Madagascar, this extensive exceptional island is a legendary destination having fed dreams for a long time.
Its melting pot of peoples from Africa, Arabia, the Far East and India will immerse you in the heart of a unique civilization whose astonishing wealth of customs and crafts and warm sense of hospitality entrances everyone who visits despite the population’s everyday poverty. Madagascar has been considered for millions of years as an orphan island, out ot reach, off the coast of eastern Africa and has therefore followed its own natural course, leaving life forms flourish in the most unusual and wonderful ways.





The Indian Ocean
For hundreds of kilometers north and south of Fort Dauphin the coastline offers a succession of very jagged headlands connected by vast sandy bays. Here, the last foothills of the Anosienne mountain chain fall into the sea. The ocean swell, that no land can refrain, blows in the most beautiful waves and the Tsiukafaratra (trade wind) blows magical colors and movement. Nature’s elements regularly confront each other but these battles always subside offering periods of calm, during which time the ocean unveils its depths to lovers of the submarine world.
Humpback whales rest near the coast during the austral winter, and can be seen with their newborns in September. The ballets of these enormous cetaceans is exceptionnal.


Land

The people of the South




Parks and Reserves
The south esatern region of Madagascar has tzo different climates but these regions touch each other and offer unique national praks as well as small private reserves full of animals ans species from the south.
The National Park Andohela
The largest and most beautiful, most natural park, the National Park Andohela is accessible from 3 sites. Descriptions can be found in many toursist guides. A favorite is Tsmilahy, a 2-hour drive from Fort Dauphin: Baobab, euphorbia, pachypodiums line a 2-h walk in the middle of this transitional forest and along a pink sandstone canyon leading to a natural pool.




The Private Reserve Nahampohana





The Berenty Private Reserve
Renowned in many tourist guides, it is a 3:30-hour car drive from Fort Dauphin (one way). Car rentals and park entries must be booked from: SHTM (Hotel and Tourist Company of Madagascar).