Lighthouses of Northern Madagascar

The Republic of Madagascar (Madagasikara in Malagasy) occupies the world's fourth-largest island, lying parallel to the the southeastern coast of Africa. By the early 1800s the island was united by the Merina Kingdom. Beginning in 1883 France invaded the country and by 1897 it had become a French colony. Madagascar recovered its independence in 1960. Separated from any other continent for about 90 million years the mini-continent of Madagascar is famous for its unusual plants and wildlife.

The lighthouses of Madagascar, a heritage from France, deserve more attention than they have received in the past. The lack of photos is disappointing since many of the lighthouses are accessible near coastal towns. It appears that some of the historic coastal lights have been abandoned although harbor lights are being maintained.

Malagasy and French are official languages in Madagascar. French place names in Madagascar have been replaced officially by names in Malagasy but the traditional French names also remain in common use.

Until 2009 Madagascar was divided into six provinces; now it is divided into 22 regions (faritra). This page includes lighthouses of the former provinces of Mahajanga and Antsiranana, located respectively on the northwest coast and at the north end of the island. There is a separate page covering the rest of the country.

The common Malagasy word for lighthouse, fara, is adapted from the French word phare. In Malagasy nosy is an island, tanjona is a cape, ranomasina is a bay or sea, renirano is a river, and seranana is a harbor.

Lighthouses in Madagascar are operated by the national port authority, the Agence Portuaire, Maritime et Fluviale (APMF) .

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume D of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 112.

General Sources
Phares d'Afrique
Photos posted by Alain Guyomard and Robert Carceller on their Phares du Monde web site.
Online List of Lights - Madagascar
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas.
World of Lighthouses - Madagascar
Photos by various photographers available from Lightphotos.net.
Lighthouses in Madagascar
Photos by various photographers available from Wikimedia.
Afrikanische Leuchttürme auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard views posted by Klaus Huelse.
Navionics Charts
Navigation chart for Madagascar.

Cap d'Ambre Light, Antsiranana, March 2020
Google Maps photo by Duna Lau

Melaky Region Lighthouses

The Melaky Region occupies the pronounced bulge of Madagascar's central west coast. Sparsely settled, it has the lowest population of any region, a little over 300,000.

Maintirano District Lighthouse
Maintirano (2?)
Date unknown (station established 1945). Active; focal plane 29 m (95 ft); continuous white light. 12 m (39 ft) white octagonal tower. Houssen Richad has a 2022 photo and Google has a satellite view. The original light had a focal plane of 32 m (105 ft). Located in the regional capital of Maintirano, a town of about 25,000 residents near the center of the "bulge" of Madagascar's central west coast. Site status unknown. ARLHS MAG-011; Admiralty D7032; NGA 32620.

Besalampy District Lighthouse
Tanjona Vilanandro (Cap Saint-André) (2)
2007 (station establishment date unknown). Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 24 m (79 ft) "metal pylon," according to NGA, but Google's satellite view of the station appears to show a square skeletal tower. Several coast guard station buildings. No photo available. The new light replaces a 15 m (49 ft) pylon. Cap Saint-André is a major cape on the northwest coast of Madagascar, about 200 km (125 mi) west southwest of Mahajanga. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty D7033.7; NGA 32628.

Boeny Region Lighthouses

Mitsinjo District Lighthouse
* Katsepy (Katsépé)
1901. Active; focal plane 121 m (397 ft); white flash every 5 s. 36 m (118 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and three galleries. Tower painted white; lantern, upper two galleries and watch room painted black. Several coast guard station buildings. Xavier Lumen's 2022 photo is at right, Guyomard and Carceller have Luc Schaepelynck's photo, a 2016 photo shows the lighthouse freshly painted, Wikimedia has a 2009 photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This historic tower, prefabricated in France, stands atop a high cliff, providing what one tourist site calls a vue panoramique inégalable. Located at the western entrance to the Baie de Bombetoka, the best harbor of Madagascar's west coast, about 7 km (4.5 mi) north of Katsepy. Katsepy is connected by ferry to the provincial capital, Mahajanga (Majunga). Inquire locally about access; the photographer hiked three hours to reach the site. Site open, tower reported open for climbing. . ARLHS MAG-016; Admiralty D7034; NGA 32640.
Mahajanga Range Front (Île Verte, Nosy Beza)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off, intensified on the range line. 18 m (59 ft) skeletal tower, painted white with a black top. No photo available and the tower is difficult to see in Google's satellite view of the station. This is the entrance range for Mahajanga. Located on Nosy Beza, a small island about 4 km (2.5 mi) southeast of Pointe de Sable, Mahajanga. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty D7035; NGA 32660.
Mahajanga Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 58 m (190 ft), white light, intensified on the range line, occulting once every 6 s. 19 m (62 ft) round white tower. No photo available but Google has a good satellite view. Located on the mainland 5.4 km (3.4 mi) southeast of the front light. Site status unknown. Admiralty D7035.1; NGA 32664.

