Bay of Baly National Park

Bay of Baly National Park in northwestern Madagascar covers 57,142 hectares of dry deciduous forest, mangroves, and coastal marine habitat near the town of Soalala, protecting the world’s only wild population of the Critically Endangered ploughshare tortoise alongside dugongs, five sea turtle species, Decken’s sifaka, mongoose lemur, and 250 bird species of which half are endemic to Madagascar, with park entry fees of approximately 25,000 to 35,000 ariary per person per day and guided excursions arranged through Madagascar National Parks. The park lies approximately 500 kilometres northwest of Antananarivo and is most practically reached by domestic flight to Soalala or by a combination of flight and boat transfer. Established in 1997, Bay of Baly is one of Madagascar’s most biodiverse coastal parks, combining terrestrial and marine habitats across a stretch of northwestern coast where baobab-studded dry forest meets the Mozambique Channel. The dry season from May to November is the recommended visiting period.

The park’s dual terrestrial-marine character sets it apart from Madagascar’s better-known rainforest parks, combining the island’s distinctive dry deciduous forest fauna — lemurs, chameleons, and the endemic tortoises — with the marine biodiversity of a sheltered bay system that supports dugongs, sea turtles, dolphins, and the prolific birdlife of the mangrove and shoreline habitats. The ploughshare tortoise’s status as the world’s most endangered tortoise, with its only wild population inside this park, gives Bay of Baly a conservation significance that extends far beyond its regional importance.

Ploughshare Tortoise: The World’s Rarest

The ploughshare tortoise (Astrochelys yniphora), known in Malagasy as angonoka, is Critically Endangered and has its only known wild population within Bay of Baly National Park, making the park the single most important site for this species’ survival anywhere on earth. The tortoise is named for the gular projection on its plastron that resembles a ploughshare, a feature used by males in combat with rivals. Adult individuals can reach 43 centimetres in length and are recognisable by their high-domed, golden-brown shell. The wild population is estimated at only a few hundred individuals, reduced by decades of illegal collection for the exotic pet trade.

Conservation efforts for the ploughshare tortoise include a captive breeding programme at the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust’s station near Mahajanga, which supplements the wild population through periodic releases. Anti-poaching operations within the park protect the wild individuals from collectors, and the tortoise is among the park’s strictly protected species. Guided walks in the dry forest sections where the ploughshare tortoise forages on fallen fruit and dry vegetation give visitors the possibility of observing this animal in its only natural habitat on earth — a wildlife experience with no parallel anywhere else in Madagascar or beyond.

Dugongs and Marine Wildlife

The sheltered waters of Bay of Baly support a dugong population sustained by the seagrass meadows of the shallow lagoon and bay system. Dugong sightings in the bay are reported by boat operators running marine excursions from Soalala, with the animals surfacing regularly in the calmer morning conditions when seagrass feeding activity is concentrated in the shallower sections of the bay. The Mozambique Channel dugong population is small and the Bay of Baly individuals represent an important component of the regional population. Guided snorkel excursions to the seagrass zones in the bay interior give the closest observation opportunities.

Five sea turtle species use the Bay of Baly coastline for nesting and foraging: green turtle, hawksbill, loggerhead, leatherback, and olive ridley. Green turtles are the most common and are seen regularly in the bay’s shallower waters, with nesting females coming ashore on the park’s beaches during the nesting season. Hawksbill turtles forage on the reef sections where sponges are available. Dolphins use the open bay waters, with spinner dolphin and bottlenose dolphin both recorded in the park’s marine area. Whale shark visits the bay seasonally when plankton concentrations attract this species to the coastal waters.

Lemurs of the Dry Forest

Decken’s sifaka is the most distinctive lemur of Bay of Baly’s dry deciduous forest, with its white body, dark cap, and the sifaka family’s characteristic vertical clinging posture on tree trunks and its sideways bounding movement on the ground. Groups of three to six animals inhabit the forest sections of the park, moving through the canopy in search of leaves and fruit. Decken’s sifaka is endemic to northwestern Madagascar and the Bay of Baly dry forest is one of its core habitats. Morning is the most active period for sifaka observation, as the animals warm themselves in the sun at forest edge positions before beginning their foraging movements through the canopy.

