When the large island of Madagascar was separated from Africa 160 million years ago, it took with it a diversity of wildlife that was then able to thrive and evolve in isolation, in its own unique way. For this reason alone, the flora and fauna of the place seems almost magical; as if it were straight from the imagination of the animators who made it famous!

From the infamous Baobab trees, to its 60 different species of lemur, Madagascar is a jungle paradise that has to be seen. The cuisine here, influenced by its Asian, African and European settlers, is a melting pot of flavours infused into local crops; rice, maize, cassava and peanuts. As for what makes this part of the world a highly desirable tourist destination, you need look no further than the beauty of the natural landscape, manmade, historical wonders and exciting beach resorts.

Reuters reported that there was a 20% increase in tourists visiting Madagascar last year and we can report that we get literally hundreds of enquiries about travelling to Madagascar every month from people looking for an entertaining family holiday, adventurous couples and solo travellers, as well as groups who want to both explore and unwind. Its a particularly compelling location for those who love hiking, diving, scuba and sunning themselves on beautiful beaches, while tropical birds call overhead.

As the 4^th largest island in the world, adrift in the Indian Ocean, the best way to see all the highlights the country has to offer and gain a real insight into the Malagasy culture is to book yourself onto an all inclusive luxury escorted tour. Youll travel from coast to coast, taking in the sights and have the most incredible experiences. In this post were going to look at what makes Madagascar so special and why people return here time and time again.

Wildlife in Madagascar

The wildlife in Madagascar is available for all to see in the national parks and its uniqueness is astounding. Were not going to go into all the many species of lemurs there are, but suffice to say these monkey like creatures with their long, ringed tails and friendly faces will keep you entertained with their antics for many an hour. Even the nocturnal lemurs can be seen during the day, because they sleep in the tree hollows.

The tiniest lemurs, mouse lemurs, are very sweet and if youre in the country in October or November, you might even see some baby lemurs, clinging to their mothers backs. Keep your eyes peeled for dancing lemurs too, known as Sifakas. Theyre relatively large in size and swing gracefully back and forth on their hind legs through the clearings instead of walking on all fours.

Flying foxes are not foxes with wings, but rather fruit eating bats. Look up into the trees and you might see them hanging there, alongside aye ayes, which you might hear before you spot with your eyes, as they use their long middle fingers to tap insects out of the tree bark. Fossa and mongoose are both carnivorous creatures, with cat like faces, but dont approach them as they have very sharp teeth. Best admired from afar!

Madagascar is known for being home to at least half the worlds chameleons; of varying sizes and colours. Geckos, frogs and snakes are also abundant here. Luckily, none of the snakes are known to be of a variety that is a danger to humans.

Professional guides will be able to direct you to the best wildlife viewing spots, so you wont have to waste your time looking for native creatures where none are known to roam. Youll never forget the time you blinked into the dusk and watched the lemurs waking to begin their day.This easy 2-week holiday in Madagascar combines lush lemur-rich rainforests with the reef-protected beach on Ile Sainte-Marie. See the full itinerary

Cuisine in Madagascar

Rice is a staple of many meals here, which is reasonable given that it grows in such quantity. However, the amount of varieties and the different cooking methods that can be applied to achieve a range of textures is impressive. It might appear wet in a bowl with the consistency of porridge, or it might be dry and fluffy. It is often served with meat and vegetables. Zebu meat, beef, pork and fish are all popular, as are cabbages, carrots, onions and salad greens. Dominating the flavours are peanuts, coconuts, ginger and cloves.

Those with a sweet tooth will enjoy a sugary batter known as Malagasy bread and is often eaten at breakfast time, along with pineapples and bananas. Deep fried, sweetened dough, fresh sugarcane and yoghurt are also popular desserts, along with coconut milk pudding and a cake made with banana leaves, peanuts and caramelised sugar. The french influence on the island is obvious in the amount of patisserie its possible to buy here. Taste the many flavours of this massive island on an Intrepid tour, Experience Madagascar.

Top tourist attractions in Madagascar

Madagascar is an island and a large one too! This means theres a lot of coastline to explore and arguably some of the worlds nicest beaches can be found here. The Mitsio Islands with their turquoise waters and exotic fish life are very popular, as are the big surfing waves at Libanona. For perfect serenity, you could dip a toe in the waters at Anakao; a great place for canoeing and watching red tailed birds fly overhead. Nosy Be is the big name in beach resorts. Here you can dive and snorkel, while black lemurs clamber around on the ground nearby. Not on the coast, but still watery places of wonder are Lake Itasy with its spectacular falls of the Chute de la Lily, the Tsiribihina River mangroves and the waterfalls of Amber Mountain. The ‘Madagascar in style‘ tour offers the incredible opportunity to see some of Madagascars top tourist attractions in just 14 days.

If its the architecture and heritage of the country that most interests you, youll enjoy strolling around the palaces of Ambohimanga and the Queens Palace. As for spotting wildlife, youll need to head over to one of the national parks. Youll find singing frogs and reptiles at the Andasibe Mantadia national rainforest park, lemurs at the Montagne dArbe National Park and diverse, exciting landscape features at the Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park.

For arts and crafts, try the market at Antsirabe, or if you fancy exploring the urban capital of Antananarivo, youll find plenty of gifts for sale to take home, as well as a load of great places to eat. The best place to get a cup of fresh tea, however, has got to be the Sahambavy tea plantation. You can book a factory tour and tasting session.

All of the above is great, but theres one attraction that stands out above all the rest and thats a tour of the unusual looking Baobab trees in Baobab Alley. Its a natural tree lined avenue just half an hour away from Morondava. Walk down the dusty track and marvel at this iconic sight. Its at its most impressive during dusk or dawn. See the markets of Madagascar on this 15 day ‘Land of the Lemur‘ tour with Titan Travel

Booking your trip to Madagascar

This is a fascinating country to explore, with tropical features, idyllic beaches and stunningly original wildlife. If youre ready to start booking your tour of the place, the LCD team will be able to find a tour that suits your interests, travel preferences and budget. No matter whether youre a foodie, keen to try the Malagasy cuisine, a nature enthusiast who wants to experience all of the worlds most gloriously beautiful landscapes, or you want the chance to get up close and personal with birds and creatures that you wont find living wild anywhere else in the world, please get in touch.

We are a trusted booking partner for a huge range of award winning and internationally respected tour operators. We can advise you on which packages youre likely to enjoy the most, as well as provide you with the intricate details of each. Get in touch now and you could find yourself heading off into the eastern sunset in just a few weeks!