©
Frédéric Mak Yuen
Madagascar Travel Guide
©
Frédéric Mak Yuen
Lying between the sea and mountains, the Sambirano River valley, which has its source in the Tsaratanana Massif and flows into the sea south of the town of Ambaja, benefits from a hot and humid climate that is favourable to the production of many different crops. By staying in this region of northern Madagascar, you will participate in a project of fair and responsible tourism based on cultural exchanges, which enables local populations to take advantage of the economic benefits, through the financing of sustainable development actions.
This wide fertile plain and surrounding areas offer a diversity of landscapes to suit all types of activities, such as hiking, mountain biking or even travelling in dugout canoes to discover its most secret nooks. It is an ideal place for travellers seeking adventure!
A tribute to nature-lovers who will be enchanted by the beauty of a flight of herons skimming the water or by the shimmering colours of the sunset on a river that is majestic and full of life. In the bird sanctuary located near Andranomandevy, egrets, herons, ibis, cormorants or Hottentot teals spread their wings in a serene and airy ballet.
Take advantage of the cool of the early morning to start out on the 25 kilometre hike (approximately 4 hours) which connects Andranomandevy with Antanambao. The trail leads through the cocoa trees, making an occasional escape towards beautiful mountainside rice paddies or long stretches of sand which are the results of soil erosion. But it's well worth the effort, both for the panorama that opens up to you from the heights of the hills and for the many opportunities to cool off in the river as you cross the villages. A stop for a swim gives a fun and rustic touch to the picture postcard setting.
Between the land and the river, the mangrove forest is the typical ecosystem of river areas and abounds with a wealth of things to discover with the ebb and flow of the tides. At the foot of the village of Antsahampano, a former colonial trading post, the maze of the mangrove invites you to explore these strange trees, which are semi-terrestrial and semi-aquatic.
In addition to the sacred lakes or rivers that are steeped in history and legends, ancestral knowledge is perpetuated in the Sambirano Valley. Although Ambobakadoit owes its reputation to its lineage of healers, handicrafts still conserve a very important place in the villages. Blacksmithing and embroidery prove the vitality of the traditional techniques that have been mastered to perfection over the centuries.
Depending on the season, the farmers and labourers will invite you to observe how they carve out the mountain slopes with a mix of zeal and courage. Notwithstanding its low rank in world cocoa production, Madagascar cocoa is certainly one of the most renowned for its aromas and a very large part originates from the region of Ambaja. By diversifying the crops (coffee, cocoa, vanilla), and with a view to pooling the products of primary necessity, the ADAPS has created a quality fair trade network in this region, a real tropical garden. A visit to the plantations and the facilities used for the preparation of cocoa will help you to better understand the development of farming and rural life, the chance to observe an approach that promotes traditional family agriculture as opposed to industrial production.
In the Sambirano Valley, a large number of cooperatives and associations have set up ecotourism projects in many different sectors. Some of these concern agriculture ( the ADAPS and the AFDI), representing community aid for farmers and producers, handicrafts (the FIVEMI and its association of embroiderers), or the environment (FANIRY) through reforestation.
Others act in favour of health and education. This is the role of the FRAMA, which provides educational support to the primary school of the village of Ambobaka, thanks to a programme of environmental awareness and the creation of a botanical garden of medicinal plants. A centre for traditional medicine, Ambobaka has also built a reputation with a healthcare centre managed by an association of healers and traditional practitioners.
In addition to the eco-lodges created to accommodate tourists, these multiple actions promote many warm and spontaneous encounters. You will often be invited to a meal prepared by the women of the village before the traditional presentation of their embroidery work and local products (vanilla, pepper, cinnamon, ginger) or the guided tour of cocoa plantations.
After a wealth of exchanges, this visit of discovery typical ends with evening festivities that bring together the entire village. It is the time when the happy moments of the day are recalled, always with the same good humour and a generosity that is both touching and endearing... It is the time when the Vazaha, the guest of honour, truly is the king or queen!
