The Madagascar Island

Heaven for Ecotourism
Madagascar is a gorgeous island, surrounded by golden virgin beaches and beautiful and tall palm trees and with an unblemished inside that is fairly stunning in its diversity, from green plateaus to volcanoes and dense forests and natural treasury - a proper home away from home for the ardent eco travel tourist.

The Island of Madagascar comprises of 2 percent of Africa's landmass, brags of 10,000 varieties of plants or which 80 percent are endemic (found nowhere else in the world).

Location
Madagascar is situated in the Indian Ocean off the southeast coast of Africa conversing Mozambique. The world's 4th-largest island, Madagascar is twice the dimension of Arizona. The land's low-lying coastal area gives way to a central plateau. The once thickly wooded center has mostly been cut down.

Madagascar Island - East Coast
The eastern coast is roughly straight and has very little anchorages. Behind its coral beaches there is a just about unremitting line of lagoons from Foulpointe to Farafrandana. These are connected by man-made channels to outline an inland waterway called the Pangalanes Canal (400 miles long) where you can discover wilds lodges like Bush house.

Mt. Maromokofro
A nature-lover's heaven, this sparingly-populated land covers an region more than twice the mass of Great Britain, and it is crisscrossed by as a minimum as 6 different micro-climates! Madagascar's highest mountain, Mt. Maromokofro, towers an imposing 9450 feet (2876 m) over the island's northernmost areas. The eastern slopes of Mt. Maromokofro and her plentiful escorts give way to a tapered coastal plain. There, you will discover potent rivers, overwhelming waterfalls, and the remnants of an ancient rainforest.

Natural Biodiversity
Madagascar is acclaimed for its astounding natural biodiversity brought by years of remoteness from other continents. The exceptional and enthralling wildlife you can enjoy on your vacation to this exotic island comprises of lemurs of all descriptions, orchids, chameleons, butterflies, colorful bird and whales - more than sufficient to please the most passionate nature-lovers.

The landscape is spectacular too. It differs from flourishing green rainforests to semi-parched desert regions. You'll notice mangroves, impressive baobab trees, waterfalls and bizarre sandstone structures. And for those whose inspiration of ecstasy involves postcard beaches, there're bounty of white sandy shores, turquoise-blue oceans and coconut palm trees swaying in the placid tropical breeze. On a stopover to this Indian Ocean Island, you'll also find out welcoming and amicable natives with captivating and varied cultures. Undeniably, Madagascar has something in store for everyone.

Climate & Best Time To Visit
Madagascar has a warm, sun-drenched and sultry climate. The flourishing vegetation profits from rain showers all through the year. Coastal temperatures are usually temperate all year round, cresting above 30°C in summers. It gets cold the more interior you go. For nature fanatics wishing to see a variety of species, the most suitable time to go is from late August to early January.

Madagascar Food
People of Madagascar enjoy hot food and seldom make use of different spices and herbs. Some of the national delicacies of Madagascar include Ro, Beef, Ravitoto and Ramazava. Madagascar people also enjoy a lot of drinks such as Betsa, Toaka Gasy, Apango and Litchel. Rice is a prominent part of Madagascar food which is generally served along with sauces, meat, vegetables and varies seasonings.

Madagascar People
The people of Madagascar speak Malagasy which is the primary spoken language all over the Madagascar island. Most populace of Madagascar is of African-Asian origin. Apart from them, Madagascar also have Arab, French, Indian, Comoran and Creole people. Because of this diverse amalgamation Madagascar is know to have diverse but united customs, beliefs and traditions. This variety only adds to the overall culture of Madagascar. Since Madagascar was a French colony, the French language is also predominant in many parts of the Island.

Madagascar Clothing
Madagascar clothing is deeply influenced by European style. The clothing exhibits vibrant colors and combinations. The colors used are extracted from natural resources such as berries and minerals. A lot of textile art work is depicted in the clothing. Traditional clothes such as the lamba is very popular in these parts and is also used as  ceremonial gift. Since being a French colony, Madagascar has strong influences on western style clothing and this can be seen with the rise of numerous western wear outfits in the country.

Madagascar Customs
Madagascar people are very wary of their customs, beliefs and culture. The have strong attachment to their families. The madagascar marriage customs are a very interesting affair. Before getting marries, the bride and groom must compulsorily be engaged. As per tradutions, Madagascar grooms have to offer clothes to the bride during the ceremony; and an interesting thing is that during the ceremony the bride and groom are encircled in a single cloth to mark their union. Funerals and burials are also significantly different than in other religions. For instance, tombstones are used during burials rather than cementeries as in the US. These tombstones are huge, well decorated and makes us remember the pyramids of the Egyptian people.

Some Quick Facts About Madagascar

• The Madagascar island is the world's 4th largest island with a coastline of about 4,828 km.
• The capital of Madagascar is Antananarivo.
• The highest mountain in Madagascar is the Maromokotro which stands 2876m tall.
• Rice is a primary part of the Madagascar food and is usually served along with different vegetables, sauces and seasonings.
• The Ring Tailed Lemur is the national animal of Madagascar.
• Since 1895, Madagascar was a french colony until it became te Malagasy Republic in the year 1958.
• The official currency of Madagascar is the Malagasy franc.
• Roughly, the population of Madagascar stands at about 15.5 million.

Summary
Referring to Madagascar as an island more or less seems unjust. Enormous caverns, deciduous forests, crystalline lakes, and savanna grassland mark the wide western plains, and the southern tip of the island is enclosed with a splendid desert. This Eden garden of treasures is overflowing with so much range in life and in natural features that it is like no other island anyplace on Earth. It is no hyperbole to state that this beautifully splendid micro-continent, as some have named it, offers boundless prospects for discovery.