MADAGASCAR

On a map, it seems no more than a chiselled flint arrowhead off the east coast of Africa, dwarfed by the continent’s vast haunch – but in reality, Madagascar is huge. From the white-sand beaches and coral reefs of Nosy Be Island in the northwest to otherworldly tsingys (jagged limestone pinnacles) and the highland capital Antananarivo (“Tana”), ringed by emerald-green rice paddies, this is an island of diverse landscapes matched only by the richness of its flora and fauna. Among the curiosities are bottle-shaped baobab trees, over 100 types of lemur, leaf-nosed snakes, leaf-tailed geckos, giraffe-necked weevils, puma-like fossas, and the world’s largest and smallest chameleon. See them in national parks ranging from Ankarana, Amber Mountain and Masoala in the north, to Zombitse-Vohibasia in the southwest. Add more than 300 species of bird, humpback whales, coastal villages, markets, flamingo-filled lakes and the cultural riches of 18 tribal groups, and your Malagasy adventure is complete.