From Toamasina to Mananjary, lakes, lagoons, streams connected by canals dug out at the end of the 19^th Century, totalling up to 600 kilometres of waterway, known as the Pangalanes Canal.

Pangalanes Canal

The Canal runs parallel to the Indian Ocean. The strip of land between the salt and the sweet water measures just a few dozen metres.

The purpose of the canal was transport between Toamasina and the many villages and towns along the canal. Until this day the canal serves as such.

It is easy to navigate a boat on these waters, and it is very worthwhile.  The canal and its banks are a rare combination of an ecological system dominated by the Indian Ocean and that of the tropical forests more inland.

On the inland-shores there are areas where the plants are abundant, especially in the remaining pockets of tropical forest. There are little villages to visit and several tourist destinations, like a lemur park, a nature reserve, an agro touristic site, a distillery of essential oils, an orchid garden, …. too much to mention.

 

Mountain Tropical Rainforests

Andasibe is the centre of an extensive area with well-preserved Mountain Tropical Rainforest. Tourists can choose from no less than four parks to visit.

The National Park Andasibe, formerly known as Perinet is the oldest National Park in Madagascar.

Across the road the village association maintains the Mitsinjo Park with dedication and enthusiasm.

And between these two parks and the cute traditional village Andasibe the VOI MMA Park is run by the village committee that is responsible for the maintenance of their patch of primary forest.

Wildlife

In all three parks the Indri-Indri, Madagascar’s largest living lemur, can easily be spotted.

A little further away in the fourth park, the National Park Mantadia, the diademed sifaka and the black-and-white ruffed lemur can be found. And also at some distance, the Mitsinjo Park runs a swamp forest with for fanciers a mouth-watering variety of frogs and birds.

 

 

When strolling along the white sandy beaches of Toamasina you cannot but spot the intriguing island a little offshore from Toamasina with its lighthouse like an admonishing finger.

The island is uninhabited. A boat trip of about 45 minutes takes you there. And then it is time to relax, to swim, to snorkel, to climb the lighthouse and enjoy the panoramic view, or wander through the forest to take the bats unaware.

It is the Pteropus Rufusi, or flying fox, a fruit bat and an endemic species.

 

The yearly festival of whales on the little island Ste Marie, off the east coast of Madagascar took place from the 4^th to the 7^th of July.

Every year the humpback whales migrate from the Antarctic to the warm waters of the Bay of Antongil in the North East of Madagascar to give birth and to mate. From the end of June till the beginning of September they return with their new-born calves to the Antarctic. The whales are sacred for the inhabitants of Ile Ste Marie. Still, tourists are welcome to their festivities and special whale spotting tours are organised. Strict rules are obeyed as not to disturb the animals.

 

 

Rainforests of Atsinanana, East-Madagascar on the List of World Heritage in Danger

Last July the UNESCO World Heritage Committee inscribed the rainforests of Antsinanana on the List of World Heritage in Danger. Their reason to do so is: “…because of illegal logging and hunting of endangered lemurs on the site. The Committee noted that despite a decree outlawing the exploitation and export of rosewood and ebony, Madagascar continues to provide export permits for illegally logged timber. It also noted that countries that had ratified the World Heritage Convention are known destinations for this timber. The Committee urged Madagascar to take all necessary measures to enforce the decree and halt illegal logging activities. It also encouraged the State Party to organise a high level meeting of countries concerned to ensure that illegal timber originating from Madagascar is both banned and prevented from entering their national markets.

Having completed its separation from all other land masses more than 60 million years ago, Madagascar’s plant and animal life evolved in isolation. The Rainforests of Atsinanana, comprising six national parks on the eastern side of the country, are critically important for maintaining ongoing ecological processes necessary for the survival of the island’s unique biodiversity, which reflects its geological history. Many species are rare and threatened, especially primates and lemurs.”
(source: http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/639)

Some of our ecotreks include parts of the rainforests of Antsinanana. Our partners in Madagascar do their best to preserve the rainforests and together with other organisations counterbalance this devastating development.