Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
à Sucre
( 032 54 359 82; d Ar40,000, bungalow Ar70,000), has some decent accom-
modation, but cannot compete with the alternative to the south.
AMBOLA
Ambola is a town not found on many maps, so what a surprise it is to come upon a charm-
ing boutique hotel here in this remote part of the reef. One of our End-of-the-Earth picks
(
Click here
)
,
Le Relais d'Ambola
( 032 43 555 74;
www.ambola.net
; d €30, f €70) is
one of those special places that lingers in the mind for its serenity. The hotel sits up high on
a bluff overlooking the reef, with pleasant breezes. It's also set apart by its design, which
looks inspired by the Greek islands, all white walls and blue accents. The simply-furnished
rooms are brightly coloured, with surprisingly tiled floors and distant views. The restaurant
serves up great seafood fresh from the village. Perhaps most surprising is the resident dive
operation, which gets high marks from customers who come a long way to use it. There is
no pampering here, but if you want a few days of low-key charm in pristine surroundings,
this is worth the trip from Tuléar. The hotel arranges return transfers for €65 per person.
PARC NATIONAL DE TSIMANAMPETSOTSE
This 43,200-hectare park makes a good day trip if you are in this area, but is not a general-
ist's first stop. There is a large and ancient salt lake with some part-time resident flamingos
(April to October), which doubles in size during the rainy season; a cave pool, the
grotte
mitoho
, with some endemic blind catfish; a smiling baobab tree; and most impressive of
all, a large banyan tree full of parrots and ring-tailed lemurs whose tendrils fall several
storeys into a flooded sinkhole. There are several circuits to choose from, but you can see
all of the sights in two hours.
The
MNP office
is located in the town of Efoetse, 3km from Ambola. You can arrange a
mandatory guide and itinerary here; a map of all the current routes is on display. The entry
fee is Ar10,000, guide fees are Ar10,000. A good English-speaking guide is Laurent.
ITAMPOLO
Thereefhasalreadystartedtopeteroutbythetimeyougethere,some75kmfromAmbola.
There are some very basic and dated bungalows available at
Gîte d' Etape Sud-Sud
(
94 415 27; camping Ar10,000, r Ar25,000, bungalow Ar60,000, set menus Ar20,000) if
you choose to stay. The main attraction is a gorgeous beach and decent diving.
