excursions in tulear

Tulear or Toliary, means to the Vezo « the place where one comes » . Situated to the South West of the island, Tulear is a very charming city offering an incomparable tourist appeal. A mosaic of tribes harmoniously mix with in this city and its surroundings :Bara and Mahafaly from the plateau come to live together with the Vezo of west coast . The signifiant presence of Indo-pakistanese is not to be neglected precisely in the commercial domain .
Do not search the beach in the city , it does not exist ,it is necessary to go more to the north or more to the south.
At Tulear the climate is excessive : the sun beats down strong , the wind burns , the dust vigorously scrapes the throat. But a certain form of violent and raw beauty , that one finds in the deep South, arises out of this excessive character .

The Mahafaly museum

All the characteristics of Mahafaly tomb can be discovered at the Mahafaly museum situated in the city center and managed by the University of Tulear. The visit of this museum gives a best apprehension of the southern soul concerning mainly funeral customs .

The marine station

The marine station also situated in city presents an obsolete collection of fish preserved in alcohol, shells and whale skeletons .
Besides , there is the shells market (between the sea and the post office ), the best place in Madagascar to make this type of shopping .

The beach of " la batterie"

The beach of " la Batterie" is situated to the North exit of the city. It is an immense beach bordered of beautiful dunes, and it owes its name to the vestiges of blockhouses formerly built by English buried in these dunes .

Antsokay arboretum

In the surrounding coasts of Tulear:
The Antsokay arboretum is situated 12km to the south east of Tulear.
This botanical garden of 52 ha regroups more than 1050 species of the characteristic flora of the south , the three-quarters of wchich are listed . Guided tours of one hour are organized in the park.

Ifaty : 27 km to the north of Tulear.
It is the beach of Tulear with the lagoon of Ranobe that offers a dream site for the fishing and underwater discoveries lovers . In the hinterland ,the reserve of Domergue with its « bottle trees » and its sub desert vegetation .

Sarodrano and St-Augustin bay :27 km to the south of Tulear.
A visit of caves as well as a very beautiful Vezo fisherman village built on dunes is interesting: the village of St-Augustin is built near the mouth in a small sheltered bay . The presence of Vezo tomb built on hills is also to be noted .
St-Augustin bay :it is necessary to go through the village, after the caves, turn left and a landscape of bush and baobabs presents to the view .
The track climbs on the spurs of the Onilahy. Magnificent panorama on
St-Augustin bay .

It is a Vezo fishermen village to the south of Tulear. Access by 3 hours motor pirogue from Tulear : early departure in the morning . From this place a visit of the hinterland high in specific flora and fauna of the southern area is interesting : Pachipodium geavi, Apocynaceas, Didiereas forest, and presence of tortoises, lemurs catta and the discovery of the famous Tsimanampetsotsa lake with its flamingoes and the caves of blind fishes .

It is a small island that interest fishermen and underwater depths lovers . It is surrounded by a belt of coral reefs sheltering a shallow lagoon (less of 3m) of an incomparable beauty.Also note the presence of the red tail Phaéton (Phaethon rubricauda) of Nosy Ve which is the only nesting place of Madagascar despite of its wide frequency under the tropics. It is happily well protected by fishermen of the region.

As its sister Nosy Ve, it is near Anakao but in contrast to it , Nosy Satrana is wild and indented. It is a place of burial with its tombs decorated by naive paints typical of the southern region.

Madiorano : 38 km of Tulear.
It is an access to the Mikea forest , in the Makay and the Mikoboka mountains . Mikeas are a community that still lives like the protomalagasy .

Bezaha spa : 129 km of Tulear going to Fort Dauphin or Taolagnaro. It was an ancient spa .
The river Onilahy or male river is navigable from Benenitra until its mouth at St-Augustin bay , therefore 200 km through a very diversified vegetation sheltering many lemurs and fantastic caves lodging giant bats .

Betioky (where there is a great wind ) is 158 km distant of Tuléar .
More to the south there is the integral natural reserve of Tsimanampetsotsa with the cave of Mitoho and its blind fishes .
> To the east of Betioky , about 17 km , it is the special reserve of Bezaha Mahafaly managed by the University of Antananarivo (the entry to the reserve is subject to authorization delivered by Waters and Forests services or Agronomy School )

Ampanihy is 134 km distant of Betioky.
Natural frontier between the Mahafaly country and that of the Antandroy, it is a dry region that arouses the curiosity and intrigues of the visitors in search of enigma and mystery.
The Mohair tapestry makings deserve a visit. Carpets worked there from angora goats fleece are unique in the world because in their design comes out perceptibly the soul of the malagasy south .
Not to be neglected the famous Mahafaly tombs that express unequivocally the being attachment to their dead and to appreciate the art given off by its funeral monuments.