Madagascar Attractions

Nosy Be

Nosy Be is Madagascar's premier resort island, with several smaller islands including Nosy Komba, Nosy Tanikely, Nosy Sakatia and Nosy Mitsio nearby. Nosy Be is popular with people looking for a resort-style holiday, as it has plenty of restaurants and nightlife and some excellent dive spots.

A little-known highlight of Nosy Be is Marodoka, a coastal ruin gradually being reclaimed by the bush. Local legend attributes its construction to a boatload of Indian sailors shipwrecked during the 17th or 18th century.

Antananarivo

'Tana' is like many other African capitals: crowded, polluted and noisy, but it does have some parts worth exploring. Southwest of Analakely is where the post office, banks, restaurants and nightclubs are. Uphill from there you can find the ruins of Rova, the former Queen's palace.

The hub of the lower town is Araben ny Fahaleovantena, bookended by the railway station and the Hôtel Le Glacier. This district is known as Analakely and is packed with permanent street markets, as swarms of off-white umbrellas, perched precariously on old tyre rims shade the vendors.