Madagascar… An Island That Time Forgot

By Cassie Amundsen on August 29, 2012 in Other

There are few places left on Earth as remote and wild as Madagascar, and arguably none that offer such a satisfying and genuine travel experience.

I recently had the pleasure of spending two weeks travelling around this incredible country and, as I discovered, this island off the south-east coast of Africa is a hidden paradise that very few people know much about.

With over 5,000km of untouched coastline (and numerous undiscovered surf spots), it features extremely diverse terrains and habitats: from the dramatic mountains of the north to pristine blue beaches in the south; from lush rainforests like those of Ranomafana National Park in the east to the vast plains and spiny forests of the west. It is an island that time forgot, a wildlife enthusiast’s heaven, a mysterious and magical place.

Unfortunately problems such as political corruption, civil unrest, and over-exploitation of resources are plaguing the country and Madagascar’s unique ecosystem is now one of the most threatened in the world.

Our journey began in the capital city of Antananarivo, where we were met by our local Malagasy guide, and now good friend, Njiva. We spent the afternoon strolling the street markets and slums, being laughed and stared at by locals – being the only white-skinned, blonde-haired and blue-eyed tourists in the city made us quite the novelty.

The following day we hit the road for what was to be twelve days of driving and trekking. Only 11% of the country’s roads are paved and they are riddled with potholes, some big enough to swallow a truck. Many sections have been totally washed away by the wet season rains, there are people walking everywhere and zebu-drawn carriages battle to maintain a straight course. All of these factors combined for a somewhat nerve-racking drive.

Despite all this, getting off the beaten track and driving through the small local villages provided an amazing insight into Malagasy culture. We ate traditional cuisine at local cafes every day and thankfully my bowels are fairly well intact… just.

At Antsirabe we took rickshaws around town, meandered through a bustling local marketplace (main picture) and visited the largest zebu market in the country. In Andasibe we were greeted by the loud calls of the Indri Indri and observed four other different species of lemur in one morning. At Ranomafana we spent two days trekking through dense rainforest and managed to increase that list to fifteen different species, by far the most memorable being the critically endangered Greater Bamboo Lemur (only two remain in Ranomafana). We wandered through the barren, rocky outcrops of Isola National Park to a lush oasis complete with waterfalls that were beyond belief.

We spent our last night in a fishing village called Ifaty, where, after dumping our bags in a straw hut, we sat on the beach with a well deserved Three Horses beer, elevated our tired feet and watched as the sun sank slowly beneath the shark-infested waters of the Mozambique Channel.

Our time in Madagascar went way too fast and it was hard saying goodbye. I have fallen in love with this incredible country. The Malagasy people are the most beautiful, happy and welcoming race and the wildlife and terrain of this special place are so unique and interesting. It was an unforgettable holiday and I can’t wait to return there again one day, although I do have my fingers crossed that by the time I do return, the government and locals will have come to the realisation that their real sustainable wealth is in the wildlife and natural environment that surrounds them and not in the minerals deposited below.