Katsepy Light, Mahajanga, October 2022
Google Maps photo by Xavier Lumen

Mahajanga City District Lighthouses
Mahajanga is a city of about 225,000 residents on the northwest coast of Madagascar. It is a major seaport and also a popular beach resort. The city was called Majunga under French administration.
 
* Pointe de Sable
1900. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); three white flashes, in a 2+1 pattern, every 12 s. 9 m (30 ft) round cast iron tower with tapered base, eight ribs, lantern, and gallery. Tower painted white, formerly with black horizontal bands; lantern roof is black. The harbor control office is adjacent to the lighthouse. Wojciech Turżański has a 2019 photo (also seen at right), Martin Kadlec has a 2022 photo, a closeup is available, Klaus Huelse has another historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This is a typical French prefabricated tourelle. It has been repainted recently and seems to be in good condition. The lighthouse is on the campus of the École National d'Enseignement Maritime, the national merchant marine and fisheries institute. Located on the west side of the older Mahajanga harbor, marking the entrance from the Baie de Bombetoka; a map is available. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: École National d'Enseignement Maritime. ARLHS MAG-034; Admiralty D7037; NGA 32644.
* Pointe Anorombato (Pointe du Caïman) (2)
1900. Active; focal plane 42 m (137 ft); white, red, or green light depending on direction, occulting three times every 12 s. 9 m (30 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted white with one black horizontal band, lantern black. The nearby Hôtel de Phare (Lighthouse Hotel) has a photo, a commercial photo is available, the light is atop the hill on the right in a view from the sea by Mijoro Ranaivo Raminosoa, and Google has a satellite view. This is the leading light for vessels approaching Mahajanga. The original light had a focal plane of only 11 m (36 ft). Located on a hilltop on the northwest side of Mahajanga (Majunga). Site open, tower closed. ARLHS MAG-021; Admiralty D7036; NGA 32652.
* Jetée Schneider
Date unknown. Active (?); focal plane 9 m (30 ft); red light occulting twice every 8 s. 5 m (16 ft) octagonal cylindrical stone tower. The light looks abandoned in Titi Dubost's 2010 view from the harbor. A very distant view is also available and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located at the end of a curved jetty north of the Pointe du Caïman. Probably accessible by walking the jetty. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty D7041; NGA 32648.

Pointe de Sable Light, Mahajanga, September 2019
Google Maps photo by Wojciech Turżański

Sofia Region Lighthouses

Analalava District Lighthouses
* Analalava
1910. Active (?); focal plane 62 m (203 ft); white, red, or green light depending on direction, occulting twice every 6 s. 9 m (30 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted white, lantern black. Justin Lau has a 2006 closeup photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Located on heights above Analalava, a town of about 10,000 residents about 150 km (80 km) north of Mahajanga. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS MAG-020; Admiralty D7048; NGA 32672.
** Nosy Lava
1910. Inactive, although still listed with focal plane 122 m (400 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 15 m (49 ft) round cast iron tower gallery; the lantern has been removed or has fallen from the tower. Originally painted with black and white horizontal bands, but now covered mostly with rust. Keeper's house in ruins. Critically endangered. The lighthouse appears to be in terrible condition in a 2012 photo and in Frédéric Bastat's 2006 photo. Google has a satellite view. Nosy Lava is an island about 15 km (10 mi) off the coast and about 25 km (15 mi) northwest of Analalava. Tours are available from Analalava. Located at the highest point of the island. Site open, tower reported open to tours. ARLHS MAG-014; Admiralty D7052; NGA 32680.

