Nothing quite beats a Madagascar vacation. Madagascar is quite unlike anywhere I know, yet so familiar in very many other senses. It is almost Africa, but not quite and almost France, but not quite – in a word, it is unique. Apart from being the world’s fourth largest island it offers the most amazing experience for holidaymakers. From seeing over 70 different species of lemur, spending time in parks and seeing chameleons, frogs and a vast array of plants and trees – in fact, outside Papua New Guinea, Madagascar boasts the most amount of new species discovered on an annual basis!

Vacations Madagascar with AfricanExplorations.com

Visit the Masoala Pensinsula – a real must, taking a boat trip to a wonderful tented camp and walking, learning about botany, seeing more lemurs and sea kayaking amongst whales!

Nosy Be is gorgeous – and perhaps contemplate taking a catamaran for your family or group of friends for a few days, perhaps visiting islands en route.

Madagascar Vacations with AfricanExplorations.com

Then you have the red and grey tsingys which are limestone formations and a sight to behold and spend time in these areas too.

Humpback whales come into the bay off St Marie in August and for someone wanting to walk, the south offers much with its avenue of baobabs.

Kate has spent many months in Madagascar and has just returned from discovering some real gems, so call us now to design the perfect Madagascar vacation just for you!

Madagascar offers the most amazing and different holidays imaginable! From walking in the Avenue of Baobabs, to seeing the 70 different lemurs including the largest, the Indri Indri – to exploring the Masoala Peninsula with its unique biosphere and where they discover more unique species than anywhere else – to hiring a catamaran to sail around Nosy Be – complete with skipper and crew. All of this is not only imaginable but possible in this magnificent country – the world’s 4th largest island. Then we have the incredible tsingy’s – the limestone formations which are awe inspiring and the Pangalanes – the beautiful channel and the palmarium island with its large displays of miniature palms.Visit various islands off Nosy Be from the luxurious Relais et Chateaux’ to independently owned beautifully managed places where unique species of lemurs occur. All this is available through our expertise and we would love to arrange your Madagascar Vacation for you!

Madagascar Vacation – One of the very best vacations one can ever have is a holiday to Madagascar. This, the world’s fourth largest island is fascinating to everyone. The most appealing factor must be that it is in its embryonic state of tourism. This means you dont get mass begging (despite the poverty), but rather wonderful, friendly and curious people situated in the most beautiful of environments. What’s more, this country offers something for everyone!

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How you can miss the lemurs and sifakas (of which there are over 70 different species, from the largest Indri Indri with the haunting cry, to the aye aye). Walking into Perinet is akin to walking into a biology class, with wall to wall interest – from chameleons, to frogs, to spiders (of course, lemurs!) and snakes. None being venomous, either! Then you have the amazing sandstone and limestone tsingys, beautiful colonial accommodation run by real characters, and the most fantastic waterways reminiscent of the Okavango Delta in Botswana. You have Masoala National Park, whose biosphere has been replicated by Zurich Zoo in Switzerland. Stay with a wonderful couple, where you can walk and sea kayak. Then perhaps take a catamaran from Nosy Be for a few days, relaxing, swimming, snorkelling and diving en route to your paradise island where you can stay at a beautiful, simple lodge or go for complete luxury with a Relais et Chateaux that Chanel was hoping to purchase!  Lastly, go out with the scientists who are studying turtles or who study the humpback whales that come into the bay from July to September and listen to their movements by hydrophone! There is nothing this country doesnt have, with the exception of mass tourism – and surely that’s a great thing!

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One word of advice – go soon – before westernisation and tourism really takes control!

Luxury Holidays Madagascar- It might seem incongruous to mention the words luxury and Madagascar in one sentence – but in fact, there are a number of simply amazing gems in Madagascar.

Two of my favourites both happen to be on the coast near Nosy Be. The most luxurious and only Relais et Chateaux in the country is Anjajavy. It is easy to reach from the capital, Antananarivo and on arrival, one is taken on a beach track to the lodge. The villas are large, spacious, and have French doors opening out  to the sea.  There are walks to 5 different beaches from the hotel and they can arrange a picnic for you on one of them! There is a lovely large swimming pool overlooking the beach and tea is served at 1700 each day in the oasis – a beautiful garden they have built. The cuisine  is excellent.

anjajavy with AfricanExplorations.com

There are lots of points of interest  here, including  brown lemurs and Sifakas and grey limestone tsingys. The birdlife is spectacular and includesl black kites, weavers, Madagascan sun birds, and pied robins.  I also saw several Couas. There is also fantastic kayaking. Anjajavy is also renowned for its fly fishing.   One can catch dog tooth tuna, yellow fin tuna, wahoo, king mackerel and most other big pelagic game fish. Massages are conducted in ones own villa.

