Princesse Bora Hotel Ile Sainte Marie Madagascar

Princess Bora Hotel is only a short transfer from the airport by traditional oxcart (cars are available for the less adventurous!) The Princess Bora hotel offers an excellent restaurant specialising in seafood and French cuisine.

The bungalows or "Villas" at Princess Bora are tastefully decorated and spacious with private bathrooms. All rooms have a safe, fan and private veranda.

Facilities at Princesse Bora include a bar and own diving centre. Whale safaris are offered by boat. Scientists studying whales stay at Princesse Bora during the whale season and offer guests a chance to participate in their research, which can be a thrilling highlight contrasting a relaxing holiday.

Community
Princesse Bora Lodge was built using local labour. Upon completion, everyone who had worked on the lodge was offered the opportunity of training for employment at the lodge.

Princesse Bora Rooms

Princesse Bora Villas:
All the comfort villas at Princess Bora have the hallmark suspended double bed, a living area, private facilities with a separate wc and a private, sea-facing verandah. Comfort villas can accommodate two people. They are equipped with a fan and there is a hammock on the verandah.

Luxury Princesse Bora Villas:
There are six 55m2 octagonal luxury villas at Princesse Bora. As well as the Princess Bora have the hallmark suspended double bed, living area, private facilities with a separate wc and a private, sea-facing verandah the Princesse Bora Luxury Villas have double basins, air-conditioning and a mezzanine room with twin beds.

Executive Princesse Bora Villas:
The five new executive beach villas are 95m2 and glass-fronted, to take full advantage of the tropical sunsets and the Indian Ocean panorama. The wide terrace is provides another super vantage point. All Princess Bora Beach villas are air-conditioned and can accommodate up to three people in one double and one single bed. Facilities in these Princesse Bora Beach Villas also include a bath-tub.

Food at Princess Bora

The restaurant is known as the best on the island. Fresh seafood and fish is prominent on the menu. French, Creole and Malagasy influences are reflected in the cuisine. The lodge also has a pizza oven for an alternative to lunch. The bar, with its oak barrels of flavoured rums, is an ideal spot from which to watch the sun set over the Indian Ocean.

Princesse Bora Lodge Facilities

Princess Bora lodge has a decked infinity pool and a wooden pontoon on the lagoon.

The watersports centre at Princess Bora provides snorkelling equipment, pirogues, canoes and catamarans and also has boats for water-skiing and paragliding.

Mountain bikes for exploring the island are available free of charge to Princesse Bora guests, or you can hire a motorbike, quads or a 4WD with driver.

Activities from Princess Bora Lodge

Saint Marie Island Excursions: Princesse Bora Lodge offers a full programme of island excursions. You can visit the only known pirates’ cemetery, the oldest church in Madagascar, the market in Ambodifotatra, the mangroves or the forest of Ampanihy. The cross-island walk takes you through pristine forests and empty beaches - and the hotel will pick you up. Take a pirogue to offshore Ile aux Nattes, with its brilliant, soft, white sand; or a guided walk, to discover the orchids, clove and cashew trees and growing cinnamon bark.

Surfing: Ile Ste Marie is a new and excellent surfing destination.

Scuba Diving: There is a nearby PADI dive centre offering courses and a full dive programme, including wreck and night dives.

Fishing: Fishermen will find the boats, equipment and fishing guides for some really fine fishing including: tuna, bonito, grey mullet, captains, sea-bream, and king mackerel.

Whale watching
The Princesse Bora is affiliated to MEGAPTERA, the association for research, observation and protection of marine mammals; in fact, it has a base at the lodge during the season. No one has failed to be impressed by owner Francois-Xavier Mayer's commitment to conservation or by the quality of the whale-watching programme. A specialist eco-guide briefs whale-watchers before and during the boat trip, which follows the code of good conduct for approaching these spectacular creatures. Once silently anchored within 100m of a group of whales, sit back and watch – or participate in the collection of data. You can also join the debriefing conference at the end of the day.

Princesse Bora Rates Valid until 31st October 2009

Rates: (in Ariary) per day and per person, half-board (dinner, overnight, and breakfast)
Minimum stay required: 3 nights
Minimum stay during Christmas and New Year's Eve: (22nd December 08 to 7th January 09): 5 nights
Half-board: dinner, overnight, and breakfast. Children: from 3 to 12 years. Baby cot offered up to 2 years of age.
Transfers: free of charge transfers to and from the airport by zebu-cart or by car Payment: rates including all taxes. Payment accepted in Ariary or in foreign currencies (Euro, CHF, GBP, USD), travellers checks and credit cards (VISA only)
Free activities: snorkelling, kayak, bicycle, and semi-Olympic swimming pool (25 meters).