Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE GREAT REEF
A great reef stretches over 450km along the southwestern coast of Madagascar, making it
the fifth-largest coral reef in the world. It is the main attraction in the region, from Andavad-
oaka in the north to Itampolo in the south, with its own changing personality. Interestingly,
no one knows what to call it. Some use 'the Great Reef of Tuléar', but that actually refers to
a particular barrier reef off that city. So The Great Reef of Madagascar it is.
The Great Reef comes in three potential forms, a fringing reef close-in, a patch reef of
coral heads, and an outer barrier reef. The latter creates very broad and shallow in-shore la-
goons, and makes for dramatic scenery, with large waves crashing in the distance, forming
a vibrant line of white. The beaches range from broken coral to spectacular white powder.
There are many popular activities to pursue here: sunbathing, snorkelling, diving, fishing,
whale-watching (July to September), surfing, and sailing among them. There are also sever-
al offshore islands that make for interesting outings.
The diving, however, can't compare with other spots in the West Indian Ocean, like
Pemba, Mayotte, or northern Mozambique. In recent decades over-fishing, river runoff, and
other human disturbances have degraded reef health, particularly in shallow, near-shore, and
lagoonal reefs. The most remote sites, particularly those further offshore, are in the best
shape. In any case, divers are advised to thoroughly check over any rental dive equipment.
Each entry point to the reef has its own pros and cons to assess. There are several prop-
erties with spectacular natural locations - Salary Bay, Anakao Lodge, Manga Lodge, and
Valahantsaka, to name a few - and some wonderful end-of-the-world spots, too, like Andav-
adoaka, St Augustine, and Ambola. There's an outstanding art hotel, Bakuba, and the best
budget hotel south of Tana, Peter Pan (
Click here
)
. On the downside, fresh water and elec-
tricity can be an issue, necessitating generators during limited hours and water conservation
measures, and local villages tend to use the sea as a latrine. But the major problem, as ever,
is transport. On the other hand, if it were easy to get to any of these places, you wouldn't be
off the beaten path, would you?
