NOSY LONJO(PAIN DE SUCRE/SUGAR LOAF) IN DIEGO

Nosy-Lonjo(called Sugar loaf in English) is one of the historical places of Antsiranana. It was not so famous like the other places and had less visitors, yet; owing to its location it becomes now very well-known. In fact, there are some interesting thing that worth discovering in it.

Nosy Lonjo  is situated in the bay of Andovobazaha or French bay ;which  is the most southern part of the bay of Diego-Suarez; popularly known as the second best bay of the world after The one of “Rio de Janeiro”. Or by following the map, it is located in Diego's exit on the Ramena road. It is a rocky islet of volcanic origin.

It is specific because of the traditional formalities that hold there in regular time. That ritual custom is called “The fijoroana”. It consists  on doing offertories to the ancestor and god, then praying them to bless and to give people doing it  something  that they wish to have. In other words  it is a place where people worship and make a vow to god(including ancestor). And then, when their vow get realized, they come back there and thank them, this must be followed by more offertories according to the pledge and often accompanied with traditional party. That second part is commonly called “Tsakafara”. Apart from that, there are people who come there only for swim and worshiping in order to get luck in their life or work. We called it : ”Fisehana”. Though, despite their difference, all of those rituals are done in the early morning. Indeed, Nosy-Lonjo is considered to be a sacred place so  completely forbidden by access; except people who endows supernatural spirit(“tromba” in Malagasy) and King’s descendant.

That situation is due to the legend that settled there longtime ago. It is said that there was a man named “Lonjo”. He was among  the race of people endowed a supernatural power in “Ambavan’Iharana Vohemar”,and in “Matatagna”(a place in region of Antemoro tribe). In other hand, the islet was before matched with Nosy-Be, but when his death came closer, it broke with its main part and moved here in Diego. So, Lonjo asked people to bury him there when he would get died. Though, people buried him under the ground like all human, consequently, the coffin where he was laid stood up and went to the islet. Then, it is said that before when people went  to that islet his coffin appeared again above the sea that was to say that we should asked his permission before getting there. That’s why it is called “Nosy-Lonjo”.

In addition, Nosy Lonjo area is one of the place that still shelter its mangrove swamp. Numerous scientist project come there to study and to supervise it because the ecosystem is being destroyed...

In sum, Nosy Lonjo is an interesting place but we notice that it has never been promoted as a tourist site. It might be because of the custom reason but here are other reasons: the urban organization is not fit to the tourist activity. It is now surrounded by lots of houses. Also, the kind of beach there is not so suit for leisure or touristic purpose like in Ramena. However, Nosy Lonjo is a worth visiting place and sounds great to you. You can rent a boat in Diego or in Ramena for discovering it.