The most beautiful parks and gardens Madagascar

Breeding and reproduction center, located in a beautiful landscape: a valley planted with rice fields, mango trees, lychee plantations, a cliff ... We discover there numerous aquatic and ornamental plants, beetles, reptiles, chameleons, amphibians (including the red frog and the dwarf frog or Mantella laviegata), crocodiles, boas, bats, and of course lemurs: two species are listed here, the sifaka and the fulvuss. The guides are well informed. The facilities deserve to be renovated.

This private park is located in the middle of the most famous ylang-ylang plantation of Nosy Be. Lemuria Land is a sanctuary of Malagasy fauna (11 species of lemurs, reptiles, chameleons, crocodiles, turtles, lizards...), tropical flora (ylang-ylang, vetiver trees, pepper trees, vanilla trees, bamboo...) and all kinds of fruit trees (cocoa trees, litchis, soursop, jackfruit, papaya trees...) The place also houses an exhibition on insects and butterflies of Madagascar. The entrance fee includes a visit to the SPPM distillery.

On a domain of 5 ha, at the edge of the Katsaoka river, one can observe 7 species of lemurs, of which the sifaka coquereli (or "dancing lemur"). An area of the park has been set up to welcome visitors. The infrastructures, works of the stone mason Philippe Manet, are integrated into the environment. Restaurant service, store offering handicrafts. A site appreciated by travelers who do not have time to go hiking in national parks and can here easily observe lemurs and better understand these endemic primates.

This arboretum, which covers nearly 4 hectares, is a real museum of the flora of the dry deciduous forest. It gathers about 900 plant species from the southwest of Madagascar, 90% of which are endemic. The local fauna is mainly composed of Lemur microcebus, lizards, radiated tortoises, and bands of nomadic makis. You can stay on site (seven comfortable bungalows) or take a pleasant half-day getaway that can begin or end with a meal at the restaurant L'Auberge de la Table.

In the small botanical garden of Kelilalina, one will find many orchids and endemic ferns, but also many palm trees, or superb anthuriums and bougainvilleas. Some travelers come back disappointed: indeed, the garden offers little interest when the orchids are not in bloom. Therefore, prefer the right season (November to March). This place remains a good idea to visit, especially for orchid lovers!

The road to achieve this is already a journey in itself. You cross beautiful fields of rice fields, you cross beautiful granite mountains on the left, and then you enter the heart of the villages. We admire parents working in the rice fields and the gentle pretty of their children around. For the rest, rice production in these artisanal farms is in the order of one and a half per hectare, compared with eight to ten tonnes in industrial production. This park of 40 hectares today houses the latest vestiges of primary forest forest throughout the region. There is a walk (with no difficulty) between water plans and typical lush vegetation: Trièdres palms, raffia palms, palms, elephant ears, orchids, tree ferns, bamboo, népenthès, carnivorous plants, beautiful goyaviers, eucalyptus and niaoulis… A perfect introduction to the fragile ecosystems with Saint-Louis peak. On the wildlife side, there are three diurnal lemurs species: the marron marron (fulvus collaris), maki (ruffed tif) with his black and white tail, and bamboo (hapalemur) and two nights (microcèbe and chirogale), a crocodiles farming of the Nile that will join Croc farm as soon as they reach 5 to 6 m, des turtles, the endemic green gecko of Fort Dauphin, and quantity of birds… And for amateurs: canoeing rides. A beautiful half day in green.

The elders also know it as "Alarobia Bird Island". It was the residence of Rainiliarivony, Prime Minister of Queen Ranavalona at the end of the 19th century. This private family park is not very large (27 ha, including 5 ha of protected wetland), but we discover about sixty species of birds, around a small freshwater lake. It is the breeding ground for several heron species and a refuge for several duck species. Especially for amateurs and/or to get out of traffic jams during a bucolic ride.