Oronjia - Three bays

Le Paysage Harmonieux Protégé d’Oronjia officially created in 2015 is noteworthy for the succession of bays along the eastern coastline of the peninsula of Oronjia, eastwards of the town of Antsiranana. The most famous of all bays and indentions along the northeast coast of the peninsula, from South to North, are bay des Sakalava, bay des pigeons and bay des Dunes, open to the Indian Ocean while the western coast of the peninsula borders the bay of Andovobazaha. The site is accessible by the road connecting Antsiranana to the beach resort and fishermen village of Ramena which flanks the bay of Andovobazaha to the kilometre marker 14.5, then turns eastwards to the former barracks of Ankorihika and proceed on dirt tracks open in the bush of succulent and baobab trees of which the species Adansonia madagascariensis leading to the bay of Sakalava some 4.3 km from the coastal main road. Likewise la mer d’émeraude, the bay of Sakalava is one of the best spot for windsurfing and kite-surfing and makes the fame of Madagascar worldwide. White sand beaches and turquoise water will enchant excursionists exploring the site off-road driving for 9.5 km in a vegetation of dry thicket on exposed limestone and sand, dry deciduous forest tall of about 8 m with some emergent notably flame trees coloring the crown of the forest in time of bloom and baobabs and vegetation of dwarf xerophytic thickets, open forest of Casuarina equisetifolia along the coast and on the littoral dunes.

In terms of wildlife, le Paysage Harmonieux Protégé d’Oronjia is rich in birds associating aquatic, marine and forest dwelling species. The limestone is know residence for reptiles and skinks and turtles are encountered diving particularly at bay des Dunes.

The light house and the ruins of a bunker and battery dating back to the settlement of the French army in Diego Suarez in 1885 and thereafter at Cape Andranomody and along the Northeast coast of the peninsula of Oronjia or orangea are evidence of its strategic importance in the protection of the harbour of Antsiranana by an enemy invasion. The track then crosses the former French and then Malagasy marine base mostly falling into ruin before heading to Ramena and back to Antsiranana.