The West - Madagascar - page 655

Philaos (Filaos) (19 rooms) Nosy Kely; / f 9 520 81; m 032 05 621 02;
e [e-mail] . Some rooms with AC & small kitchen; others much cheaper with fans.
Very nice; secluded.
Morondava Beach (16 bungalows) 95 523 18; m 032 40 213 99;
e [e-mail] ; www.hgi-mbeach.com . A wide range of en-suite rooms at vary-
ing prices from fan & cold shower to hot water, minibar & AC. Full range of excursions.
ANT LIONS (KONONONO)
In the reserves of the south and west - or anywhere that trails are sandy rather than
muddy - one of the most enjoyable pursuits for sadists is feeding the ant lions. Look
for a small, conical pit in the sand, find an ant or other small insect, and drop it in.
There'll be a flurry of activity at the bottom of the pit - grains of sand will be thrown
up to smother the ant - and it will either be pulled dramatically down into the depths
of the pit or manage to escape with its life.
The ant lion will metamorphose into a flying insect resembling a dragonfly. Chil-
dren in the northwest of Madagascar have recognised the decorative potential of the
larvae and call them kononono which means 'nipple badge'. Once you persuade one
to grasp a soft piece of skin (such as a nipple) it will hang on for hours!
The name teaches you another Malagasy word: nono , which means 'nipple' or
'breast'. (Think of the sound of a baby sucking and you'll recognise the onomato-
poeia.) And from this comes ronono , the Malagasy word for milk - literally 'sauce of
the nipple'!
For more on ant lions see the box on Click Here .
Bougainvilliers (8 bungalows & 12 rooms) Nosy Kely; 95 521 63/921 63;
e [e-mail] . Wide range of rooms/prices; some with AC; some en suite. Organises
trips. Visa accepted.
Continental 95 521 52. Downtown 3-storey hotel with a variety of rooms: some
budget & some with AC.
Piroguiers (4 bungalows) Betania; 95 526 19; e [e-mail] . Fabulous
bungalows on stilts in a delightful Makoa fishing village across the river.
La Romance Namahora; 95 921 88; m 032 40 708 36; e laro-
[e-mail] . Situated 500m from main road. En-suite dbl & trpl bunga-
lows with TV.
Moramora Beach e [e-mail] . At Kimona Beach, 4km up the
coast from town. Simple bungalows.
Budget €€