Voaara Madagascar in Île Sainte-Marie, Madagascar

I’d just been scooped up from the airstrip of Île Sainte-Marie, Madagascar, when a pirate ship halted traffic. It would have been faster to take a boat along the coast and arrive at Voaara Madagascar. Still, I was hoping to get a glimpse of local life before hunkering down on the island’s remote northern shore—but nothing could have prepared me for the spectacle on the streets of Ambodifotatra. Dozens eye-patched locals with skull and crossbone flags marched past our Jeep, as galleon shaped floats were followed. Le Festival des Pirates We drove straight to the center of the celebrations, which are an annual celebration of Sainte Marie’s swashbuckling history.

As we drove past the cemetery, where Captain Kidd was buried, my driver explained that Sainte-Marie had been a favorite base of pirates in the 17th-18th centuries. Since the opening of Voaara in 2024, the island has quietly forged a new identity for travelers looking for the next Seychelles and Mauritius. As we drove northward, we left behind bars and restaurants to drive through sleepy villages. The road twisted northward, and we drove through sleepy villages, palm trees, and ylangylang.

Philippe Kjellgren is the founder and owner of Voaara. He welcomed me by handing me a coconut that had just been sucked and told me to remove my shoes. “This is barefooted luxury,” he said.

Kjellgren took me along a sandy pathway to my bungalow room just steps from the sea. He encouraged me to go for a swim in the sea as the sun began to set. As I floated in the calm, warm waters, I saw a single fisherman carrying his catch to the shore.

Franco’s is Voaara beach bar. After a shower in the outdoor, I followed twinkling lights, soft music and a soft beat to the beach. Named after the resident barman, Franco mixed up his signature piña colada for me, made with fresh pineapple juice, coconut milk, and local rum. Dinner was a private affair with toes in the sand and stars. Ceviche, gazpacho topped with Iberico Ham, fried risotto, and cauliflower topped with mojo verde were all on the menu.

The resort fronts a picturesque curve of pearly white sand, but you can continue in either direction along the jungle-hugged shores for more than an hour—the property encompasses around 100 acres of land. Voaara was a great place to start my day. I would go for a morning walk in the early hours of the morning so that I could see the first rays of the sun, followed by a paddleboard ride while the water was still clear enough to see colorful coral, fish and turtles.

Kjellegren is a cofounder and former CEO of Kiwi Collection, an online platform for booking luxury hotels. He drew inspiration from the 2,000 hotels that he has visited in his career to create Voaara’s whimsical experiences. He said, “It is not for everyone.”

I know it was for me. Here’s what it feels like to stay in Voaara.

The Rooms

Voaara is a resort that takes the term “barefoot” to its essence. This is the ultimate Robinson Crusoe retreat. The villa has three bedrooms and seven bungalows. The tropical environment is perfectly complemented by natural materials such as concrete floors, thatched roofing, and driftwood beams from nearby beaches. Interiors feature custom-made wooden furniture from local artisans and funky raffia lamps. All accommodations offer sun beds at the beach. Room service is available so you can have breakfast in your patio or beach.

The amenities include Marshall Bluetooth Speakers, Nespresso Coffee Machines, Pierrot Men prints, Dyson Supersonic dryers, (though I chose to let the ocean air dry my hair). You can also purchase the beach bags and hats found in each bungalow from the gift shop. The bathrooms have double granite sinks, rainfall showers, and are open to nature. Some even feature soaking tubs shaded with lush foliage.

Choose a villa or a bungalow with two bedrooms if you are traveling with kids. They will have more space. You’ll fall asleep to the sound of the waves lapping on the beach and palm fronds rustling.

Food and Drink

Voaara, despite being a very intimate hotel, offers a wide range of choices when it comes down to dining. The hotel’s food and beverage program was designed by Spanish chef Aleixandre Sarrion, and Malagasy Chef Jean Notia Vincent executed the menus perfectly. Fresh, flavorful food is exactly what you’d want to eat on the beach.

Dine under the thatched rooftop of Le Plage, Sarrion’s signature restaurant. Or, dine on the patio, with your feet in the sand. The all-day meal combines Mediterranean and Asian flavors with Malagasy products (think giant trevally with XO Sauce). Le Grill, a reservation only restaurant, has a small number of tables along the beach. asado Fresh-caught fish is served over coconut husks, with fresh vegetables from the garden. Don’t skip the lobster.

As the sun starts to set, guests gather at Franco’s—his piña colada is legendary. You can also order wood-fired, oven-fired, pizzas from the outdoor cinema. In addition to its main dining areas, the hotel hosts sushi dinners in the Bird’s Nest. You can also order food to be delivered straight to your bungalow or have the staff arrange a beachfront meal with a firepit.

Activities and Amenities

Voaara may look like a place where you can fly and flop, but don’t let that fool you. The resort does encourage guests to explore the area, even though one could spend the day in the shade of the palm trees.

Layne, a resident marine biologist, is a free diver and can take you on snorkeling, deep sea fishing, spearfishing and even a whale watching excursion between June and September. Layne and I spearfished one day, and caught a huge mackerel, which we later used for a sashimi meal. Willow Hardy, a prosurfer on staff, can teach you how to foil or surf. If you are more experienced, she will take you to “secret” breaks that are a 45 minute boat ride away.

Voaara also offers hikes and quad bike trips for those who would rather stay on land. They can also take a day trip to Kong Island to see lemurs. The days are often ended with massages at the oceanfront Spa Cabins, or indulging in any of Voaara’s dining venues.

The Spa

Two open-fronted thatched cabins with an Indonesian influence are currently used as temporary treatment rooms. Instead of a lengthy menu, guests can choose between a Swedish massage or a relaxing massage using Anoka Botanic oil made in Sainte-Marie. The massage therapists applied the perfect amount of pressure to my muscles during my treatment. There are plans to build a large spa complex with a gym, sauna, steam room and lap pool. There will eventually be a mobile “spa safari” that will offer treatments all over the property.

Family Friendly Offerings

Voaara may seem to be a retreat reserved for romantic couples. Kids are welcome and the offerings are family friendly. Families will enjoy paddleboard and kayak outings as well as volleyball matches in the sand and pizza and movie night at the outdoor theatre. The ocean is calm and safe to swim in and snorkel. By 2025, there are plans to build a Kids Club on site.

Accessibility and sustainability

The accommodations at Voaara, although they are on the ground floor, do not offer any accessible features or comply with ADA standards. The soft, sandy paths connecting the property can be difficult for guests with mobility issues.

Kjellgren considered the impact of Voaara on community and environment when building it. The property was built using local materials and solar power. Driftwood, for example, came from beaches nearby. The restaurants are supplied with ingredients from a small kitchen garden, a large nursery and local fishermen.

Location

Madagascar is more accessible than one would imagine. Direct flights from Antananarivo to Paris, Dubai and Istanbul as well as Johannesburg are available via Ivato International Airport.

Île Sainte-Marie is a one-hour flight from Antananarivo. You could take a Madagascar Airlines flight or you could splurge on one of Voaara’s charters, which runs three times per week. You’ll have to drive 90 minutes or take an hour-long journey by boat to get to Voaara after arriving in Sainte-Marie. To get the best of both worlds I recommend arriving by car to see the village and returning by boat.

You don’t require a vehicle once you arrive on the premises. Voaara staff can arrange Jeeps and drivers for you to explore the rest of island.

What to Expect from Your Stay

Voaara Madagascar does not participate in any loyalty programs for hotels or credit cards that offer luxury travel.