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Fort Dauphin
Madagascar Travel Guide
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Fort Dauphin
Discover the magic of the Malagasy Great South by venturing to an exceptional coastline, meeting the Antandroy ("those of thorns") and Antanosy ("those of the island") people. A trip you generally never can get over!
To get to the coast and its endless sand trails, the road passes through arid vegetation which is surprisingly typical of this southernmost region of the Great Island, as well as big spaces where the baobab tree reigns. If you aren't bothered being pricked by cactus, euphorbia or didiereaceae, you aren't afraid of the heat or maybe you just like dragging your feet in the warm sand, the Great South will certainly charm you!
After an uncomfortable and tiring trip on a sandy road, arriving in Fort Dauphin, the capital of this "end-of-the-world", as well as a lobster capital, compares to seeing an oasis in the middle of the desert. For you, survivors of the trail, the initiation to bush life, between land and sea, it's time for a beautiful story...
Located in a beautiful spot between land and sea, surrounded by Pic Saint-Louis and the green foothills of Anosy, Fort Dauphin remains one of the ends of the world, as there are very few on the planet.
Its pleasant climate and ideal location very close to some tropical reserves (Berenty and Nahampoana) with endemic vegetation, and true havens for lemurs, chameleons, tortoises and crocodiles, offer many discovery opportunities, from immersion in the bush to meeting the local population and hikes for any level of hiker.
Known for their ancestral funerary art, the Antandroy and Antanosy ethnic groups, who survive thanks to meager coal production, display their aloalo decorated headstones, or sculptures conataining the zebu and figures from the life of the deceased along the roadsides.
From the tranquillity of Lake Lanirano to the fishing village of Evatra and the heavenly Lokaro Bay, all the ingredients come together to make the gorgeous postcard of infinitely pristine beauty.
Lokarno, a beautiful bay with white sand beaches bordered by primary forest, guarantees a change of scenery to particpate in various seaside activities: snorkelling, fishing, watching sea turtles, fishing for lobster, taking walks on the coast, discovering the still-untouched islands covered with brown boulders or quite simply relaxing on a big white sand beach.
Warning to anyone who loves crystal clear waters and island paradise! Here, surrounded by the sea on all sides, the Great South begins to work its magic on these long beaches... Stay and behold the colourful sunset on the Indian Ocean and forget about the troubles that may have led you there...
Long and demanding, all road trips leaving from Fort Dauphin are perfect for skilled "trail lovers" who aren't afraid to be uncomfortable, for they will be rewarded with extraordinary landscapes.
Salt lakes and their flamingos, river crossings, cliffs along the sea, huge sand banks dotted with cactus including nepenthes, the carnivorous endemic plant characteristic of the south: taking the coastal trail to the Malagasy South spans a succession of landscapes each more surprising than the last in an end-of-the-world setting.
As most visitors choose to get to the village of Anakao and its display of multicolored canoes by going through the charming village of Itampolo, completing the loop by going up the east coast to Manakara remains an option reserved for only a select few. A dedicated and unrivaled course alternating bivouacs on pristine beaches and encounters with welcoming people in completely isolated places, conducive to escape and adventure without going over the top...
