Miavana by Time + Tide: Barefoot Luxury Off the Grid in Madagascar

Some places are so extraordinary that you have to remind yourself they’re real. Miavana by Time + Tide is one of them.

Imagine arriving by helicopter on a remote island off the coast of Madagascar, where powdery white beaches meet impossibly turquoise water, a spectacular private villa and butler await, and your biggest decision each evening is whether to sip sundown drinks on the beach or beside your own pool. Pinch me, please.

If you’ve already experienced an African safari and are wondering what could possibly come next, Madagascar is a top choice … more specifically, Miavana by Time + Tide, a private-island resort beyond the traditional safari circuit. Located on Nosy Ankao, an island in a remote archipelago off Madagascar’s northeastern coast, Miavana is accessible only by helicopter.

We arranged our stay through Ciao Bambino and its partner Exeter Safari Company, which coordinated the journey plus an overnight stop in Johannesburg, helicopter transfers and excursions. For a destination this remote, having experienced travel specialists handle the logistics made an enormous difference, letting us focus on the adventure rather than the planning.

Miavana By Time + Tide Full Review and Highlights

Barefoot Luxury: No Fuss, No Formality

Miavana offers a rare luxury for our busy lives: genuine peace and quiet. There are no neighboring resorts, traffic or crowds. No city lights competing with the constellations, and no noise beyond the wind, waves and occasional birdsong.

What it does have is spectacular beachfront villas, personal butlers, two helicopters and enough adventures on land and sea to keep even the most energetic family entertained. It’s a private-island playground with 5-star service and the blissful feeling of having the place almost entirely to yourself.

The luxury here is considerable, but it isn’t formal or fussy. Guests wander barefoot or ride bikes to lunch and dinner; children can spend their days outdoors on the beach; and every itinerary is tailored to individual interests. I see Miavana as a place especially appealing for friend groups and multigen families with older children who love watersports and adventure, don’t mind being active all day and don’t want to compromise on comfort.

Having stayed in some remarkable hotels over the years, I can say Miavana is in a category of its own.

The Villas: Private Beachfront Homes

Calling Miavana’s villas “hotel accommodations” doesn’t do them justice. They’re more like beautifully designed private homes, with enormous living spaces, soaring ceilings and generous bedrooms. Thirteen beachfront villas come in one-, two- and three-bedroom configurations, making them well suited to couples, families and multigenerational groups. The interiors are coastal and sophisticated without being precious, with soft blues and creams, natural materials and plenty of space to sit and gather or be by yourself. Each villa has a private pool and direct beach access, making it a little too easy to spend an entire afternoon “at home.”

We’ll book your stay at Miavana Time + Tide with VIP treatment from start to finish.

Every stay should feel special, and we’ll pair you with an expert Travel Advisor who can pass along insider perks such as complimentary breakfast, room upgrades and more, all while handling every detail behind the scenes.

Get Started

But the showstopper is the wall of glass doors that slides away almost like a magic trick, leaving nothing between the villa and the beach but a private pool deck and a short stretch of sand. Each morning, our personal butler arrived with breakfast and opened the doors so we could linger over coffee in our robes, watching birds visit the garden and dunk their heads in the pool. When we returned to our villa each evening, it was prepared for a restful night’s sleep, with the doors closed, mosquito nets down and air conditioning on.

Each villa also comes with an electric buggy for zipping around the property, as well as bicycles for anyone who prefers a little exercise between meals.

Excursions: Helicopters, Lemurs and Madagascar Beyond the Beach

Miavana’s accommodations are only part of its appeal. The resort’s two helicopters open up Madagascar’s mainland, making otherwise difficult-to-reach forests, wildlife habitats and landscapes accessible on guided excursions. The old saying that the journey is as memorable as the destination holds true here: From the helicopter, we were rewarded with spectacular aerial views of baobab forests, thatched villages, wandering zebu herds and miles of seemingly untouched landscape and coastline.

Once on the ground, the main attraction, of course, was the lemurs. Madagascar’s geographic isolation, roughly 250 miles (400 kilometers) off the southeastern coast of mainland Africa, has produced an astonishing variety of plants and animals found nowhere else on earth. Lemurs are among its most recognizable residents, and watching them watch you in their natural habitat is a must-do for any wildlife lover.

Miavana offers guided excursions into mainland forests and parks to spot different lemur species, including some that are critically endangered. Along the way, guides introduce visitors to the country’s unusual flora and fauna, from chameleons to towering baobabs. It’s especially rewarding for children old enough to enjoy a reasonably long walk through wooded areas and appreciate wildlife encounters. After each trek, we enjoyed cold drinks and bites the resort prepared.

For anyone accustomed to a traditional African safari, Miavana by Time + Tide is a compelling next big trip or add-on. While there are no lions, elephants or other big game to spot, this safari is about discovering species and ecosystems that exist nowhere else — and getting there by soaring through the sky.

On-Property Activities: Plenty to Do, No Crowds to Navigate

On days when we weren’t flying off to see lemurs, the island offered plenty of other adventures. The resort’s Activities Centre can organize an impressive range of experiences on land and sea, and because the property accommodates relatively few guests, excursions feel intimate rather than crowded. I particularly enjoyed exploring the island by ATV, riding along sandy tracks through vegetation, stopping for a beer in a local village and then heading to an old lighthouse with sweeping views of the surrounding archipelago.

