Voaara, a new luxury barefoot resort, will open on the island of Sainte-Marie (also known as Nosy Boraha) off the northeast coast of Madagascar in March.

Initially, the resort – which has been extensively renovated – will open with eight luxurious bungalows and a three-bedroom villa.

The property will ultimately host 45 rooms, with construction expected to take up to five years.

Phase one will see the construction of two ocean-view queen villas, a beachfront queen villa, four beachfront king villas, a two-bedroom beach loft, and a three-bedroom beach villa with a private pool, outdoor bathroom and private deck. Each villa will offer ocean views and easy access to the beach.

Facilities launching in phase one will include three dining outlets, two spa treatment rooms, an outdoor cinema and a jungle gym. Activities will include deep-sea fishing, quad biking, and beach hikes with picnics.

Voaara is the debut property from Voaara Hotels, co-founded by Philippe Kjellgren and hospitality investors Benjamin Habbel and Jeff Coe of LimeStone Capital.

Sainte-Marie is accessible by a 45-minute scheduled flight or hour-long chartered flight from Antananarivo Airport followed by a boat journey of around an hour.

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