Visiting Madagascar: The Top Spots You Have to Visit
Madagascar is an enthralling destination, with its animals, baobab trees, birds, and jungles. You’ll find yourself in a tropical jungle one day, an arid plain the next, and finally, a subtropical forest! Here, you can even find a beautiful variety of lemur species.
For a much-needed adventure in isolation, this is the place you can score. Read on to discover the top spots you have to visit in Madagascar.
Avenue of the Baobabs
Baobab trees are massive trees that can reach heights of 98 feet and widths of 36 feet, with a lifespan of up to 1,000 years. Due to the arid climate, they grow broad in order to absorb and store water (as much as 1,000 gallons of water can be stored in a single tree).
While the genus comprises other trees that are similar, baobabs are unique to Madagascar. It’s weird when your guide casually mentions that the gigantic creature you’re snuggling is barely 400 years old. Unfortunately, clearcutting and agriculture have reduced the tree population.
Isalo National Park
Established in 1962, Isalo National Park is home to cliffs, ravines, gorges, and canyons, as well as an abundance of animals (there are over 100 species of birds here). A fantastic park in the vein of Westworld.
Nosy Be
Nosy Be is home to Madagascar’s renowned beaches. Nosy Be, a 120-square-mile volcanic island five miles from the main island (310 sq km). Although it is a volcanic island, there have been no reported eruptions.
Île Sainte Marie
While everyone flocks to Nosy Be for the best beaches and resorts, Île Sainte Marie, located off the eastern side, offers an excellent alternative. It is best to come by plane.
Ranomafana National Park
Ranomafana is one of the top lemur viewing locations in the country. However, due to the park’s popularity, daily visitor restrictions apply; thus, visit during the off-season. The park covers 161 square miles (415 square kilometers), yet you only get to see a few square miles, making it somewhat packed.
Andasibe-Mantadia National Park (Lemur Island)
This place is well-known for the Indri lemur, which makes a howling devil bat sound that reverberates across the jungle. The world-famous Lemur Island ($3 USD admission) is home to four different species of rescued lemurs from being kept as pets.
Toliara
This little port town on the west coast is well-known for its expat population, pizza (a national dish), and diving adventures to the Great Reef offshore. Apart from sitting on the beach or swimming, there is not much else to do.
Antananarivo
Antananarivo, Madagascar’s capital and largest city, with a population of 1.6 million people. Prior to 1897, the city was a vibrant cultural center. After the country got independence in 1960, the city flourished swiftly.
Conclusion
A world-class destination should only call for a world-class experience. With these spots in mind, you’ll be sure to see beyond the beauty of Madagascar. Make a list of your destinations and tick all the boxes by the end of your trip. This is the best possible way to get the most out of your dime and time!
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