Situated just 400 kilometres off the coast of East Africa, Madagascar attracts young explorers from around the world looking for the island’s poster-child, the lemur. What awaits when you arrive is so much more, as every adventure takes you off the beaten path to find untouched landscapes, extensive wildlife and exotic vibes. This remote island is somewhat of a new tourist destination each day.
Finally, around 5% of all the world’s flora and fauna is unique to Madagascar, meaning you are likely to find scenes here that will happen nowhere else – that’s what makes this isolated island so special.
As native home of the iconic lemur, you will certainly feel a rush of excitement when you arrive in port to find these furry friends. Around 100 different species exist, but finding them may be trickier than first thought.
Due to their dwindling numbers, lemurs have become less of common occurrence, but don’t worry. Be sure to make use of local guides or shore excursions as adventuring into Madagascar’s dense jungle is not only dangerous when alone but extremely difficult to navigate. The most common type of lemur that you may find are the smaller species such as the grey mouse lemur or reddish-grey mouse lemur. On the other hand, larger lemurs – including the fan-favourite ring-tailed lemur – are rare (there’s only between 2,000 and 2,500 left in the wild).
Whether you are planning to dine at top restaurants from around the country or the market street vendors, you are sure to get a bargain for your meal. Madagascar’s cuisine revolves around meat, (sorry to any vegetarians or vegans out there) and also draws a lot of influence from Africa’s barbeque scene.
Basically, if you can put it on a skewer, it’s most likely here. This also shouldn’t take away from the tasty desserts on offer such as menakely (a doughnut made of rice flour and wheat flour) or mofo gasy (sweet, sticky rice cakes).
If you would like to learn more about the planet’s best market morsels, see our blog on the best street food from around the world.
Thanks to many years of isolation, Madagascar can boast some of the world’s best natural scenery. From astonishing lakes and mountains to unscathed rock faces and caves, you can experience this new world in complete tranquillity. This is the perfect chance to catch that jaw-dropping sunset or open night’s sky. Plus, to know that you are walking in places where only a few people have been before can be very special.
There are many smaller Madagascan islands that surround the main destination, but most offer little to tourists. However, Nosy Be is only a short distance from the mainland and has become famed for its secluded beaches and open-water snorkelling.
Having a population of around 73,000, the island has many nature reserves, local markets and small lakes that are perfect for tourists that can make use of the quick taxi journeys. So, whether you can’t wait to find your next adventure or you’re eager to locate the ideal sandy beach to relax on, Nosy Be is a refreshing getaway from the main island.
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