Famata Lodge

Situated directly by the seafront, the Gondwana bungalow is stunningly appointed. Built and decorated with recycled materials found in the surrounding area, the banisters are made from driftwood logs and built into a two-floor dwelling with a mezzanine sleeping area.

The bungalow is spacious and homely, with a private library, dining area and comfortable living area. The bure style accommodation allows a beautiful hybrid of indoor-outdoor living, with a focus on the beautiful natural surroundings of the lush Famata forest, the mangroves and the sea.

Furnished with one double bed, and three single beds, the Gondwana bungalow can accommodate up to 5 guests.

The Fair View (Loft) bungalow offers views over the mangroves and the sea below, built and furnished from repurposed materials found in the local area, such as driftwood banisters and locally sourced stone, the Fair View bungalow offers rustic luxury at its finest.

The bungalow is complete with a covered terrace which offers panoramic views over the stunning surroundings and is furnished with loungers, perfect for enjoying a drink from the minibar and watching the sun set over the sea and mangroves.

The Fair View bungalow is furnished with a double and single bed with mosquito nets, a dining table and chairs. The ensuite is built from locally sourced stone tiles and is complete with a shower and sink vanity unit. The bungalow sleeps up to 2 guests.

Built on stilts high above the Famata forest, the Tree Tops bungalow truly lives up to its name. A redwood wrap-around veranda with loungers surrounds the bungalow and offers panoramic unobstructed views over the forest and the sea, and is perfect for stargazing on warm nights.

The bungalow is built from and furnished with items made from repurposed materials such as driftwood and locally sourced stone tiles, the beds are dressed in white linens which contrast with the red-toned wood floors and beams. The space comprises an open plan living space, attic and ensuite.

Perfect for families or larger groups travelling together, the Tree Top bungalow is furnished with one double bed, one single bed and two extra mattresses in the attic for children, each one complete with mosquito nets. The Tree Top bungalow can sleep up to 3 adults and 2 children.

Situated at the edge of the Namakia lagoon, these spacious bungalows are complete with a terrace from which guests can enjoy the lush aquatic greenery, as well as the kingfishers, mudskippers and crabs who call the lagoon home.

The open-plan main area opens out through sliding glass doors onto a paved terrace, with cosy cocoon chairs, which helps facilitate the indoor-outdoor living in this taste of comfortable luxury. The bungalow comprises a double and single bed, an ensuite with a lavabo-style sink and a spacious shower. The Eau-Là-Là bungalow can accommodate up to 3 guests.

The Hemingway bungalow is incredibly architecturally interesting; with an open upper floor bedroom, with a double bed, that opens out onto a triangular terrace that offers unbroken views over the surrounding Famata forest and the sea.

The ground floor houses an open plan bedroom with a double bed and living area that opens out onto the front-facing veranda. The bathroom is also on the ground floor and features a spacious shower and hand-carved curving dark wood sink unit that fits the curvature of the building.

The Hemingway bungalow can accommodate up to 2 guests.

Located close to the swimming pool and surrounded by the Famata forest, the Bush Home bungalows are furnished with a double bed and mosquito net, and a comfortable lounge area. The lounge opens out onto the wooden veranda, where guests can watch the wildlife from loungers, or enjoy a drink from the minibar.

The double bed is dressed in white linens which contrast the hardwood flooring and furnishings creating a cosy and welcoming space for weary travellers who have spent their days exploring the local area. The lounge area comprises wicker chairs with white soft furnishings and a table with a feature table cloth in vibrant prints. The rustic-style bathroom features a spacious shower and double lavabo-style sink unit.

The Bush Home bungalows are perfect for couples or solo travellers and can accommodate up to 2 guests.

The Trano Vezo bungalows are perfect for travellers on a budget, the cosy woven wicker thatched bungalows comprise a double and single bed, and ensuite with shower and lavabo-style sink unit. The spacious veranda has wicker furniture, perfect for enjoying warmer evenings and watching the local wildlife.

The Trano Vezo bungalows can accommodate up to two guests.

The restaurant at Famata Lodge offers a variety of Swiss and Malagasy specialities, all created from locally sourced ingredients and prepared lovingly on site. The restaurant offers beautiful views over the sea and the lagoon and makes for a beautiful romantic evening with a loved one.

Peter, one of the owners, and Skipper Zidane help supply the kitchen with fresh fish alongside local fishermen who trade their wares just up the beach from Famata Lodge. Julia, the other owner, grows the majority of the fruit and vegetables served by the restaurant in Famata Lodge’s own fields, and the coffee is roasted over an open flame and freshly ground on-site.

Start the morning with fresh bread, straight from the wood-burning stove, and homemade jams made from seasonal and locally grown fruits.

The Sarodrano Peninsula is a desert-like habitat with migrating sand dunes and a diversity of flora including thorn bush forests, the native didiereaceae (a type of flowering succulent) and a variety of marine life. The boat trip to the peninsula takes around an hour and the trip includes a picnic and a trip to the idyllic Vezo fishing village.

A trimaran takes intrepid explorers on a trip to Nosy Ve Nature Reserve, the trip is ideal for birdwatchers as many flamingos and Humblot’s herons nest on the cliffs of St. Augustin and on the island of Nosy Ve. A picnic lunch is provided on the island, and then guests head back to Famata Lodge. From July to October, humpback whales and dolphins migrate to the warm waters of Madagascar, which makes those months a great time to go explore the marine life of Madagascar.

The Lodge’s trimaran takes visitors to the mangrove forest, an incredibly unique ecosystem, in the bay of St. Augustin. Only a few plants can survive in the harsh seawater environment, and the endangered mangrove forest plays host to an incredible diversity of marine life and serves as protection from erosion for coastal regions.

The majority of staff at Famata Lodge are hired from the local community and trained in the hospitality trade, and when they’re hired they are offered shares in the Lodge. This means that staff turnover is incredibly low as staff can become shareholders in the company.

Famata Lodge was constructed entirely using recycled materials, driftwood found on the shore was repurposed as bannisters, and the wood used throughout was sourced only from dead trees. No trees were felled to make space for the lodge and bungalows. Instead, they were transplanted to other parts of the acreage where they have been allowed to flourish.

All electricity used in Famata Lodge is generated onsite using solar power which also supplies energy to the solar-powered water heaters which provide hot water to the bungalows and communal areas.

All ingredients used in Famata Lodge’s restaurant kitchen are either grown on-site or locally sourced. Fish and seafood are caught either by the owner and one of the skippers, or traded for with local fishermen just up the beach from Famata Lodge. Every culinary element is homemade, the bread is baked fresh each morning in a wood fire stove, and all the jams are prepared by Julia (the owner) with help from the kitchen staff.