Mongoose lemur is the second lemur species most reliably seen in the park’s dry forest, with the males’ distinctive rufous cheek fur and the female’s white face markings making the pair members of a group easy to identify. Mongoose lemur inhabits the forest interior and the forest edge, foraging on nectar, fruit, and leaves through the day. Pale fork-marked lemur uses the forest canopy during the day. Red-tailed sportive lemur is nocturnal and inhabits tree hollows in the dry forest, visible on dedicated night walks with a ranger. The combination of diurnal and nocturnal lemur species gives a full-day and night programme the potential for four or more species on a single park visit.

Baobab Trees and Dry Forest

The dry deciduous forest of Bay of Baly is punctuated by baobab trees of striking size, with Madagascar holding six of the world’s eight baobab species and the Bay of Baly area holding several of these in its coastal dry forest and open grassland habitats. The Madagascar baobabs (Adansonia species) are visually distinct from the African baobab familiar from mainland safari landscapes, with some species bearing bright orange or red flowers and others having more slender trunks than the massive smooth-barked form typical of East Africa. The baobab-studded coastline and dry forest of the Bay of Baly area is one of the defining visual environments of northwestern Madagascar.

The dry deciduous forest of the park loses most of its leaves during the dry season from May to November, creating an open, cactus-like woodland that contrasts sharply with Madagascar’s eastern rainforests. This leafless dry season appearance initially seems inhospitable but is in fact the period of highest wildlife activity, as reduced foliage improves visibility for lemur and tortoise observation. The park’s vegetation includes endemic tree species, succulent plants adapted to the dry coastal climate, and the mangrove systems that line the bay’s intertidal zone and provide nesting and foraging habitat for waterbirds.

Birdwatching in Bay of Baly

Over 250 bird species have been recorded in Bay of Baly National Park, with approximately half being endemic to Madagascar and found nowhere else in the world. Madagascar fish eagle, one of the rarest raptors in the world with a global population estimated at fewer than 100 pairs, inhabits the coastal and riverine habitats of the park and is among the most sought-after species for visiting birdwatchers. The park’s combination of dry forest, mangrove, shoreline, and open water habitats provides the range of environments needed to observe both the forest-dependent endemics and the coastal and wetland species.

Madagascar sacred ibis inhabits the bay’s shoreline and wetland sections. Long-tailed ground roller, one of the five ground roller species endemic to Madagascar, forages on the dry forest floor. Crested coua is active and vocal in the dry forest canopy. Madagascar hoopoe is the endemic form of the African hoopoe and is seen in the forest and forest edge. Common newtonia and Madagascar warbler inhabit the forest understorey. The mangrove sections hold Souimanga sunbird and other coastal species. A dedicated birding walk through multiple habitat types with a park ranger who can identify the endemic species by call is the most productive approach for building a substantial list of Madagascar endemics.

Cost Breakdown for Bay of Baly National Park

Best Time to Visit Bay of Baly National Park

Getting to Bay of Baly National Park

Bay of Baly National Park is accessed via Soalala, a small coastal town approximately 500 kilometres northwest of Antananarivo. The most practical access is by domestic flight from Antananarivo or Mahajanga to Soalala, with Air Madagascar and charter operators providing services. Mahajanga, approximately 200 kilometres south of Soalala by road and boat, is a larger hub with more regular international connections and is the standard intermediate stop for visitors combining Bay of Baly with other northwestern Madagascar destinations. The road from Mahajanga to Soalala is partially paved and requires a high-clearance vehicle in the dry season.

Madagascar requires a visa for all foreign nationals, obtainable on arrival at Antananarivo’s Ivato International Airport or through the Madagascar e-visa system. The Malagasy ariary (MGA) is the currency, and cash in ariary is necessary for all park fees and local services as card payment facilities are absent in Soalala. Combining Bay of Baly with Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park, approximately 200 kilometres to the south and also accessible from Mahajanga, is a practical itinerary for visitors exploring western Madagascar’s dry habitat parks. Madagascar National Parks (parcs-madagascar.com) provides current entry fee information and guide arrangements for Bay of Baly.