Lemurs, baobabs and turtles between Madagascar and the Mitsio Islands archipelago

The Indian Ocean off the Mozambique Channel irresistibly attracts for the adamantine beauty of its waters, the astonishing animal and plant inhabitants that live on its islands. Especially the Mitsio Archipelago beloved by turtles to nest. Those who want to wake up and paddle inside those pearl necklaces that are its beaches and bays, swim at night among the iridescent fish by virtue of the brightness of their skin pigment and share the emotion of fishing with the local population, in this handful of islands can realize a dream.

A fisherman in Nosy Be

In Nosy Be, the involuntary spectacle put on by the traditional pirogues, the laka, which plough through the waves to carry the goods needed to satisfy everyday needs, is always exciting. Wooden handicrafts, the result of the skilled work of the caulkers, are carved from a single tree trunk and in the morning they dot the sea by the thousands. When the fishermen return to shore, the pirogues are occupied by local travellers, especially traders heading to the Hell Ville market: it is a very colourful and picturesque place. The pyramids of exotic fruit that can be observed and then tasted always make a great impression, as does the variety of spices arranged on large colourful plates. Resisting the temptations of spicy, sauce-drenched street food is impossible, as is not playing table football or chatting with the sellers of colourful clothes, the draping lambas that reproduce geometric designs or figures from nature. Meanwhile, children have fun on the carousels with bizarre and slightly rickety architecture, while the boys smooth out their muscles in the outdoor gyms using weights and very vintage equipment. You can then reach the peak of the island, the primary forest called Lokobe Nature Special Reserve where the curators, a bit like local sorcerers, go up every day to collect medicinal plants: the route unfolds in various circuits through which trekkers will encounter lemurs, birds and rare plant species.

Ankarea appears on the horizon

The symbolic tree of Madagascar is the baobab that can reach truly astonishing shapes and sizes, forming with its rounded branches authentic cathedrals of leaves destined to be dens of colorful birds and especially lemurs, greedy for the fruits of this totemic tree. Surely the Avenue of the Baobabs that you come across traveling between Morondava to Belo Tsiribihina represents without a doubt the national botanical icon of the whole of Madagascar, however it is always crowded with cars, tourist buses. Therefore it is best to approach these creatures of nature by sailing to the islet of Nosy Ankarea where you come across endemic forests located right in the heart of this handkerchief of virgin land where you land by stepping on a stretch of shells. Almost uninhabited, Nosy Ankarea transports you to a wild and primordial atmosphere in which the acrobatics of these primates, the lemurs, make you think of real acrobats, clowns of nature. While butterflies land involuntarily and imperceptibly on your hands and arms.

In Nosy Komba you are greeted by turtles who also seem surprised by the landing of humans in what is a naturalistic Eden sculpted by the volcano and the wind to the point of practically giving it the shape of a carapace shell. Just over six kilometers long and five kilometers wide, it is characterized above all by the organ-shaped basalt reeds and the granite rocks. In the Malagasy language, its name means island of rocks. In the small villages of huts in Antera and Anjiabe - you can stay at the Canopee Lodge - you are won over by the kindness of the inhabitants who offer to share their dishes based on fried fish and willingly guide you along trekking routes to observe the many species of lemurs and chameleons, up to the panoramic peaks from which to enjoy the view of the cliffs, as well as in a pirogue.

A lemur in Nosy Komba

Tsarabanjina and the Indian Ocean

The jewel is definitely the islet of Tsarabanjina, a paradise surrounded by blue and green, transparent waters, where very fragrant flowers grow. Its small coves are bordered by heart-shaped rocks. Fishermen spread out their fish on the rocks to dry, and you can also visit the tomb of an ancient Malagasy king nestled between the ravines of the cliff that shows off a tender pink. In the closed bays like a hedgehog, like an alcove, the white foam powders the limbs of the body. The Constance Tsarabanjina Resort with its design-style huts and the many excursions it organizes in the archipelago, including splendid and unforgettable underwater explorations, for example in Nosy Tolholo where the groupers are beautiful, and in other “spots” of the coral reef, makes the trip to the Mitsio a truly dreamlike one.