On the water, there’s snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, paddleboarding, wakeboarding, water skiing and tubing. The Indian Ocean’s clear water made it difficult to resist taking a dip. Fishing enthusiasts have plenty of options, including half-day fishing excursions and full-day deep-sea fishing trips, and we also enjoyed a dugout canoe tour of the mangroves in a nearby village.

Families can mix high-energy adventures with quieter pursuits. Children can participate in treasure hunts, beach games, crafts, cooking activities and guided nature experiences. The onsite museum introduces visitors to Madagascar’s fascinating wildlife, including species that inhabit the island today and others that have long since disappeared. And there’s always the gym with Indian Ocean views to motivate a morning workout. Spa treatments can also be arranged, often in the privacy of your own villa, and they are worth every extra penny.

Best of all, there’s absolutely no requirement to fill every hour. I spent long stretches reading by the pool, biking along the resort’s paths and enjoying the untethered feeling of having nowhere else to be.

Restaurants and Dining: A Remarkable Menu for a Remote Island

Considering how far Miavana is from the mainland, the food is nothing short of remarkable. Fresh fish, lobsters the size of my forearm, beautifully prepared steaks, burgers, crisp salads and biltong (southern Africa’s version of beef jerky) were among the many things I enjoyed during my stay.

There are several dining settings, each with its own atmosphere. The Piazza Restaurant and Lounge serves as the resort’s main gathering place, with ocean views and elegant but relaxed surroundings. Silvio’s offers a more casual toes-in-the-sand experience, while the beachside Crab Shack puts fresh seafood front and center.

Dining isn’t restricted to restaurant tables, either. Meals can be arranged in the villas or other private settings around the island. I took full advantage of in-villa breakfasts, which arrived with generous platters of fresh tropical fruit, homemade vanilla yogurt and a variety of made-to-order hot dishes, such as breakfast burritos and omelets. We even gathered our group in one villa for a pizza and movie night. What did we watch? Madagascar, of course.

The drinks are equally impressive. Villas feature generously stocked bars with fresh-squeezed juice, filtered water and Champagne. The resort’s dining program also includes a wide selection of wines.

Families will appreciate the flexibility. Meals can be tailored to preferences, and there’s no need to organize the entire day around rigid restaurant schedules. Eat when you’re hungry or snack all day — the choice is yours.

Personal Service: The Luxury of Having Everything Taken Care Of

Miavana’s service deserves a section of its own because it distinguishes the property from a typical 5-star city hotel experience. Each villa has a personal butler who helps arrange activities, spa appointments, meals and just about anything else you might need.

Laundry is included with the stay, which may not sound glamorous until you come home from a lemur hike covered in red dust. Clothes disappear from the hamper and return freshly washed and neatly folded in a wicker basket.

What impressed me most, however, was how warm and intuitive the hospitality felt. The staff aims to please, and they certainly deliver. They quickly learned our names and preferences, connected with us on WhatsApp so we could reach out with any requests, and anticipated needs without making the experience feel overly choreographed. There was always someone available to help, but never a sense of being watched over.

One of my favorite memories was seeing the staff wave as our helicopter lifted off for an excursion, then welcome us back with smiles and cool lemongrass-scented towels when we returned. It’s a small detail, but let’s just say we’re still talking about it.

Is Miavana Right for Families?

Miavana isn’t your conventional family beach vacation, and that’s precisely its appeal. There’s no sugarcoating it: Miavana is a long way from just about everywhere. For us, getting here required nearly a year of advance planning, international flights, an overnight in South Africa and helicopter transfers. Once on the island, guests are far removed from shops, towns and tourist infrastructure. It’s important to arrive understanding that the remoteness is part of the experience, not an inconvenience to be solved.

For families who enjoy wildlife, outdoor adventure and time together, the rewards are considerable. Spacious villas provide privacy and comfort, while resort activities can be adapted for different ages. I think Miavana is particularly well suited to groups of friends spanning generations, like mine, and families looking for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. When some travelers want a full schedule of excursions and others are happy to spend their days reading beside a pool, Miavana delivers both.

The resort is undeniably expensive. But between the remote location, helicopter adventures, exceptional villas, inclusive dining and drinks and genuinely attentive service, there’s a lot here that ordinary luxury resorts simply can’t replicate.

I arrived expecting an exceptional island retreat. I left with my expectations thoroughly exceeded, thinking about the lemurs, morning coffee with the birds, smiling staff and a little wicker basket of freshly laundered clothes.

That last detail may not sound like the stuff of travel dreams, but trust me — it belongs on the list.

Relevant Links:

Browse all destinations and itinerary ideas in Africa on Ciao Bambino

Get our favorite ideas for nature and wildlife trips

Essential tips for taking an African safari with kids

Where to go on a South Africa family vacation

Into the wild: Why a Zambia safari brings the wow factor

Why Mauritius is made for kids

Photos by Amie O’Shaughnessy except where noted.

Editor’s note: This post was accurate when published. We advise checking independently for the latest information and updates. Ciao Bambino does not accept responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in, or for any actions taken based on, the information presented.