Go snorkelling and whale watching, see the baobabs in Reniala Forest, or head out with the local fisherman for a taste of local life.

At the end of the famous RN7, almost 1000kms south west of Tana and straddling the Tropic of Capricorn, is the town of Tulear which acts as the gateway (and crucially airport) to the beaches of the south west. These beaches face the Mozambique Channel and offer superb reefs and golden sands.

Ifaty to the north offers some comfortable guest houses on the beach as well as excellent snorkelling on the Massif des Roses Reef. There’s also the opportunity to go out with local fishermen on their Pirogues to get a taste of local life on a tailor made Ifaty beach holiday. Whale watching is excellent during the summer months between July and October, and many visitors enjoy visiting the local Reniala Forest which boasts over 1000 baobabs, many of which are hundreds of years old. It’s a great spot for birding too.

Anakao to the south is only accessed by speedboat, an inexpensive service which runs in conjunction with internal flight schedules, allowing you to get back to the airport for an early morning flight. Here you will find a few guesthouses on a wonderful beach which offers trips to the deserted island of Nosy Ve, a stunning gem of untouched beaches and a healthy population of ground nesting red-tailed tropicbirds. There is snorkelling here but it's much better to do this on a day trip to Nosy Satrana further south. Surfing is also available. On land there is Tsimanampetsotsa Nature Reserve, home to ancient baobabs, blind cave fish and an enormous Banyan Tree. There is also a huge soda lake with exquisite azure colouring contrasting beautifully with the pink resident flamingos.