Madagascar

It’s hard to think of Madagascar without lemurs coming to mind – they are the country’s most famous resident after all. And you’re not going to have a chance to see them in the wild anywhere else in the world. But don’t think lemurs are all Madagascar has to offer; the island is a bona fide paradise for all kinds of wildlife. There are 300 species of birds, 260 species of reptiles and hundreds of species of insects and other mammals including humpback whales from mid-June through to October. Definitely enough to keep even the biggest wildlife lover occupied!

Madagascar is home to almost 15,000 plant species, and over 80% of these are endemic to the island and found nowhere else in the world. The spiny forests of the south are home to countless shrubs and trees from the Didereaceae family – all brutally spikey, hence the forests name. Orchid lovers can have a field day looking at the 860 species, of which 650 are indigenous, as well as the world’s eight Boabab species and the 165 species of palm trees that can only be found in certain regions of the island.

Madagascar’s beaches are probably one of the most undiscovered secrets of the Indian Ocean. You can choose between Nosy Be and one of the northern islands, Ile Sainte Marie or the southern beaches near Ifaty or Fort Dauphin. All will offer you miles of unspoilt palm-lined beach, snorkelling and diving and some of the best seafood around. No high rise resort hotels spoiling the landscape here. Only the sight of fishermen plying the trade using traditional dug-out canoes (pirogues).