Diana Region Lighthouses

Ambanja District Lighthouses
** Nosy Iranja
1909. Reactivated (inactive 1990s?-2009); focal plane 75 m (246 ft); white flash every 5 s. 20 m (66 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery. Upper 2/5 of the lighthouse painted black, lower 3/5 white. The keeper's house is in use as a school. Serge Latour's photo is at right, Helmut Pilz has a 2023 photo, the Musée National de la Marine has Patrick Young's 2011 photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was formerly in very poor condition; Jonny Stensby has a 2007 photo, Lightphotos.net has another 2007 photo, and a December 2005 visitor has a photo and reported that the stairway and platform were becoming hazardous. In 2009 the old lighthouse was restored, repainted and reactivated. The lighthouse was prefabricated in France by the firm of Gustave Eiffel. Nosy Iranja is a resort island located off the Ampasindava Peninsula about 55 km (35 mi) north of Anorotsanga; the lighthouse is one of the listed attractions of the island. Located at the highest point of the island. Site open, tower open but rather dangerous. ARLHS MAG-013; Admiralty D7056; NGA 32684.
Nosy Iranja Light
Nosy Iranja Light, March 2010
ex-Panoramio photo copyright Serge Latour
permission requested
Nosy Faly
1939. Active (?); focal plane 75 m (246 ft); continuous light, white or red depending on direction. 8 m (26 ft) gray octagonal tower. A photo is available (halfway down the page) and Google has a distant satellite view. Located on a small island about 8 km (5 mi) north of the Ambato Peninsula and 20 km (13 mi) east of Nosy Bé. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS MAG-030; Admiralty D7068; NGA 32716.

Nosy Be District Lighthouse
Nosy Be ("Big Island") is an island about 20 km (13 mi) in diameter about 8 km (5 mi) off the northwestern coast of Madagascar. A very popular tourist area, the island has a population of more than 100,000.
** Tanikely (Nosy Tany Kely) (2)
1908 (station established 1884). Apparently inactive; listed with focal plane 57 m (187 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 10 m (33 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted white with a black horizontal band below the gallery, lantern painted black. Grace Hussey's 2013 photo is at right, Lightphotos.net has a 2007 photo, and Google has a satellite view. A 2006 photo shows the gallery crowded with visitors. This lighthouse has been restored recently and may be back in service but Mattia Gualandris's September 2018 street view from the gallery shows it was not active at that time. Located on a small island about 15 km (9 mi) south of Andoany (Hell-Ville), between Nosy Bé and the mainland. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS MAG-038; Admiralty D7058; NGA 32688.
Nosy Vorona (3)
Date unknown (station established 1884). Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); two flashes every 6 s, white or red depending on direction. 8 m (26 ft) white octagonal concrete (?) tower with gallery but no lantern. Modern keeper's house complex; the keeper rents rooms to tourists. Pēteris Gudrinieks has a 2020 closeup photo, Bénédicte Rousseau has a 2009 photo, Marco Ferro has a nice view from the sea, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a small island halfway between Nosy Bé and Nosy Komba. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS MAG-032; Admiralty D7062; NGA 32692.
Ampasimena (Plateau Cove) Range Front
Date unknown. Inactive at least since 2019. 8 m (26 ft) square pyramidal tower painted white with a black vertical stripe. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. The range guides vessels into the bay on the east side of Andoany (Hell-Ville), on the south side of Nosy Be. Located on the beach on the north side of the bay. Site status unknown. ex-Admiralty D7065; NGA 32708.
Ampasimena (Plateau Cove) Range Rear
Date unknown. Inactive at least since 2019. 6 m (20 ft) square pyramidal tower painted white with a black vertical stripe. No photo available and Google has only a very distant satellite view. Located on the hillside 600 m (3/8 mi) north northeast of the front light. Site status unknown. ex-Admiralty D7065.1; NGA 32712.
* Andoany (Hell-Ville)
Date unknown. Active (?); focal plane about 10 m (33 ft); red light, pattern unknown. Approx. 8 m (26 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, painted white. Another photo is available, Alix Verhaegen has a closeup street view, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. There's no reference here to the underworld: Hell-Ville was named for the French admiral Anne Chrétien Louis de Hell and the French name for Hell is l'Enfer. Located on the end of the main pier of Andoany (Hell-Ville), a town of about 40,000 residents. Site open, tower closed. Not listed by the Admiralty.

Nosy Tanikely Light, April 2013
Flickr Creative Commons photo by Grace Hussey

Antsiranana District and City Lighthouses
Antsiranana (known as Diego-Suarez during the colonial period) has a magnificent natural harbor, but its location in the extreme north of the country limits its usefulness commercially.

