Masoala Forest Lodge
Save
Share
Masoala, Tampolo Madagascar
Full view
View all photos (348)348
Pool & Beach (47)
Room & Suite (28)
About
#1 of 3 Speciality lodging in Tampolo
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
•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.
Read more
Full view
Property amenities
Free breakfast
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Beach
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Airport transportation
Laundry service
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL STYLE
Charming
158Reviews5Q+A29Room tips
Reviews
Traveller rating
- 136
- 14
- 6
- 2
- 0
Time of year
Traveller type
Language
More
Selected filters
- Filter
- English
Popular mentions
+1
The flight by Sky Services from Antanarivo was delightful. It was a very small plane but the views over Madagascar were amazing. I had not realised how hilly it was. You certainly get to see the country well from the air. We were met at the airport and taken by minibus to get the boat. On the way in the minibus it was interesting to see the villages and local life. We had a breakfast before going on the boat. We first went to an island where we went for a walk in the forest. We did see a couple of lemurs and a couple while we were eating our lunch. Then it was back on the boat to Masoala Lodge. Though it was a sunny day the sea was very rough and the three hour crossing was not pleasant and we were very glad to get there. We had tent number 2. It was a very interesting place…
Read more
Date of stay: September 2019
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
Response from Maria_Bester, Owner at Masoala Forest Lodge
Responded 24 Oct 2019
Dear Sarah, We are glad to hear you enjoyed your stay and we thank you for providing honest criticism. We have taken note of all your suggestions and comments and will use them to improve the experience we provide. We are glad you enjoyed your flight and got a good impression of the landscape of Madagascar. We often do receive positive feedback about the flight and our guests comment on how greater the experience is than on a big plane, as you get to fly lower and therefore see more of the land below you. We are happy to hear that you were satisfied with our transport from the airport to the boat and the breakfast we provide before boarding the boat. Fantastic, that you did see lemurs on the island and during the picnic again! You mentioned you had rough seas, which is absolutely possible to happen as it is the open ocean. The bay can be calm and flat like a lake and the sea can be rough. This is important to know when you decide for a Masoala Tour. We would like to mention here that the journey is always safe, it is “just” a question of comfort. We are glad to hear you enjoyed your bungalow. We would like to inform the readers that we do provide our guests with torches. There is one torch per person in the bungalows. If you happen to forget the torch, when you come to dinner, just speak to the manager, as we have spare torches in the reception, that we can quickly get for you. We are happy to hear that you appreciated the great choice of breakfast options and the ambience on the sea deck and that you even got to see humpback whales twice from the sea deck. The number of whales does vary from year to year. However, Masoala is known as the best whale watching are in Madagascar together with Sainte Marie (it’s the same whales coming here first and then moving on to Sainte Marie. There are hundreds coming through every year. We are sorry to hear that you weren’t satisfied with the meal choices. We do offer two main courses for lunch: one being the lodge menu (called “blue menu”) and the other one is the meal that the staff kitchen cooks for our staff (called the “green menu”). We offer the green menu in order to give our guest the opportunity to try local dishes. It is true that on the green menu beans and rice feature a lot as they do feature a lot in traditional Malagasy meals. We did not change the recipes to match the tourists like. It is exactly how the locals like and cook it. The “blue menu” however is a combination of European, American, Asian and African influences with a tropical note that is meant to meet our guests wishes. We do get a lot of good feedback on our menus, which we are happy about. As an extremely remote lodge operation, that tries to rely on the locally available fresh produce, it is not feasible to offer a wide choice for every meal. We do take note of all dietary preferences and endeavor to provide our guests with the meals that they request. We are happy to hear that you very satisfied with the range of included types of alcohol and flavored rums. We are sorry that you injured your knee. We do have an extensive first aid kit at the lodge and provide first aid to all our guests as well as the local population in times of need. The foot paths in the forest are in keeping with our principles of disturbing the natural beauty of the forest as little as possible. While there are roots and humps and bumps and small streams to cross without bridges, we endeavor to make sure that there are no branches or big logs across the trails, to have to climb over or under. We also route the trails away from potentially dangerous terrain, other than at the waterfall where it is not possible. We do warn all guests to take great care and not proceed if they feel insecure on the potentially slippery rocks. The guides are always on hand and willing to assist the guests whenever the guests require. Walking poles are a good idea for those who like using them. We do have wooden ones available at the lodge for our guests. Aqua shoes are liked by some people, others prefer a light sport shoe in the rainy season some guests bring their gum boots. The post important is that you are comfortable in the type of shoe you bring. We are sorry to read