Madagascar

One of the world’s last undiscovered corners, Madagascar, with unique flora and fauna and hugely diverse terrain, is like nowhere else on earth.

Situated in the Indian Ocean off the coast of southern Africa, Madagascar is the world's fourth-largest island. Having broken free of the African mainland around 88 million years ago, it is understandably culturally and geographically very different, having evolved independently.

Madagascar is split into four main areas: the central region of Madagascar is characterised by highlands, the east coast is largely covered by dense rainforests, the west coast is now open savannah, reminiscent of that of the great plains of East Africa, and the southern tip of the island is semi-desert with great forests of cactus-like plants.

Much of Madagascar's incredible flora and fauna is unique to the island, with many endemic species such as lemurs, chameleons and a huge variety of butterflies. These species mean that several of Madagascar's national parks are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The diverse cultures in Madagascar and the range of flora and fauna make a visit to this island a unique experience.

Antananarivo (known locally as Tana), is situated in the central part of the island of Madagascar. The city is dramatically set around three hills with a ridge that rises to above 1400m, bisecting the city. It was founded as a fortress in the early 17th century by the Merina rulers, and the Queen’s Palace that overlooks the city from the top of the ridge is a spectacular monument.

Eastern Madagascar covers an extremely diverse range of landscapes and climates. The hilly and forested north is home to a great variety of lemur species, best seen in the Parc National d’Andasibe Mantadia, three hours east of Antananarivo. At the coast, the Canal des Pangalanes is an absolute must-do for the more adventurous traveller.

For those wanting to combine some great outdoors adventure with a relaxing beach escape in a relatively short time frame, northern Madagascar has it all. The Diego Suarez area is a well-kept secret with national parks so wild that four new lemur species were discovered as recently as 2006. Nosy Be is an island off the north west coast of Madagascar, known as the ’Perfumed Isle’.

Southern Madagascar is consistently the hottest and driest part of the country, with surreal landscapes to fulfil any photographer’s dreams. Exotic flora, spiny forests and avenues of giant baobabs conspire to make the visitor feel they have arrived on another planet. The far southeast is difficult to access by road so most travellers fly into Fort Dauphin, where two oceans meet.

The ’wild’ west coast is renowned for its beautiful secluded beaches and is wonderfully undiscovered due to its inaccessibility (except by plane). Baobab forests, coral islands and strange karst rock formations, or ’tsingy’, make for a slightly surreal kind of paradise.

Scott Dunn: ANYTHING ELSE IS JUST A HOLIDAY

Madagascar

Central Madagascar

Eastern Madagascar

Northern Madagascar

Southern Madagascar

Western Madagascar