Nosy Mangabe (Madagascar)

Nosy Mangabe served as a port of refuge for the Dutch in the 17th century then later became a French colonial trading post. In fact even today you can still see inscriptions that Dutch sailors engraved on rocks on their eponymous beach. You can also still see the graves of some of the island's first inhabitants.

But what really makes Nosy Mangabe worth visiting is its abundance of plants and wildlife. Unusually, the rainforest covering the island extends all the way down to the edge of the sea from an elevation of 4,300 ft. Swimming just a few yards from a forest whose canopy can reach as much as 115 ft in height is certainly not something you get to experience every day, even on a trip to Madagascar.

Due to the fact that Nosy Mangabe is an island, it is home to a large number of reptiles of various species; in fact It even has its own endemic boa. Additionally, it is also home to a large population of lemurs of different kinds – including the nocturnal and very rare aye-aye – and various species of amphibians, chameleons, insects, etc.