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The Great Reef

A reef stretches over 450km along the southwestern coast of Madagascar, making it the fifth-largest coral reef in the world. Running from Andavadoaka in the north to Itampolo in the south, it's the main attraction in the region, with its own changing personality.

The Great Reef comes in three forms: a fringing reef close in, a patch reef of coral heads and an outer barrier reef. The last creates very broad and shallow inshore lagoons and makes for dramatic scenery, with large waves crashing in the distance, forming a vibrant line of white. The beaches range from broken coral to spectacular white powder. There are many activities to pursue here: sunbathing, snorkelling, diving, fishing, whale watching (mid-June or early July to September), surfing and sailing among them.

Resort towns and ramshackle fishing villages line the shoreline, while the city of Tuléar is the gateway to both the Northern and Southern Reef.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout The Great Reef.

  • See

    Arboretum d'Antsokay

    This is the one must-see attraction in Tuléar. Essentially a 400,000-sq-metre distillation of the entire spiny forest in one place, it's a fantastic collection of 900 plant species; take a guide (tip expected) to learn more about the weird and wonderful plants on show here. It was established by a Swiss botanist and conservationist in 1980; his ancient Citroen that once used to gather the plants is now being consumed by them. Madagascar National Parks (MNP) take note: clone this place. Night tours (Ar10,000) leave at 5.45pm.

  • See

    Parc National Tsimanampetsotse

    This 432-sq-km park and its large, ancient salt lake hosts some part-time resident flamingos (April to October). Amid the spiny forest, watch also for a large banyan tree full of parrots and ring-tailed lemurs. The park is home to four further lemur species. Verreaux's sifaka are commonly seen during daylight hours, and keep an eye out for sleeping nocturnal species such as the tiny grey-brown mouse lemur, fat-tailed dwarf lemur and white-footed sportive lemur.

  • See

    Reniala Nature Reserve

    This is a 0.6-sq-km spiny forest full of baobab trees and some birds. There are two circuits, one of 45 minutes to an hour and the other of 1½ to two hours. The Arboretum in Tuléar is better, but this one's still worth supporting and worth a visit. There's also an on-site lemur rescue centre, with some in cages, others in semiwild enclosures in readiness for their release into the wild.

  • See

    Réserve Spéciale Beza-Mahafaly

    Southwest of the RN7 from Andranovory, the Réserve Spéciale Beza-Mahafaly is better known as a scientific venture rather than a tourist destination, but travellers are welcome to explore its six hiking circuits (750m to 12km). The spiny and riverine forest here harbours four species of lemur (ring-tailed, white-footed and mouse lemur, as well as Verreaux's sifaka), four species of tenrec (including the large-eared tenrec), fossa, radiated tortoise and more than 100 bird species.

  • See

    Mangrove Information Center

    On the west side of the road, 12km north of Tuléar, a sign directs you to the Mangrove Information Center a 2-sq-km wetland complex created by Honko, a Belgian NGO. The main attraction is a 1.5km wooden boardwalk. It’s a nice place to stretch your legs on the way north, with a trail through the mangroves, educational placards and a lovely tower overlooking a river. Guided tours of between 2km and 4km, and one to three hours in duration, are excellent.

  • See

    Village des Tortues

    Near Reniala Nature Reserve, this 70,000-sq-metre park protects over 1000 radiated and spider tortoises. A guided tour of the grounds (in English) tells you the full story of these endangered animals and how they are being conserved. It takes less than an hour, so it's a worthy break from the beach.

  • See

    La Table

    This table mountain is unmissable as you approach Tuléar down the RN7, about 10km from town. There’s a relatively easy trail to the top, which takes about 20 minutes to climb, and is a great place to watch the sunset. Go early or late in summer. For Ar40,000 you can hire a taxi in town to take you here and the nearby arboretum.

  • See

    Musée Cedratom

    This small, three-room museum is run by the local university and features exhibits on local culture, an elephant-bird egg and other oddities, including an ancient mask with real human teeth. Interesting place that's worth half an hour of your time.