Morondava is located at the gates of the Avenue of the Baobabs. It is the capital of the Menabe Kingdom. It offers many landscapes, each more breathtaking than the other. The sea intermingles with the ground tinted in red, offering an incredible scenery.
Morondava
Morondava is the economic capital of the Menabe region and is located 701km from the Southwest of the capital. It will offer you a lot of discovery. It is charming and interesting, as it mixes a dynamic city-cente and a quiet country-side. Nature lovers won’t be disappointed as the region is well-known for its numerous forests (Andranomena, Analabe, Manamby, Kirindy) and its rich fauna and flora.
The city lifestyle is rythmed by a lot of events such as the “asa lolo” ( a circumcision ceremony), the “moraingy,” (Malagasy wrestling) or the tromba cults (similar to voodoo). These different ceremonies offer a unique show that promise a total immersion into the Menabe culture.
Morondavav is the starting point to many unavoidable tourist sites of Madagascar, especially the national park of Tsingy de Bemaraha, or the Avenue of the Baobabs. You can also plan an excursion to Belo-sur-Mer, a little fisherman village where all the beaches are more than wonderful.
Morondava shelters a people with typical customs. You will discover a typical funeral art called the sakalava art, which is characteriwed by its erotic frescoes and sculptures. They tell stories of the dead and they symbolize life and procreation.
Morondava is bordered by the Mozambique channel and is crossed by two rivers : The Mangoky and the Manambolo. Cruising on these rivers to admire the wonderful landscapes of the Menabe land is a souvenir you will keep in mind forever. You can also opt for a motorized boat or pirogue to sail the Tsiribihina River, which is an incredible cruise to plan for 2 to 3 days. This will allow you to discover regional wealth and bring you to the Tsingy of Bemaraha gates.
At only 50km from Morondava, the Kirindy park offers a large biodiversity composed of lemurs, like the catta lemur ( a lemur with a prehensile tail ), reptiles and amphibians.
You will discover a rich avifauna and you will maybe able to observe the bulbul of Madagascar, the colombar maitsou or the Malagasy bee-eater. There is as many fauna species as flora species. The park counts nearly 182 plant species indeed. Among them, you won’t miss the mangrove, and the famous baobab (4 unique species spread out on the site).
The Avenue of the Baobabs is 15 kilometers from Morondava. This unavoidable site, with massive trees, offers a wonderful landscape, especially when the sun goes down on the red and dusty soil of Menabe.
A little further but that is worth taking the time to see, the Tsingy of Bemaraha National Park is an exceptional site by its natural riches and its endemic biodiversity. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and nature lovers will enjoy the numerous hiking circuits that it offers. For the most adventurous, this site also proposes a lot of activities such as rock climbing, potholing, or cruising in the Tsiribihina River.
