Serra Malagueta (Chili/Pepper Mountains) is a mountain range located in the north of Santiago, and together with the one around Pico da Antónia (1394 m), the highest peak on the island, it is an important rain catcher. Because of its mountainous interior, the biggest island of the archipelago with the most inhabitants receives more rain […]
Schlagwort: Meer
Cidade Velha
In 1462, Antonio da Noli, an Italian seafarer exploring the Atlantic Ocean for the Portuguese, built a settlement at the exit auf Ribeira Grande, a beautiful valley at the south coast of the island of Santiago. This is the beginning of human history on the archipelago as the settlement started to flourish, being granted the […]
Vohemar (Iharana)
Vohemar, also referred to as Iharana, is the northernmost town in Madagascar’s north-eastern SAVA region. It is located right at the Indian ocean and vast Iharana bay which is subjected to the tides. Historically, Vohemar seems to be one of Madagascar´s oldest settlements, if not the oldest, where Swahili merchants installed a port for trading […]
Bobangira
If you are looking for a last unspoilt piece of paradise, it is unavoidable to come across Bobangira, even though there are only few people right now who know about that place. The local residents for sure, some expats, and a few adventurous travellers who came upon the name accidentally and were open enough to […]
Macolline, Antalaha
Right before entering the southernmost town of the SAVA region, Antalaha, there is a steep hill that once had been intensively used for agricultural means. More than ten years ago, Marie-Hélène Kam Hyo, a Malagasy pharmacist, and her german dentist husband Bernd Zschocke have bought those 10 ha of land. Both are passionate about conservation, […]
La Montagne des français
Between Antsiranana and the Indian ocean lies the “mountain of the French”, a 340-meter-high rock massif officially protected as a reserve since 2013. Even though it is not a big mountain range and despite its proximity to the city, the reserve is home to five species of lemur, 50 bird species, 40 species of reptile, […]
Les Trois Baies
East of Antsiranana, Montagne des français rim the bay, protecting the city from the sheer brute force of the annual cyclones approaching the island from the east. Ramena, Antsirananas “seaside resort” with beautiful beaches and astonishingly calm water, is situated right at the entrance to the bay. Beyond Ramena and the mountains, three strikingly picturesque […]
Antsiranana (Diego-Suarez)
Antsiranana is the northernmost city of Madagascar, and beyond Antsiranana, there is only the Cap d´Ambre, the northern tip of the island. Its Malagasy name means port, and that is quite a striking name. The bay of Antsiranana is encircled by mountains and is said to be the largest natural port on earth, with a […]
Mahajanga (Majunga)
Once I dreamt of a town at a turquoise sea with sailing vessels on it, of which I have learned that they have been invented in the Arabic world and are called Dhows. The air was warm and slightly salty, the palm trees along the seaside promenade were murmuring unheard words in the warm wind, […]
