On the south-eastern coast of Africa you’ll find the Republic of Madagascar. A beautiful island country looking like a part of what some people imagine heaven to be.
When people hear the word Madagascar they normally think of the famous animated movie and lemurs. However, this fascinating island is much more than that. Madagascar, a huge island nation off the southeast coast of Africa located in the Indian Ocean, is home to thousands of animal species like lemurs found nowhere else, plus rain forests, beaches and reefs. Madagascar is a photographers heaven, because of its unique flora and fauna, beautiful diverse landscape and friendly people! Let me share with you The Top 10 Things To Do In Madagascar.
1. Antananarivo
Antananarivo, formerly French Tananarive, is the capital and largest city in Madagascar. The Malagasy capital is one of the most vibrant cities in all of Africa, and visitors will enjoy rich historical, architectural and cultural sites all over the hillside city with palaces and churches along cobbled streets. The city is divided into 3 levels: the downtown (ancient swamp), the intermediate level (known as “Plateau du Colbert” and located in the middle of the cliffs, and the old city in upper town (“La Haute Ville”), where Palaces (Queen’s palace, ancient Prime Minister Rainilaiarivony palace, ancient Justice palace), cathedrals and the residential area of ancient noblemen families are located.
2. Nosy Be
Nosy Be is Madagascar’s largest and busiest tourist resort, situated off the northwest coast. Its tropical climate and superb location make it a perfect beach resort destination. Nosy Be’s beaches are ideal for swimming as they shelve gradually, staying shallow for miles out to sea, but they are peaceful and hassle-free, with pirogues lying abandoned in the sand and shows floating past offshore.
3. Ile Sainte Marie
The Ile Sainte Marie lies off the east coast of Madagascar. The island’s array of protected bays and inlets drew pirates to Ile Sainte Marie during the 17th and 18th centuries, and the wrecks of several pirate ships can still be viewed from the shallow waters of the Baie des Forbans. Today the island is one of the top tourist attractions in Madagascar. The still, clear waters of the island’s bays make ideal spots for snorkeling. Migrating humpback whales visit the island waters during summer and early fall.
4. Ranomafana National Park
Located in the southeastern region of Madagascar near the village of Ranomafana, the Ranomafana National Park is one of the nation’s most popular parks. The eastern section of the park is the most scenic, with numerous streams splashing through densely forested hills. The park is home to the endangered golden bamboo lemur, an animal whose diet includes bamboo shoots that contain doses of cyanide that would be lethal to other animals, yet the charming golden lemur feeds on the bamboo with no ill effects.
5. Tsiribihina River
One of the unique ways to explore the country is by taking a river tour by pirogue or canoe. There are several reputable companies that lead tours and you can camp on the riverbank and cook under the stars as all manner of wildlife surrounds you and lulls you to sleep.
6. Avenue of the Baobabs
The Avenue of the Baobabs is a group of trees lining the dirt road between Morondava and Belon’i Tsiribihina in western Madagascar. Its striking landscape draws tourists from around the world, making it one of the most visited locations in the region. The Baobab trees, up to 800 years old, did not originally tower in isolation over the landscape but stood in a dense tropical forest. Over the years, the forests were cleared for agriculture, leaving only the famous baobab trees.
7. Isalo National Park
The Isalo National Park is notable for is varied terrain. Located in the central southern region of Madagascar, the park includes areas of grassland, steep canyons and sandstone formations, all dotted by occasional pools lined by palm trees. As in many of the country’s national parks, guides are required. Tours can be arranged to last as short as several hours or as long as several days.
8. Andasibe National Park
Encompassing around 100 miles of land in eastern Madagascar, Andasibe-Mantadia National Park is home to eleven lemur species, including the country’s largest lemur, the Indri. Located near Madagascar’s capital city of Antananarivo, Andasibe-Mantadia is one of the easiest parks to visit. The park is split into two areas, the Mantadia National Park and the Analamazoatra Reserve. Local guides conduct 1- to 6-hour tours of either area.
9. Tsingy de Bemaraha
Tsingy de Bemaraha is one of Madagascar’s newest parks (opened in 1998). The 152,000ha Bemaraha is best known for its tsingy sharp limestone pinnacles that may reach (150 ft) in height. Cut through the tsingy are canyons and gorges full of rich fauna and flora. It is home to a number of animal species, including 11 types of lemur including the unique Decken’s sifaka, The Red-fronted brown lemurs, and the critically endangered Madagascar fish-eagle. The Manambola river canyon which forms the southern boundary of the park is simply breathtaking and magnificent.
10. Ifaty
Ifaty is the name given to two dusty fishing villages on the coast of southwest Madagascar. Offshore, a 60-mile long coral reef is a natural barrier to rough sea waves, creating coastal waters that are ideal for diving, snorkeling and fishing. The desert inland area is known for its spiny forest, where the strange-shaped baobab trees have thrived for centuries.
Just for your knowledge
- Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world.
- The lemur is only found in the wild in Madagascar and they are sacred. As of 2012, there were 103 living species and subspecies of lemur, almost all classified as rare, vulnerable, or endangered.
- 90% of all Madagascan Animals and Wildlife Aren’t Found Anywhere Else. It’s a unique climate and this has resulted in a number of unique shapes.
- 70% of Malagasy People Live Below the Poverty Line.
- Madagascar has the 3rd largest coral reef system in the world, the Toliara coral reef, off the south-western coast. With so much coastline and unique plants and animals, its no wonder that Madagascar is one of the best diving haunts in the world.
- The east coast is the hot spot for some world class sightings as humpback whales migrate through this eastern oceanic corridor, even using it for calving. The best times to see whales is between the months of July and September as they populate the area specifically around Ile Sainte Marie.
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My son wants to know where King Julian lives.
So beautiful!
Thanks 4 sharing!