Anakao is an idyllic Veza fishing community turned into a
laid-back beach mecca for tourists looking to relax between trips into the
forests of Madagascar. Water sports of all variety are available and fresh
seafood is plentiful.
Getting to Anakao from Toliara begins with the rather
chaotic process of getting yourself and your luggage into an Zebu cart to
traverse the shallow waters of the bay to deeper waters where the speedboat is
moored. The process is chaotic only in the sense that there are several drivers
anxious to get you into their cart. They obviously prefer the tourists vice
locals and freight as we are expected to pay a fee ( $1.00) for the trip.
Better yet if they can convince you to allow your luggage to travel in anther
cart then two drivers benefit instead of one. Big bubbles, no troubles but my Pelican
case and Panda stay with me J
The speedboat is a modern open style cruiser (approx. 35 ft)
with mandatory life jackets (nice) I bound one to my pelican case and Panda
first. Lesson learned from a fun boat adventure in Galapagos. Further to that previous
lessons learned I was also very pleased to see plenty of spare gas. Two for two
= WIN.
Approximately 3km from the beachfront of Anakao lies the
protected island of Nosy Ve, there are several species of birds nesting there
as well as a coral reef with reasonable fish populations. It is open only to
spearfishing and that is limited to fresh barbeque s for the tourist’s trips. After
a few kilometer snorkel along the reef, I struggle to call it a sustainable
fishery but I did not spend a lot of
time on the sea side of the reef as currents were wicked so I am going to use
my rose coloured glasses and say that population density rocks out there.
Anything to appease my guilt of enjoying that exceptional fish barbecue.
The sail back to the lodge was a blast surfing in on ten foot rollers, Once again my Pelican case proved its worth, keeping my camera equipment bone dry. Panda on the other hand had his first wild water ride and was drenched in salt water spray like the rest of us.
The sail back to the lodge was a blast surfing in on ten foot rollers, Once again my Pelican case proved its worth, keeping my camera equipment bone dry. Panda on the other hand had his first wild water ride and was drenched in salt water spray like the rest of us.
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| My digs overlooking the beach |
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| Outrigger sailing excitement |
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| Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda) |
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| Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda) juvenile |
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| Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda) juvenile |
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| Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda) |
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| Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda) |
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| Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda) juvenile |
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| Zebu ride to the speedboat |
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| Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda) juvenile |
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| Fresh fish barbeque |
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| Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda) juvenile |