about your stomach ailment that you suffered. We take great care of cleanliness at the lodge and hygiene in the catering is a maximum priority. We agree with you that a type of Imodium should be in any travelers travel kit. You were very lucky. Additionally to the more common animals you saw all the Masoala wildlife highlights: whales, the endemic red ruffed lemurs, the helmeted Vanga and the Parsons chameleon. We are sorry that you had such bad luck with lemurs on the night walks. We have had several occasions when some guests saw up to 4 lemur species while other guests a few minutes earlier or later on the same night walk saw none. Wildlife spotting in nature does require some luck, but often the harder one tries, the luckier one gets. There are in fact 8 species of lemur in the private forest reserve. Nice to hear that you enjoyed the day trip to Antalaviana and the option of boating back. The hike is very beautiful, and we do recommend taking the opportunity to those who like longer walks. The walk takes approximately 3 hours and Is 11 km long. En route you will ford rivers, explore the village of Marofototra and surrounding plantations where the locals grow vanilla, cloves, pineapple, cinnamon, and pepper. You will also see the remnants of a colonial railway and learn about the history of the region. It is true that the path back from the waterfalls is not flat. In fact; there isn’t an official path. We just make our way up to the waterfalls. This is an area that is rarely visited by people and we hope it stays that way. That makes it so special, we believe. We would not want to have a well-established trail there. We like to hear that you did enjoy the picnic on the beach. Nice to hear that the trip to the village was one of your most enjoyable days. That the children sang and danced. We have enjoyed our school project. The pre-school was formed and is funded by Masoala Forest Lodge in 2017 and is running successfully since. Good to hear you enjoyed the traditional evening. We thank you for your suggestion of adding something it. We did and we are very happy with the result. Lovely to hear that you did go on the sunset cruise in the outrigger canoe and that it was a wonderful experience. We thank you again of taking the time to write us such a detailed feedback. Best regards The MFL – team
Read more
Masoala Forest Lodge ("MFL") was my first stop in Madagascar after my two night stint in Tana. I left Masoala with one thought: I am not sure that anything will top this experience. Nothing did. I took the little puddle jumper from Tana to Maroantsetra (which was delayed almost 2 hours because of fog) and was met by Dash, one of the American ex-pats who help run the lodge. (He did a stint in the Peace Corp in Madagascar and speaks fluent Malagasy). We pile into a truck and make our way to the boat launch, where I meet my guide for my stay, Serafin. He's been a guide at Masoala for 25 years. I already know he's going to be amazing. Our next stop is Nosy Mangabe, where Serafin and I take a hike while Dash and our boat captain (I'm a jerk and forget his name) wait for our…
Read more
Date of stay: July 2019
Helpful
Response from Maria_Bester, Owner at Masoala Forest Lodge
Responded 24 Jul 2019
Amazing review! We are so glad to hear that you had such a great time and we loved to read how you experienced the place and lodge and felt well looked after during your stay. So sweet that you looked for animal prints under your bungalow in the morning, we will pass this idea on to our guests. Thank you very much for this wonderful feedback It means a lot to us!
Read more
+1
What can I say... we stayed at Masoala Forest Lodge and we simply loved every moment. Our hosts made us feel at home from the very first moment, making sure all our needs were satisfied and adjusting to anything we needed or asked for. We got used to hearing "anything is possible" :) Our guide, Pascal, was the perfect match for us and accompanied us in all activities, from walking in the primary forest to kayaking to the mangroves, always sharing his immense knowledge about Masoala's nature. We will definitely return and kayak with wales in the wale season! It is, as advertised, an unspoiled place where the rainforest meets the sea.
Read more
Date of stay: April 2019
Helpful
Masoala Forest Lodge is the most luxurious place you can stay with such close proximity to the Masoala Forest. The service is outstanding. The food was wonderful and the location was just perfect. Surrounding by untouched beauty you could not find a more beautiful place to unwind whilst still having the ability to find adventure just a short boat trip away in the primary forest. The primary forest is the perfect spot to see Red Ruffed Lemurs and a myriad of other unique species of animals endemic to this area. Our guide was wonderful and i would highly recommend him to anyone visiting Masoala National Park. If you would like the opportunity to do night walks, here is the only place you can do it. I would highly recommend this as a lot of Lemur species and other animals are…
Read more
Date of stay: October 2018
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
+1
There aren't enough superlatives to describe Masoala Forest Lodge. It is expensive, but it is worth the cost and the time to get there. Of the six national parks we and our friends visited, the Masoala N.P. was our favorite forest--extraordinary endemism and magical birds and lemurs--and this lodge just minutes by boat from the park was our favorite lodge. Really great food, simply prepared and presented. Nice camaraderie among international guests.
Read more
Date of stay: November 2018
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
ALSO KNOWN AS
masoala forest hotel tampolo
LOCATION
MadagascarToamasina ProvinceTampolo
NUMBER OF ROOMS
12
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim Your Listing