The West - Madagascar - page 657

MadaMora Tours m 032 02 361 20; e [e-mail] ; www.mada-mora.com .
Various excursions by truck.
Baobab Tours Based at Baobab Café. Large selection of vehicle & boat trips including
deep-sea fishing. Pricey.
Remote River Expeditions e [e-mail] ; www.remoterivers.com . Based at
Chez Maggie. Vehicles & multilingual guides. Catamaran, sailing, diving, birding & other
specialist trips. See ad on Click Here .
Francois Vahiako Head of the Morondava Guide Association. Based at Bougainvilliers.
Jean Michel Golfier Raherinirina 95 921 14; m 032 04 704 53; e hy-
[e-mail] . Recommended English-speaking guide.
Jean le Rasta Based at Oasis. Recommended by several travellers as efficient. Speaks
good English & has a 4x4.
Yves Marohao 95 520 89; e [e-mail] . English-speaking guide & tour
organiser.
EXCURSIONS FROM MORONDAVA
AVENUE DES BAOBABS ( www.alleedesbaobabs.org ) This cluster of towering Gran-
didier's baobabs is one of Madagascar's most famous views. In 2008 the Avenue (together
with about 300 baobabs in the surrounding 1km) became an officially protected natural
monument. There is now a car park and a fee to pay to visit. A new organisation called
Fomba(FriendsofMadagascar'sBaobabs)isdeveloping theareawithasouvenirshop,in-
formation office, canopy walkway, campsite and tree nursery. You can support the projects
by sponsoring a baobab via their website!
TogetthereturnleftoffRN35about13kmfromMorondava,andthebaobabsare5.5km
furtheron.Ittakesabout40minutesbycar/taxi,oryoucancomebybikeorquad.Thebest
light for photography is just before sunset (it brings out the red hue in the bark) but sunrise
is almost as good, and you're much more likely to have the place to yourself.
BAOBABS AMOUREUX These baobab 'lovers', so called because they are a romantic-
ally intertwined pair, have become almost as famous as Avenue des Baobabs itself. Turn
left 3.5km beyond the Avenue and you will find them a further 3.5km down this track.
MAROFANDILIA If driving to or from Kirindy, do stop at this inspiring village. The
Boutique d'Art Sakalave is a roadside shop 19km beyond the turning for the Baobabs
Amoureux, and 28km from RN35. Begun as a Peace Corps project, the boutique is now