hand was available on slippery stones in the rainforest). Food was very delicious and our wishes were fully taken into account. The entire staff was really friendly. The sunset sessions on the beach with the staff will be remembered for ever. The experience was better than we could have ever imagined.
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Date of stay: July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
+1
A stay at Masoala Forest Lodge was the perfect ending to an awesome Madagascar adventure. The setting is spectacular, the accommodations, staff and food are superb and endemic wildlife is close at hand. One can be as busy as they wish with forest hikes in search of wildlife, kayaking, sunset outrigger cruises and snorkeling. Or just chill in your hammock and enjoy the view. My three night stay was not long enough so, I will just have to return!
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Date of stay: October 2022
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Room Tip: One can't go wrong with any tent.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
+1
My wife and I had an amazing 7 day stay at the Masoala Forest Lodge. We hope to return and would extend our trip to the 11 day stay. Every detail from coordination of travel in the air, on the water and on the ground was attended to. The location of the lodge with the surrounding primary forest and access to the Indian Ocean is as idyllic as it gets. The treehouse tents are comfortable, well maintained and luxuriously appointed with flushing toilets and on demand hot water for showering. We were very well fed. The meal offerings, were excellent, defined first by guests dietary restrictions, locally sourced, freshly prepared and very tasty. Our days were filled with activities of our choosing: sightseeing independently on the lodge property, snorkeling, walking with our guide in the forest day and night, in addition to kayaking on the ocean and mangrove river. We enjoyed massages and a sunset cruise, as well as a private dinner on the sea deck! Our trip was truly exceptional due to the knowledge and expertise offered by the local guides and the myriad number of tasks and work performed by the local staff. Pascal our guide provided us opportunities to explore and learn about the people in the local villages, in addition to sharing his large repertoire of bird and lemur calls leading to an unparalleled wildlife viewing experience. Amazing!…
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Date of stay: November 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
I have just finished my stay Masoala Forest Lodge and am already planning my next visit! From the moment you arrive at the lodge the hospitality is amazing: the rooms are very clean; the food is fantastic; and the staff are super friendly. There is also no lack of activities at the lodge and so my mornings were often filled snorkelling, kayaking, swimming, and hiking in the forest. My evenings were then spent reading, eating good food and indulging in conversation around the beach bonfires. All in all, Masoala Forest Lodge is a fantastic stay and I would recommend it to anyone from adventure lovers to comfort lovers.
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Date of stay: December 2022
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
One of the 20 hotels we stayed at on our trip. Accommodation is a tent on a raised platform set right on the beach. Inside the tent we had twin beds (our choice). At the back of the tent, outside of the zipped entrance, is a small veranda with a wardrobe before steps down to the lovely bathroom. A gas powered hot shower, flushing loo and lots of towels. Open to the outside at the top. At the front of the tent is another small veranda with a hammock and 2 chairs. Underneath is a table and beach chairs and a washing line. The food is excellent with a choice at breakfast and a set menu for lunch and dinner but they accommodate dietary restrictions well. Laundry, soft drinks, homemade rum are included in the price. We also had a 30 minute complimentary massage each. Lots of activities to chose from, most included in the price. We only did the extended walk to Masoala NP including a picnic lunch but probably better to just do the classic as you don’t see much more and we spent 2 hours just having a sandwich on the beach. We added 4 species of lemur to our list during our stay at Masoala and Mangabe which you automatically stop at on the way to the lodge. It’s not an easy place to get to. We had a 1hr45 flight on a 6 seater prop plane which was delayed for 4 hours due to bad weather (we did know about that before we left the hotel in Tana). We also had a couple of hours on a boat where even though they handed out raincoats we all got pretty wet. We did see breaching whales on the crossing though so worth a salty shower…
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Date of stay: September 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helpful
Response from Maria Bester, Owner at Masoala Forest Lodge
Responded 03 Nov 2022
Dear Rachel and Andrew, Thank you for your review. We love that your profile pic is a memory of the trip - 2022 was an exceptional whale season. We haven't seen that many in years. We are very happy that you liked our food. Spoiled with wonderful ingredients like tropical fruit, seafood straight from the ocean (you probably saw the fisherman pulling in on the beach) and the organic spice growing near the lodge (vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, pepper), we love combining the local Malagasy kitchen with all-time favorites from around the world. Our kitchen manager Sam has put a lot of effort into creating our menus over the years and we are lucky to have wonderful cooks. I would like to add some information regarding the extended primary forest walk for the readers of this review: it is impossible to say beforehand if you will see more wildlife on the extended walk (7h) compared to the shorter one (4h) as every nature walk is different in terms of sightings but the likeliness of seeing more is high. We have guests repeating this trip during their stay because they enjoyed it a lot. For many travelers, the shorter walk (which is our standard) is the better choice as they prefer to return to camp for lunch. I recommend deciding at the lodge depending on the weather and on what you feel like doing that day with your time. If you choose the 4 h walk you will have time in the afternoon for another activity like snorkeling /kayaking/massage/beach/reading/swimming ect. A heads up for 2023 travelers: the program has changed. We will not stop at the island Nosy Mangabe on the way to the lodge. Instead, you will be transferred straight to camp, which will give you more time at the lodge overall. Thank you for mentioning the boat Rachel. It is true that you can get wet on the boat on the open end depending on sea conditions. Another piece of info for other readers: your luggage will be packed away and is 100% dry. The front of the boat has a cabin in which you stay dry. At the open end, you have better views (forest, whales). Rachel, you mentioned the flight and that you were informed beforehand of a delay due to the weather. I recommend to readers to provide us with an email address like Rachel did or let us know in which hotel you stay the day before so that we can contact you in this case. We do ask for both details when you make a reservation with us. Instead of leaving at 6 am Rachel's flight left at 10 am which she was informed about the afternoon before. Rachel and Andrew were therefore able to plan breakfast in the hotel and come to the check-in just 15 min before departure. There is no waiting time at the airport for the scheduled charter flights. One last piece of information on the rooms. Rachel chose a twin bed setup, as she mentioned and I would like to provide you with all options we offer: double (1 bed kingsized) single ( 1 bed kingsized) twin (2 single beds) family (1 bed king + single bed or bunkbed or babybed) Thank you very much for reading and feel free to contact us if you have questions. Thank you again Rachel for your review. it is very much appreciated! Greetings from Madagascar Maria
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
ALSO KNOWN AS
masoala forest hotel tampolo
LOCATION
MadagascarToamasina ProvinceTampolo
NUMBER OF ROOMS
7
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Frequently Asked Questions about Masoala Forest Lodge
What are some of the property amenities at Masoala Forest Lodge?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge.
What food & drink options are available at Masoala Forest Lodge?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay.
Does Masoala Forest Lodge have airport transportation?
Yes, Masoala Forest Lodge offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.