Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
cessed via the Pangalanes Canal, before rejoining the good road which connects the two
seasidetownsofMananjaryandManakara,andcontinuestothetownofFarafangana.After
Vangaindrano the road becomes unpredictable, although a trickle of adventurous travellers
manage to reach Taolagnaro (Fort Dauphin).
PANGALANES
This series of lakes was linked by artificial canals in French colonial times for commercial
use, a quiet inland waterway being preferable to an often stormy sea. Over the years the
canalsbecamechokedwithvegetationandnolongerpassable,buttheyaregraduallybeing
cleared so that in future there may once again be an unbroken waterway stretching 665km
from Toamasina to Vangaindrano (see box on
Click Here
). Currently 430km are, in theory,
navigable, and some tour operators offer one- to four-day trips down the canal.
Thequietwatersofthecanalandlakesaremuchusedbylocalfishermenfortransporting
their goods in pirogues and for fishing. In recent years Pangalanes has been developed for
tourism, withlakeside bungalowsandprivate nature reserves competing withthetradition-
al ocean resorts.
The tourist centre is
Lake Ampitabe,
55km south of Toamasina. It has broad white
beaches, clean water for swimming, a private nature reserve with several introduced spe-
ciesoflemurandtheLacauxNepentheswherethereareliterallythousandsofinsect-eating
pitcher plants. Only really accessible by boat, it is beautifully quiet and peaceful. In 2000,
Hotel Ony (see
Click Here
) opened on
Lake Rasoamasay,
10km further south.
GETTING THERE AND AWAY
Each hotel provides boat transfers for guests as part
of the package. Reaching the lodges from RN2 involves a drive to Manambato on Lake
Rasoabe (see
Click Here
) followed by a boat journey north (25 minutes to Lake
Rasoamasay; 45 minutes to Lake Ampitabe) or you can take a motor launch from the Port
Fluvial in Toamasina (1½-2 hours).
DISTANCES IN KILOMETRES
Toamasina-Vatomandry 189km
Vatomandry-Mahanoro 70km
Mahanoro-Nosy Varika 91km
Nosy Varika-Mananjary 109km
Mananjary-Manakara
152km