Nosy Anambo
1911. Inactive, although still listed with focal plane 42 m (138 ft); white or red light, depending on direction, occulting three times every 12 s. 27 m (89 ft) skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted white, lantern and gallery red. A July 2014 view from the sea shows the lighthouse to be in ruins. Bing has a satellite view. Located on a small island about 40 km (25 mi) northwest of Cap Saint-Sébastien, near the northern tip of Madagascar. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS MAG-028; Admiralty D7070; NGA 32728.
Tanjona Bobaomby (Cap d'Ambre) (3)
2007 (?) (station established 1903). Reactivated (inactive late 1990s-ca. 2007); focal plane 70 m (230 ft); white flash every 5 s. 32 m (105 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Most of the tower is unpainted white concrete; lantern and the top of the tower painted black. Duna Lau's 2020 photo is at the top of this page, Ralph Hoffmann has a 2023 photo, and Google has a good satellite view. This is one of several lighthouses renovated in recent years, according to the Someah consulting firm. Huelse has a historic postcard view of the first lighthouse, a 30.5 m (100 ft) cast iron tower very similar to the Katsepy lighthouse shown above. Guyomard and Carceller have Alphonse Randrianasolo's photo of the second lighthouse. Located at the northern tip of Madagascar. Adventure excursions from Antsiranana (Diego-Suarez) reach the site. Site open if you reach it, tower closed. ARLHS MAG-003; Admiralty D6914; NGA 32328.
Nosy Langoro (Îlot des Aigrettes)
1898. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); white, red, or green light, depending on direction, 3 s on, 1 s off, 1 s on, 1 s off. 8 m (26 ft), lantern mounted atop a small 1-story keeper's house. House is white; lantern painted black. No photo available but Huelse has a historic postcard view and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse is located on a small island in the middle of Antsiranana Bay, a large bay in northeastern Madagascar. Ships make a turn from west to south southwest near the island to approach the port of Antsiranana (formerly called Diego-Suarez), and the light shows white sectors to define both channels. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower probably closed. ARLHS MAG-031; Admiralty D6920; NGA 32332.
Antsiranana Port (Port de la Nièvre) (2)
1960s (station established 1906). Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); white, red, or green light, depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off. 11 m (36 ft) square cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, rising from the front of the 2-story port office. Lighthouse painted white, lantern black. Trabas has Rainer Arndt's photo, a 2019 photo is available, Nikolay Vladimirovich has a drone view, Alix Verhaegen has a 2017 street view, and a Google satellite view is also available. Located on the waterfront in Antsiranana. Site and tower closed. ARLHS MAG-001; Admiralty D6922; NGA 32336.
Cap Andranomody
1960s? Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); continuous red light. 10 m (30 ft) octagonal concrete tower, painted white with red trim at the top. Thomas Liptak's photo is at right, Fredrik Svensson has a photo, Guyomard and Carceller have photos by Frédéric Arsac, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was restored in 2010; it was quite battered in a May 2010 photo but François Dorothé's October 2010 photo shows the results of the restoration. Located on an islet just offshore, about 1.2 km (3/4 mi) west northwest of Cap Miné. Site status unknown. ARLHS MAG-002; Admiralty D6919; NGA 32360.

Cap Andranomody Light, Antsiranana, February 2015
Google Maps photo by Thomas Liptak
* Cap Miné (2)
Date unknown (station established 1895). Active; focal plane 47 m (154 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 14 m (46 ft) octagonal masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white, lantern dome black. Adonis Fabien Tafangy 2023 photo is at right, a 2007 photo and a closeup are available, Thomas Liptak has a 2015 closeup, and Google has a satellite view. Huelse has a historic postcard view of the original lighthouse, a typical French cast iron tourelle mounted on a large square stone base. The present lighthouse was repainted and restored in 2009. Located on the south side of the Passe d'Orangea, the entrance to Antsiranana Bay, about 3 km (2 mi) northeast of Ramena. The nearby beach of Baie des Dunes is accessible by tours from Antsiranana. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS MAG-004; Admiralty D6918; NGA 32356.

Sava Region Lighthouses

Vohémar District Lighthouses
Vohémar is a fishing port with a population of about 15,000.

Nosy Ankao (Nosy Akao)
1939. Reported inactive; focal plane 46 m (151 ft); should display four white flashes every 20 s. 18 m (59 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery. A photo is available and Google has a satellite view. Endangered. Erick Ask visited this site in early 2006 and reported, "The lighthouse is not functioning, windows broken, unpainted, cement chipping away." Located on Nosy Ankao, the largest of the Leven Islands, about 80 km (50 mi) southeast of Cap Miné and about 6 km (4 mi) off the mainland. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS MAG-012; Admiralty D6930; NGA 32364.
Vohémar Range Front (Beacon No. 3)
Date unknown (station established 1919). Active; focal plane 4 m (13 ft); continuous green light. 7 m (23 ft) square white concrete tower. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on a reef on the north side of the entrance to Vohémar. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty D6936; NGA 32368.


