The spiny forest

About an hour's walk away is the village of Mangily which is a bit larger than Ifaty and has a few restaurants and attractions to see, including a 'spiny forest' which we recently visited that has many of the baobab trees which are huge trees iconic of Madagascar. These are known to grow as large as 29 metres wide. There were also many other interesting species which we learned have remarkable healing effects for almost any ailment of the body. The journey was a short way inland on a comfortable if bumby 'zebu chariot' ride. Even just the short distance from the sea we realised how arid this part of the country is, it really is a desert climate and very difficult for any plants to grow.

We stayed the night at the Hotel Solidaire, which is an eco-lodge type hotel that treated us to such luxuries as hot water, 24-hour electricity, cold beer and ice cream, and even an illuminated swimming pool... all powered by solar panels. The hotel is run to support another local conservation NGO which works to preserve natural land-based habitats in Madagascar by researching and educating locals on novel methods for farming such as combining beans and tomatoes in the same plots and developing nutritional suplements for childen from a nutritious plant called Moringa. Anything that helps with improving sustenance from the land will also reduce the burden on the overfished sea.

Also staying at the hotel was a colourful all-female band of drummers who were supported by the NGO to promote the role of women in Madagascan society and they performed a loud procession through town which was encouraging locals to vote in the forthcoming national election.