Madagascar is
surrounded by many little islands. On the North Coast, there is
Nosy Be which is only 24 km long and 18 km wide.
But it is a red little tropical paradise, set 12 km from the north-west coast of
Madagascar, in the middle of myriads of little islands and coral archipelagos.
Nosy be is a paradise for snorkeling. In town, the tourist can stroll along the
coastal road and contemplate the bay, the little island of Nosy Komba and Antsiranana. The most famous and popular of the Nosy Be’s beaches is Ambatoloaka (2 km long) with it's bars and
restaurants. Dzamanzary is also picturesque.
This village lives essentially from sugar activity. Various qualities of rum are
sold in the factory. To appreciate the beautiful coloured sunset, the traveller
must climb the 329 m of the Mont Passot, the top of the island. Near the big
island (Nosy Be), there is “Nosy Sakatia” where the smallest chameleon of the
world (1 cm) and other animal species like the “fanihy” or bat giants live. The sea
around this island contains a beautiful submarine fauna and flora as well as
splendid coral-reefs. Visiting the island of Nosy Komba, you can see wild
lemurs (Lemur Macaco), snakes, butterflies, multi-coloured birds and a varied
flora. In the village of Ampangorina, the
tourist will see the craft industry (lace tablecloths, masks, necklace, etc and
the “lemur park”. The divers may swim among the splendid fishes of the Indian
Ocean in Nosy Tany Kely. Nosy Iranja situated 27 miles in the south of Nosy
Be is the Turtles Island. These come by night on the beach to lay
there eggs.
Tulear is situated in the south, where there is
a superb coral-reef perfect for snorkeling. Hiking in this
region with its numerous places of interest is highly recommended; one of those is the sculptured
limestone massif
Isalo and its lunar landscape. One of the better places for
snorkeling and hiking.
The inner part
of Madagascar also deserves to be discovered. First of all,
Antananarivo the capital, the "citadel of the
thousand warriors", is clinging to the side of Analamanga, one of the twelve
sacred hills of Imerina on which it has been building for many centuries.
Antananarivo is a picturesque town, at the same time historic and modern. For
the persons who like walking, there are a lot of alleys and stairs linking the
upper and the lower part of the city. The Queen's Palace used to stand on top of
it but has burnt down. On this high place of Malagasy history you can visit a
museum, the tombs of the main sovereigns and the wooden house Mahitsielafanjaka,
one of the rare witnesses of ancient Malagasy dwellings, now also burnt down.
In the vicinity of
Antananarivo, there are a lot of places soaked in history. One of them is Ambohimanga (the blue hill) where the king Andrianampoinimerina built his
palace. One can visit it and have an outline of the Malagasy way of life in the
19th century. On the road to the south of Madagascar, one passes by Antsirabe, the thermal city, renowned for its hot water springs. There are two
famous lakes in Antsirabe: the Andraikiba and the Tritriva.
The
road in the central part of the island is in fairly good condition and will
enable one to discover various sceneries as the asian-like rice
fields, the high plateaux, the Zafimaniry Mountains lost in mist and its very
original sculptures, the desert steppes of the Antandroy and its herds of zebu.
Madagascar has all
the ideal elements to make tourism a pillar of its economy. Designated as one of
the ecologically richest countries on the planet, this island has vastly
different habitats and a huge number of endemic species. The country is renowned
for its rich variety of flora. Each of the climatic zones hosts a different type
of vegetation.
Madagascar hosts
over 10.000 varieties of plants, including 1.000 different species of orchids,
two of whom are the exotic black orchid and the extremely rare white Angraecum
Sesquipedale. There is also over 170 species of palm trees, 6 different species
of Baobabs, the carnivorous “pitcher plant” and a lot of medicinal plants such
as the Aloe plant. The fauna is
discrete with countless of birds. The
lemurs are easily visible as well as the turtles.
Taolagnaro, in the south of
Toliara, is the divers ‘paradise with its clear sea. This area is also famous
for the nature reserves of Berenty, Kaleta and Andohahela. Near Toliara, lies Morondava, recognized by
its beaches and baobab trees. This region has
the greatest number of Baobab in Madagascar and the “Allée des Baobabs”
(19 km) is an unforgettable place.
Over half of the world’s chameleon population, more
than 60 species of Geckos, endangered species of lemur
such as the Indri Indri (the largest of all lemurs), the aye aye, and the golden
bamboo lemur (listed by the World Conservation Union as “critically
endangered”), the rare ploughshare tortoise, the near-extinct elephant bird to
name but a few are to be found on this island.
The
culture is very rich and varied. This country is really a
cultural melting pot. The traditions and civilization are a fascinating blend of
the familiar and the exotic. Each ethnic group has its own customs and
traditions based on their original ancestors. With its cultural potentials, the
country answers to two particular types of tourism: cultural and ecological
tourism.
Toamasina on the East coast of the country is
the green region with forests populated of endemic animal and vegetable
species. The forest is still dense and the environmentalists ecstatic of its beauty. Toamasina
has also beautiful beaches in Foulpointe,
Fenerive Est or Manambato. Vatomandry between Antananarivo and Toamasina is the
nearest beach of the Capital and is held in high esteem by the population of
Antananarivo.
The island of
Sainte Marie, situated in the East of the
country, is also one of the marvels of Madagascar. Visitors marvel at
the quiet splendid beaches and the small islands lined with coconut palms and
covered in white sand.
Sainte Marie may be visited in one day by bicycles or
cart pulled by zebus (Malagasy cattle). There are many places of interest: l’Ile aux Nattes, The Ampanihy forest, l’Ile aux Forbans
and more. Sainte Marie is also famous for its annual migration of humpback
whales (July to September).
Fianarantsoa,
in the South of Antananarivo, is renowned for its vineyards and
wine. But it is also the Capital of the tea region. Here one will find the Vanilla
Tea, a speciality of Madagascar.
Toliara,
in the deep south of Madagascar has a superb coral-reef and is also perfect for
snorkeling. The desert steppe of the Antandroy is marvellous with its
cactus forests and its herd of zebus, which were the first wealth of the
population of this region.
|
