Kite Area guide
Babaomby / Emerald Sea, Antsiranana & Northern Madagascar
The Emerald Sea is the reason to travel to Madagascar's northern tip: a vast, protected lagoon in an extraordinary colour.
When to kite
Best months: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November.
About this Kite Area
The Emerald Sea lies in the northern passage of Diego Suarez bay, on the Babaomby peninsula, and covers roughly thirty square kilometres of lagoon held by coral barriers and small islands.
The Varatraza — the south-easterly — blows onshore from about ten in the morning to five in the afternoon, from March to November. It builds through the season: 20 to 30 knots March to May, 30 to 40 June to August, with June to October the peak. Most riders are on 5 to 7 metre kites between May and October, and 7 to 10 metres in April and November.
The lagoon averages around three metres deep over a sandy bottom, with water at 25 to 28°C. Flat water covers most of it, making it suitable at every level, while wave spots near the reefs suit advanced riders.
The setting is genuinely remote — reached past Diego Suarez, with the Red Tsingy, Amber Mountain and Ankarana nearby, and very little infrastructure at the water itself.