Madagascar, the continent island
Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world (over 590.000 mē). The climate and
morphology of the territory, in such a vast island, are very different. The eastern part of the
island is characterized by rain forest, while the southwestern part is arid and barren. Highlands
stretches across the central part of the island on its entire length.
Being the island separated from the African Continent by the Mozambique Channel, both flora and
fauna includes rather many endemic spices.
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The capital of Madagascar, Antananarivo (called Tanā by the locals), it is a pleasant
city of around a million residents located at over 1200 mt above sea level.
The rivers Ikopa and Betsiboka cross the city.
In the picture: the market in Antananarivo.
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| From Antananarivo to Ranomafana |
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Ranomafana is a small town between Fianarantsoa and Manajary.
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| From Ranomafana to Tulear |
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Anakao is a small place next to Tulear.
Despite the short distance between Anakao and Tulear, as the crow flies, the place remains
rather isolated as it can be easily reached only by sea with the pirogues of the Vezo
fishermen.
This is because Anakao is located beyond the St. Augustin Bay formed by the estuary of the
Onilahy River and to reach it by road it would be necessary to make a long trip mainly on a
dirt road.
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At Anakao, right on the shore in front of the Mozambique Channel, is situated the small
village of the Vezo fishermen and a small tourist structure that at the time of my trip counted
about ten bungalows. The bungalows were rather simple and without running water, there were no
motorboats and no bottles for scuba diving.
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Fishermen Vezo's village. Every morning we hired a pirogue and the Vezo fishermen brought
us to the ocean. In just half hour we could reach the barrier reef where we could fish and skin
dive (no bottles in Anakao).
Close to the passages of the reef toward the open ocean the depth over the reef is about
5 meters. The reef in these points has some fissures that can reach a depth of about 15 meters.
The amount of sea life in these fissures was just incredible. |
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Mora-Mora is a small tourist resort a few kilometres from Tulear. |
| The beach of Mora-Mora at sunset. |
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The ocean in front of the resort is a natural reserve, which make it an ideal diving
site.
Scuba equipment is available for rent in Mora-Mora.
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| From Tulear to Fort Dauphin |
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Fort Dauphin (Taolagnaro in Malagasy), it is found on the Indian ocean in
the southernmost part of the island.
Fort Dauphin is the gateway to the Berentry Natural Reserve.
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The Berentry Natural Reserve is an oasis of primitive forest, which is home to different
kind of lemurs and the giant bats. |
| Quite naturally the main attraction of the reserve are the lemurs. |
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Madagascar
