Madagascar Travel Bucket List

Seek baobab avenues, lemur forests, and rose-gold shores of Madagascar

Visit Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar. Explore the Rova of Antananarivo (a historic royal palace complex with panoramic city views), see the lemurs and other endemic wildlife at the Tsimbazaza Zoo and Botanical Garden, browse the colorful handicrafts and spices at the Analakely Market, and visit the Andafiavaratra Palace (a museum showcasing royal artifacts and Malagasy history).

Visit Nosy Be, a tropical island off the northwest coast of Madagascar. Explore Lokobe National Park (home to black lemurs and chameleons), relax on the white sands of Andilana Beach, snorkel or dive in the coral reefs around Nosy Tanikely (a marine reserve with sea turtles), and sample local vanilla and ylang-ylang plantations.

The rickshaw and thermal-spa town of the highlands, with crater lakes and semi-precious stones.

Diego Suarez: the second-largest bay in the world, the Emerald Sea and the Amber Mountain rainforest.

The Avenue of the Baobabs at sunset and the stone forest of the Tsingy de Bemaraha.

Avenue of towering ancient baobabs.

Jurassic sandstone massif of canyons, natural swimming pools and ring-tailed lemurs in the south of Madagascar.

Forest of razor-sharp limestone, UNESCO-listed.

Misty rainforest of golden bamboo lemurs and chameleons.