Cap Miné Light, Antsiranana, February 2023
Google Maps photo by Adonis Fabien Tafangy
Vohémar Range Rear (Beacon No. 5)
Date unknown (station established 1919). Inactive. 8 m (26 ft) rectangular pyramidal concrete tower with gallery, attached to a 1-story concrete keeper's cottage. Formerly painted white, the lighthouse is abandoned and falling into ruin. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. The harbor of Iharana (Vohémar) is a sound with a narrow entrance from the sea; this lighthouse is on the west side of the sound aligned with the entrance. Located in a forested area about 4 km (2.5 mi) west of Iharana. Site status unknown. ARLHS MAG-044; Admiralty D6936.1; NGA 32372.
Vohémar Beacon No. 4
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); continuous red light. 7 m (23 ft) concrete tower painted red. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on a reef on the south side of the harbor entrance. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS MAG-043; Admiralty D6938; NGA 32376.

Sambava District Lighthouses
Sambava (Beacon C)
Date unknown. Active (?); focal plane 76 m (249 ft); white light occulting three times every 12 s. 10 m (33 ft) white concrete tower. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located on a ridge about 8 km (5 mi) northwest of Sambava. Site status unknown. Admiralty D6942; NGA 32384.

Antalaha District Lighthouses
Antalaha is a district town with a population of about 65,000. It has no natural harbor.
* Antalaha Range Front
1955. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); continuous green light, intensified on the range line. 7 m (23 ft) round concrete tower painted white. A 2007 closeup is available and Google has a satellite view. Located on the beachfront of Antalaha, a short distance north of the harbor. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty D6944; NGA 32400.
Antalaha Range Rear
1955. Active; focal plane 82 m (269 ft); white light occulting twice every 6 s. 8 m (26 ft) round concrete tower, painted "black and white" according to NGA. No photo available but Google has a satellite view that probably shows the light. Located on the crest of a ridge 1 km (0.6 mi) west of the front light. Site status unknown. Admiralty D6944.1; NGA 32404.
Tanjona Antsirikos (Cap Est) (2)
2007 (station established 1906). Active (?); focal plane 70 m (230 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. Approx. 19 m (62 ft) round cylindrical white concrete tower with a flared top. A photo shows the new lighthouse still under construction in November 2006 and Google has a satellite view of the station. A distant photo of the former cast iron lighthouse is also available; it was demolished earlier in 2006. Aptly named, the lighthouse marks the easternmost point of Madagascar. Located about 5 km (3 mi) southeast of Ambohitralanana. Site status unknown. ARLHS MAG-018; Admiralty D6946; NGA 32408.
Tanjona Masoala (Cap Masoala)
1970s? Active(?); focal plane 80 m (252 ft); five white flashes every 20 s. 25 m (82 ft) round unpainted rubblestone tower with lantern and gallery. A photo is at right, Luc Babin has a view from the sea, and Google has a satellite view. The Masoala Peninsula projects southward, sheltering the Bay of Antongil. Most of the peninsula is included in the Parc National de Masoala. The cape itself is not included, but the offshore waters are a marine reserve. Located on the southeastern tip of the peninsula. Site status unknown. ARLHS MAG-019; Admiralty D6948.3; NGA 32412.
Nosy Béhentona
1954. Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); three white flashes, in a 2+1 pattern, every 15 s. 10 m (33 ft) round rubblestone tower with gallery. Tower is unpainted stone with wood trim painted white. No current photo available but the tower peeks through the forest in Google's indistinct satellite view. Located on a small island off Cap Baldrisy (Cap Antsirikira), at the southwestern tip of the Masoala Peninsula, about 8 km (5 mi) west of Cap Masoala. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS MAG-029; Admiralty D6948.5; NGA 32416.

Tanjona Masoala Light, Ambodilaitry, December 2008
ex-Panoramio photo copyright eldaron; used by permission

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: East: Réunion | South: Southern Madagascar | West: Mayotte

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Posted November 14, 2005. Checked and revised December 31, 2023. Lighthouses: 33. Site copyright 2024 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.