Andravoahangy market , the largest in Antananarivo , has an authentic atmosphere and sells a range of craft products, while the popular Petite Vitesse market , which runs alongside an old railway track, specialises in food produce. The colourful ..

Take a 4x4 or quad-bike excursion from Toliara along the Onilahy river and its rice fields and through a forest inhabited by lemurs to the Seven Lakes, situated just beyond Ifanato . At this point the white water from around a dozen lakes pours in..

The Piscine Naturelle d’Ambodiatafana is an unusual natural seawater pool formed by a wall of jagged black rocks. On the northeastern coast of the delightful Sainte-Marie Island lies a fine sandy beach lined with palm trees and lapped by the turquo..

The home of the aye-aye, the famous nocturnal lemur, Mananara-Nord National Park comprises a marine park ( Nosy Atafana ) and a land area of 23 000ha covered with dense tropical rainforest. The park boasts some exceptional flora and fauna, including ..

With its three small islands, the Nosy Atafana marine park extends over an area of 10km 2 on Madagascar’s northeast coast. This international biosphere reserve is home to numerous rare species of coral, fish and algae. Enjoy superb diving around the..

Heading away from the Soarano railway station, this main thoroughfare in the heart of the lower town of Antananarivo recalls the period of French colonisation, with its fine arcaded buildings. Recently renovated, the Avenue de l’Indépendance is now..

The impressive Andafiararatra Palace was built in 1872 for the Prime Minister, Rainilaiarivony. Having served as a barracks, court house, fine arts school and then an official residence, it is now home to the art collections of the Rova (royal obje..

Volcanic in origin, this large mountain range with its uneven relief lies on a north-south axis, extending for over 100km between Antananarivo and Antsirabe , culminating in the Tsiafajavona peak (2 643m). The Ankaratra range offers visitors a lar..

An area of transition between the bush and the Highlands , this wild, semi-desert region is dotted with grassland, baobab trees and termite mounds. Visitors who love vast open spaces will be entranced by this area occupied by the Bara, an ethnic gro..

Antandroy farmer-shepherds live in this poor region characterised by its dry soil. Between cactus, euphoria and Barbary figs, they raise zebu, build sumptuous tombs and sing the praises of the ancestors of the Androy, the “land of the thorns”.

The award-winning Berenty reserve, which is owned by the Heaulme family, has numerous attractions for visitors. Well organised and professionally run, this oasis of greenery is home to a staggering number of lemurs as well as the interesting Androy m..

Nestled between waterfalls and the Anosyennes mountains, the Andohahela National Park protects three ecosystems resulting from the improbable meeting of the coast and the country’s most southerly region, the Grand Sud. The collared brown lemur ( Eule..

Located 30km from the Canal du Mozambique in a basin in the Masikoro region, the Ihotry salt lake is home to over a hundred species of birds, including pink flamingos, ibis and cormorants. Several species of lemur, such as the ring-tailed lemur and V..

The erotic statuary of these tombs is the perfect incarnation of this tribe’s founding myth. According to Sakalava beliefs, each individual is a future ancestor and as a result a visit to the necropoli of the Menabe region is an edifying experience..

Managed by a Swiss organisation which protects this forest from fires and illegal logging, the Kirindy reserve is home to a vast array of plants with a variety of medicinal uses, as well as being a refuge for mongoose, giant rats, turtles, chameleons..

Located close to the Grand Pavois beach, the appropriately named Red Cirque (Cirque Rouge) is an eroded sedimentary rock formation renowned for the varied colours of its ravines. The strata of its vertical walls cover the full spectrum of red: terrac..

The two caves at Anjohibe, which were developed by colonists, lie 40m under the Mahabo limestone plateau and extend for more than 7km. The collections of speleothems (deposits) in the underground galleries and chambers are fantastic. A good guide and..

If you’re unable to go hiking in the natural reserves, then why not head to this park just 25km from the Madagascan capital? Dedicated to the emblematic species of Madagascar, Lemurs’ Park is home to nine different species of lemur, which roam free t..

In addition to vanilla and coffee, Sambava also specialises in coconuts, as can be seen at the Soavoanio coconut plantation, one of the largest in the world. The plantation extends across almost 4 800ha of land, spread out over 60km on both sides of ..

Fringed with jacaranda trees, the purple flowers of which blossom in November, the man-made Lake Anosy is home to a small island. A tall war memorial known as the Black Angel , which commemorates the Madagascan soldiers who died in the First World W..