Nosy Lonjo, also known as the “Sugarloaf of Diégo-Suarez,” is located at the extreme north of Madagascar, at the heart of the stunning Diégo-Suarez Bay. A true natural treasure, this small volcanic island is an incredible haven for wildlife, with its mangroves, baobabs, and diverse fauna, including colonies of fruit bats. However, beyond its ecological richness, Nosy Lonjo is also a sacred site, home to the tombs of the ancient Sakalava rulers. Its name echoes that of the famous Sugarloaf in Rio de Janeiro, and it proudly stands in the second largest bay in the world, after Rio’s.
The wooded and uninhabited island, rising 122 metres above sea level, is a sacred place where sacrifices and rituals take place, such as fijoroana, an invocation of ancestors to request special favours, such as the purification of those possessed by the Tromba spirits. However, this ceremony generally takes place on the bay’s shoreline rather than on the island itself, preserving its untouched and mysterious appearance.
