The east coast is Madagascar’s most luxuriant region because it receives a lot of rain during much of the year. The driest period lasts from Mid-August to mid-December; whereas from mid-December to March, the weather is generally fine, with some rain mainly in the evenings, but occasionally there is a risk of hurricanes. The weather in April and May is variable, with alternating dry and rainy days; from June to mid-August it is cooler and rains frequently. So in spite of its sometimes problematic weather, the east coast offers extraordinary landscapes: verdant savannah covered by Ravinala palms (« the traveller’s tree »), coconut palms, beautiful flowers, perfumed essences and spices, ferns and all kinds of tropical plants, and gaudily coloured birds.
The best itinerary goes from the capital to the coast town of Toamasina, the Country’s main harbour, driving on a nice, paved road, and making some stops to visit the most interesting places such as the Marozevo breeding station for butterflies and chameleons; the ethnographic museum at Moramanga and, above all, the Andasibe Reserve where you can admire, among the other lemurs, the Indri-Indri, the biggest ones, living in their rainforest habitat.
During this itinerary you can also see the interesting Pangalana Canal, which runs parallel with the sea and offers gorgeous landscapes.
A tour of the east coast wouldn’t be complete without visiting the island of Nosy Boraha. This island is not only a well-known seaside resort, but also a historic region, filled with traditions, marvellous landscapes, clove plantations, lush forests, unforgettable views of the ocean and sheltered bays. Also remember that between July and October you can do whalewatching of Humpback Whales.
Antananarivo (Google Map)
The east coast is Madagascar’s most luxuriant region because it receives a lot of rain during much of the year. The driest period lasts from Mid-August to mid-December; whereas from mid-December to March, the weather is generally fine, with some rain mainly in the evenings, but occasionally there is a risk of hurricanes. The weather in April and May is variable, with alternating dry and rainy days; from June to mid-August it is cooler and rains frequently.
Take a short visit of the capital town, Antananarivo; then departure in private car along the beautiful road that crosses the oriental highland, among woods of pines and eucalyptuses, rice fields in the flooded lowlands and the typical villages of the local populations Merina and Bezanozano; have lunch in the restaurant; at the end, continuation of the road itinerary up to Manambato village, on the shore of Pangalana Channel; from there it start the navigation for about 40’ to reach the lake Rasoabe where Ankanin’Ny Nofy site is; at the arrival set up in your hotel Le Palmarium (standard room) or similar; in the evening, dinner and overnight in the hotel.
After the breakfast, visit of the luxuriant Palmarium reserve where lemurs and other animals are found; at the end, time at your disposal on the shores of the lake; have lunch to the Palmarium hotel; then, embarkation for the boat trip for about 2 hours up to Toamasina; transfer in the hotel Sharon (standard room) or similar; in the evening, dinner and overnight in the hotel.
Breakfast in hotel; departure by private car along the paved road through tropical plains; then the road climbs up on the hill and the mountains where you find pin and eucalyptus forests; arriving in Andasibe and set up in hotel Vakona Forest Lodge (standard room) or similar; have lunch in the restaurant; in the afternoon visit Vakona private reserve;; in the evening, dinner and overnight in the hotel.
Breakfast in the hotel; whole morning devoted for an excursion in the special reserve of Andasibe: a beautiful rain forest, with gigantic and secular trees, lakes, where various endemic birds live, as chameleons and 11 kinds of lemurs, of which the famous Indri-Indri: the symbol of the reserve and the greatest living lemur; have lunch in the restaurant; in the afternoon, continuation of the trip; ; stop to Marozevo to admire a breeding of animals, what chameleons, geckos, reptiles, crocodiles and splendid colored butterflies; arrival in Antananarivo at the end of the day.