Luxury Holidays Madagascar with AfricanExplorations.com

The second place which I adore is Tsara Komba. With just a handful of cottages and villas situated on an island, all overlooking the sea, this offers a more down to earth and personal experience. This is one of those placesthat really soothes the soul.  The food here is the best I have tasted in Madagascar. The staff and service is impeccable and professional. Handily, they make wonderful caipirinhas and rum punches and a typical meal would be a  raw fish entrée, followed by poisson en papillote with vegetables in cinnamon. There are things to do such as walking and swimming as well as snorkelling and diving trips to Nosy Tanikely which is a marine reserve, and has the most astounding fishlife, as well as offering beautiful beaches, wonderful walks and excellent birdlife! Visit the local villages as well as a lemur sanctuary north of the island, renowned for the black lemurs. The dining and lounge area is  stocked with books and overlooks the sea and the walls of the lodge are studded with interesting oil paintings from local artists and the rooms are furnished with interesting object d ‘art.  You can  see how vanilla is made, as well as visit the farms growing vetiver, ylang ylang and other herbs for essential oils. The area is also known for its hand work and embroidered tablecloths in the Richelieu lace style.

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Madagascar Beaches – We have found a little bit of paradise in Madagascar – it’s called Manafiafy! Truly this is one of the best lodges I have ever been to and somewhere you can escape to for peace and quiet. Manafiafy has so many positives! It’s remote; it’s unspoilt; the setting is idyllic, the food – well every guest is given lobster from the bay! You have a private beach for only six persons but the beaches on either side – 20 miles and 30miles plus, are deserted bar some fishing villages spaced 10 miles apart; the staff are the most knowledgeable in the country; there’s wildlife – lemurs, chameleons etc; there’s adventure- whale watching / walking/swimming, fishing, surfing – bring your own boards; and this is for families and honeymooners alike.   Manafiafy lies 52 kilometres from Fort Dauphin and is set in a bay on the coast.  Behind and between a dominating mountain range and the sea, lies a belt of mangrove and littoral forests, waterways and lagoons, open savannahs, with pitcher plants, local farmers and fishermen. There is a large set of rocks complete with rock pools – both fresh and seawater to the right of the lodge, where the local fishermen harvest mussels for your table an hour later.

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The beach of white sand is literally littered with shells and there are banks of them 30 inches deep in places – this keeps all children amused ( and some adults too!) The wooden watch tower sits atop the mangroves and during the whale watching season June to October, you can spend a lazy morning counting them as they pass by close to the shore line. Perhaps take a boat to the sacred island for a picnic after asking permission for the locals.

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In the nearby forests, take a nocturnal walk with a knowledgeable guide to see eastern woolly lemurs, brown lemur, grey mouse lemur and greater dwarf lemurs and lastly small toothed sportive lemurs, as well as chameleons and insects. The mangroves are home to an array of birds- Madagascar malachite kingfisher, hawks, Kestrel, purple grey and black herons, whistling ducks, fulvous ducks, hottentot teal, green sunbird and sumanga sunbird, and fishermen catch crayfish and fresh water shrimp.

Madagascar Beaches with Nicola Shepherd's AfricanExplorations.com

Finish each day with a chilled glass of your tipple on the beach with the sound of the waves and under palm trees!

Madagascar Holidays Madagascar is ongoing, “wall-to-wall” interest.
One can kayak around the Masoala peninsula or go for guided walks in the lemur reserves where there is so much more than “just” lemurs: nocturnal boas, tree frogs and an unbelievable array of butterflies, moths and spiders. Or one might search, in the gloaming, for the aye aye lemur and the tomato frog.

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There are so many harmless reptiles: different varieties of chameleon and highly colourful lizard where the best part is that children and adults alike can get so close to them and be dazzled! No biology lesson has ever been so
interesting! There’s just plenty to do; whether horse riding in the stunning scenery of Isalo, marvelling at the bizarre tsingys (limestone rock or sandstone formations that have formed into needlelike structures), staying at a tiny Relais, or perhaps chartering a catamaran for a few days to a week with friends or family; Madagascar has something for everyone. The sailing is great fun and allows one to explore all the magnificent coves, picnicking, swimming, snorkelling or scuba diving. Then there is the avenue of baobabs, in the southern part of the country, or perhaps the Montagne d’Ambre and
Ankarana, which has a myriad of waterfalls, bat caves, stalactites and stalagmites. The beauty of such a diverse country is that there are so many
different ways to see it, from the luxurious with travel kept to a bare minimum, to moving around and staying at small owner-managed
properties where one really becomes entrenched in the Malagasy culture.

Madagascar Holidays with AfricanExplorations.com

One could also be completely adventurous and stay in places which are, to be honest, very simple but set in the most stunning scenery, offering pristine
wilderness experiences. Thus many clients opt to mix experience and luxury, perhaps starting by taking it relatively easy for a day or two then
doing some serious exploration before ending on a high note with some pampering and luxury. Madagascar is fantastic and all we can say is “do
not miss it”!