Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
these are dug by gold miners; and indeed we come upon a group of people panning
for gold.
After hiking in the heat for another half hour, our guide points to the top of a tree
where we see a sifaka! Soon enough, he motions us along further, and there is a group
of eight more, all far up in the trees. As we watch them, they begin to come down to
us, scrambling down the trunks, and leaping from tree to tree. Their leaping is one of
the most amazing things I've ever seen. They are spring-loaded. With barely a sign
thatitisabouttoleap,asifakawillsuddenlythrustwithitsbacklegsandshoot20-30
feet horizontally to another tree, grabbing effortlessly to cling to that trunk. Beautiful
and thrilling.
Theykeepcomingdown,peeringaroundthetreesatus,untilsomearejustfivefeet
away, watching us with their curious brown eyes. A little baby clings to his mother's
back as she approaches. As she settles in to watch us, he asserts his independence and
climbs onto a nearby branch, only to leap again onto her back at the slightest sound.
Later wewatch asshewalksonherhindlegsacrosstheforestfloor,walking inakind
ofdancewithherbabyridingalong.Itis
fady
tokilltheminthisareaandsotheyhave
no fear of humans. These are among the rarest primates in the world; yet here, in their
home, they are so easily viewed. It is a remarkable and delightful opportunity, well
worth the discomforts of the journey.
In Daraina, cheap food and simple accommodation can be found at
Hôtel Camarade
.
For more information contact FANAMBY ( /
f
22 288 78;
e
fanamby@fanamby.org.mg
;
IHARANA (VOHEMAR)
This seafront town, known almost universally as Vohemar,
markstheendofthegoodroadnorthfromSambavaandAndapa,andthestartoftherather
bad road connecting the east coast with RN6.
Partofitscharmisanearabsenceoftourists,butthereareacoupleofbeachfronthotels.
And in contrast to the roaring ocean further down the coast, Iharana's bay is sheltered and
protected by a reef. If you potter along the low tide pools you can find a wealth of sea
creatures. Keep walking and you'll pass a sacred tree, hung with white cloth and zebu
skulls. It's a reminder that the local culture is still very much intact in this isolated place.
The town itself is nothing special. There is a BOA bank, an internet café, a pharmacy, a
lively nightclub (Zanzibar), a few restaurants and some surprisingly good gift shops.
Getting there and away
The easiest way to get here is to fly to Sambava then take a
taxi-
brousse
for the two-hour road journey. The route from Antsiranana is described earlier in
this chapter.
