MADAGASCAR
Madagascar, officially the Republic of
Madagascar and previously known as the Malagasy Republic, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Southeast Africa. The nation comprises the island of
Madagascar (the fourth-largest island in the world), as well as numerous
smaller peripheral islands. Consequently, Madagascar is a biodiversity hotspot; over
90 percent of its wildlife is found
nowhere else on Earth. The island's diverse ecosystems and unique wildlife are
threatened by the encroachment of the rapidly growing human population.
ACTIVITIES AT MADAGASCAR
Back Packing: There is much to see of local
Malagasy life and this is the best way to see it. Choose one area to do
properly rather than attempting the whole country. The locals are
friendly and always willing to help – custom demands they offer you, a
stranger, a bed and a meal.
Bird
Watching: Strangely enough there are not that many species of birds in Madagascar
– only 283. But 51% of these are endemic with five endemic families and
37 endemic genera thus making Madagascar one of Africa’s top birding
hotspots.
Botany:
Every footstep holds wonders for lovers of nature – and probably more so
for those not previously interested in fauna. The statistics of endemism
are mind blowing and some are listed below. Madagascar is the world’s
leading floral hotspot for an area of its size.
Caving:
For those not suffering from claustrophobia Madagascar offers many
hours of wondrous exploring in caves. The Bat Caves of Ankarana are well
known and easily accessible offering you three types of bat species.
Chartering/sailing:
The east coast of Madagascar is not for the fair weather sailor but
the sheltered west coast is a delight for all yachties. However, there
are no marinas with water and fuel so one needs to be fairly self sufficient if
you wish to explore this coast.
Diving:
The dive sites off the north western part of the country are world
class and the biodiversity in this area surpasses that of the Red Sea.
Coral bleaching has not affected the reefs and the locals have cared for them
relatively well. Almost every hard coral species known to this part of the Indian
Ocean can be found here. It is especially good for its variety of
Nudibranchs so for both macro and micro divers there are hours of underwater
pleasure.
Fishing:
Madagascar is the new Mozambique for the fishing fraternity, and
again – Nosy Be is the place to do it. There are many deep sea fishing
outfits that will take you out for a day’s fishing. Perhaps the best
option is to take a crewed catamaran for a week’s charter and explore the
reefs, drop offs and channels that are the hunting ground for Kingfish, Tuna,
Sailfish and Marlin.
Good
Food: Malagasy food is quite spicy and based on rice, green leafed
vegetables and zebu meat. Ramazava is the national dish and one could
also try stuffed goose, fat eels or frog’s legs! There are restaurants that
offer first class menus in various styles. Be it French, Cajun, Malaysian, Indonesian
or a fusion of all these you will be offered crab, crayfish, fish, chicken or
zebu with flair and skill.
Hiking:
As most of Madagascar’s ‘roads’ are more like tracks tackling them on
foot is often more exciting and challenging than attempting some of the
recognised hiking trails of South Africa! The country is well mapped and
the locals are quite used to travelling on foot.
Honeymoons:
Who needs the big hotels of Mauritius or the Seychelles when you can
spend the most romantic period of your married life in Madagascar?
The French influence over Madagascar remains when it comes to Love and if you
are searching for the perfect honeymoon there are plenty of options.
Kayaking:
There are two select guided sea kayak routes in Madagascar. The first
is on the Masoala Peninsula - a vast area of pristine, primary rainforest
touching empty beaches. Six and nine night tours can be arranged.
Kitesurfing:
There are one or two areas in Madagascar where kite
surfers can do their bit. Most suited
though would be The Emerald Sea,
just south of the northern most point of the island. Protected by a reef,
L’Mer d’Emeraude offers calm waters and – between April and November – a
constant 30 knot wind!
Lemurs:
No article on Madagascar would be complete without mention of the most
endearing creatures of all. Lemurs belong to a group of primates called
the prosimians – meaning ‘before monkeys’. These animals were the most advanced
sample of tree living animals and ruled the earth for about 15 million
years. Then along came the monkey.
Nature:
Madagascar was one of the first countries in the world to set
up Nature Reserves and how fortunate was that! It is no coincidence that
most of the extinctions to have taken place have been in the 2000 years since
the arrival of man. So to have had early protection for this remarkable
menagerie is a huge advantage. Some of these weird and wonderfuls are
listed below - a tempting list for naturalists:
