Southern

Fort Dauphin & the Deep South

Fort Dauphin's dramatic coasts, Berenty's lemurs, Ifotaka's sacred spiny forests, Lavanono's surf frontier and Cape Sainte Marie's tortoises — wild beauty and deep cultural roots.

Fort Dauphin (Tolagnaro) — Gateway to the Southeast

On a peninsula framed by the Indian Ocean and the Anosy mountains, Fort Dauphin blends beaches, mountains and culture. Libanona Beach draws surfers, while excursions reach Sainte Luce Reserve, Andohahela National Park (UNESCO) and Nahampoana Reserve, and Pic St. Louis rewards hikers with sweeping panoramas.

Berenty Reserve — Lemur Paradise

One of Madagascar's most famous private reserves (1936), set in a sisal plantation by the Mandrare River. Its gallery and spiny forests shelter ring-tailed lemurs, Verreaux's sifakas and flying foxes, with diverse birdlife. Comfortable bungalows and guided day and night walks make it a perfect first stop.

Ifotaka Community Forest — Sacred Spiny Forest

Spanning 22,000 hectares, Ifotaka preserves sacred spiny thickets and gallery forest — ring-tailed lemurs, sifakas, chameleons and 50+ birds, with owls and mouse lemurs on night walks. Deeply tied to Antandroy traditions, it offers zebu-cart rides, community chalets and authentic immersion.

Lavanono — Surfers' Frontier

Remote and raw near Cape Sainte Marie, Lavanono is famed for perfect left-hand waves and unspoiled beauty. With strong trade winds (July–November), it is a paradise for surfing and kitesurfing — eco-lodges, fresh seafood, fireside music and passing whales in winter.

Cape Sainte Marie — Where Oceans Meet

At Madagascar's southernmost tip, this reserve of windswept cliffs, dunes and spiny thickets holds one of the world's highest densities of radiated and spider tortoises. Humpback whales pass from June to October; sacred caves and fragments of elephant-bird eggs add archaeological intrigue.