An introduction to Madagascar

Madagascar is sometimes called the eighth continent, though it could almost pass for its own planet. From its landscapes to its cultures and, of course, its wildlife, there is nowhere else quite like it. It is best known for its lemurs, but the island holds far more: avenues of baobabs cutting striking silhouettes in the west, spiny forests across the arid south, and tropical rainforest spilling onto white-sand beaches in the north, where Mora Mora carries out its work.

The land

Madagascar has more than forty national parks and reserves, and the range between them is remarkable. There are the sandstone formations of Isalo, the mist-shrouded rainforest of Andasibe where the eerie call of the indri echoes through the hills, and the jagged limestone pinnacles of the tsingy. Two sites carry UNESCO World Heritage status: Tsingy de Bemaraha, celebrated for those razor-sharp rock formations, and the Rainforests of the Atsinanana, among the most biologically diverse ecosystems anywhere. Even the inhabited highlands are striking, with emerald rice terraces lined by red-earth dykes.

The coast is a different proposition again. Ringed by the Indian Ocean, the island has some exceptional beaches: the calm, clear water around Nosy Be in the north is the obvious draw, while the busy beach town of Tuléar further south moves at an entirely different pace.

The people

The people of Madagascar are as distinctive as the land. Although the island sits close to the African coast, the Malagasy trace their origins to Indonesia and Borneo, with later waves of migrants arriving from East Africa, India and China. The result is an eclectic mix of around twenty ethnic groups, each with its own customs and traditions. Most people speak Malagasy, and French remains widely used, a legacy of colonial rule that ended with independence in 1960. Life for many is hard: a large share of the population depends on subsistence farming, and poverty is widespread.

That heritage shows itself in a strong tradition of craft, including wood carving, basket weaving and stone carving, which you will find in markets and workshops across the country.

Custom and belief

Custom runs deep here. Spiritual beliefs and taboos known as fady, handed down from ancestors, still shape daily life and can apply to people, places, animals or plants alike. It might be fady to cut a particular forest or to take fish from a certain lake. Traditions such as famadihana, the ceremonial rewrapping of ancestors' remains, are still observed. Travelling by taxi-brousse, staying in villages and joining local festivals are among the best ways to encounter this living culture first-hand.

What is at stake

This diversity is under serious threat. More than ninety per cent of the island has already been deforested to make way for livestock, rice and cash crops, triggering landslides, flooding and the loss of countless species. The wildlife at risk is extraordinary: around five per cent of all known plant and animal species on Earth are found only on this one island. There are over a hundred lemur species alone, nearly all of them threatened, among them the critically endangered silky sifaka, one of the rarest mammals on the planet.

Visiting well

A few practical things help. The dry season, roughly June to September, is the easiest time to travel, with reliable weather for parks, beaches and cultural sites. The island is large and the roads can be difficult, so four-wheel drive is sensible for remote areas. The food is a blend of African, French and Asian influences, and dishes such as the hearty stew romazava are worth seeking out. As anywhere, respect for local custom goes a long way, and given how much of daily life is shaped by fady, it is worth asking rather than assuming.

Madagascar is also taking responsible tourism seriously, with a growing number of eco-conscious places to stay and operators working to keep money in local hands. Choosing those options is a straightforward way to make a visit count for more than the visit itself.

The work in the north-west

This is where projects like Mora Mora come in. Based in Madagascar's tropical north-west, ringed by warm Indian Ocean waters and set beside the old-growth rainforest of Lokobe National Park, the project works to protect the island's remaining intact habitats and the endangered species that shelter in them. Getting involved through The Impact Network is a practical way to help ensure that Madagascar's biodiversity endures, and to spend time in the country rather than merely passing through it.