Toliara Tulear, Madagascar
Madagascar
2
Cruises availables
At departure or passage at this port
Frequently Asked Questions
At the port of Toliara, on the Mozambique Channel, at the gateway to Madagascar's deep southwest. The call is worth less for the city itself, dusty and endearing, than for what surrounds it: the spiny forest, the reef and the Vezo fishing villages.
It is the finest introduction there is to the flora of southwestern Madagascar, right by the southern edge of town. This botanical garden created by a Swiss enthusiast holds around 900 plant species, almost all endemic: bulbous baobabs, pachypodiums, aloes, euphorbias and those strange octopus trees whose thorn-covered arms wave toward the sky.
No. The visit follows flat, easy paths with shaded spots to catch your breath, and two good hours pass easily. The guides explain how each plant survives months without rain, and how healers still draw remedies and infusions from them.
The Antsokay Arboretum and a wander around town fit comfortably into the day. If you prefer the sea, the track to Ifaty and the lagoon takes up all the remaining time on its own: it is one or the other, not both.
They are the people of the southwest coast, who have lived from the sea for generations. North of Toliara, a track follows the shore to the villages around Ifaty: outrigger canoes set out at first light under sail and come back loaded with brightly coloured fish. The beach serves in turn as boatyard, market and playground.
Yes, off Ifaty, where a coral reef shelters a calm lagoon. The water is warm and runs through every shade of green and blue. Allow the full day: the coast track from Toliara is not quick.
At Reniala reserve, a fragment of spiny forest that some tours add to the Ifaty outing. Baobabs several centuries old raise trunks so wide it takes several people to encircle them. The contrast with the nearby lagoon is striking.
The shell market, laying out mother-of-pearl and cowries near the waterfront, the main street stalls overflowing with pareos and baskets, and the small regional museum devoted to ritual objects and the traditions of the southern peoples. Zebu carts pass bicycles in a cloud of ochre dust.
The Malagasy ariary, in small denominations, and Malagasy. French is spoken in shops and by guides. Bring cash: at the shell market as on the Ifaty track, credit cards are of no use.
April to November, though the region enjoys sun for most of the year: it is one of the most arid in Madagascar. Midday heat is fierce and dry; a hat, water and sunscreen are not optional, even for a simple stroll around town.
