The South - Madagascar - page 383

the ancestors) and will then come to a small peninsula with a couple more tombs. It is still
possible to find fragments of subfossil eggshell from the long-extinct elephant bird here,
but please keep your collecting instincts under control so that others can enjoy this ex-
traordinary glimpse of the past. It is illegal to take these eggshells out of the country.
Birders would be well advised to take an early-morning walk on one of the tracks
through the spiny forest, setting off shortly before sunrise.
Diving Withdeadcoralreducingtheattractionofshallowreefforsnorkellers,theemphasis
has switched to diving. The best months for diving are between April and December when
the water is clear of sediment from the Onilahy river. Most of the hotels offer diving, or
can help with arrangements. Particularly recommended is Atlantide ( 94 940 08; m 032
4072000; e [e-mail] ),nearTranoMena,whichisPADIandCMASaccred-
ited.
Nearby islands Lying 4km west of Anakao is Nosy Ve (the name means 'is there an is-
land?'!),whichisasacredsite.IthasalonghistoryofEuropeandominationsinceaDutch-
man landed there in 1595; it was officially taken over by the French in 1888 before their
conquest of the mainland, although it is hard to see why: it is a flat, scrub-covered little
island.
What makes Nosy Ve special to modern-day invaders is the tranquillity of its white
beaches, the snorkelling onits fringing reef, andthe world'ssouthernmost breeding colony
of red-tailed tropic-birds. They breed year-round so you can be sure of seeing them at their
nest sites under bushes at the southern end of the island, as well as flying overhead.
A 2,000Ar fee must be paid to visit the island. Camping is not allowed and there are
no buildings. Visits are dependent for their success on wind and tide (strong wind makes
snorkelling difficult; high tide is equally unrewarding for snorkellers and beachcombers).
For this reason visits with fishermen using pirogues, which can land at low tide, are more
successful thanbylargemotorboats. Withlittle naturalshadeontheisland,makesureyour
boatman erects a sail on the beach to provide respite from the burning sun. There are fady
prohibiting harming the tropic-birds and defecating on the beach, and tourists should also
respect the ancestors by keeping away from the tombs.
Further south, Nosy Satrana is a small peaceful island closer to the shore (in fact you
can walk out to it on a sandbar at low tide). It offers excellent diving and good snorkelling,
but no tropic-birds.
Mangoro mangrove This mangrove is about an hour's walk down the beach from Chez
Diego,butitismorerewardingtoexplorethisplacebyboat.Thebirdlifeisgoodwithbee-
eaters, vasa parrots, flamingoes, harrier-hawks and plovers amongst species seen here.