Boutique hotels in Madagascar

Madagascar is unlike anywhere else: a huge island whose wildlife, including lemurs, chameleons and baobabs, evolved in isolation. Travel is slow and roads are rough, but the reward is a country with beach islands, rainforest, desert canyons and a distinctive culture.

Islands and beaches

Nosy Be is the main beach destination, with a cluster of small hotels, spa lodges and dive bases. Île Sainte-Marie, an old pirate haunt on the east coast, is quieter, and Nosy Iranja has a white sandbar and a tiny lodge. Anakao and Ifaty, on the southwest coast, are known for their reefs and Vezo fishing villages.

Rainforest and highlands

Andasibe and Ranomafana protect rainforest with indri and other lemurs. Antananarivo, the capital, climbs a hillside of old palaces, and Antsirabe is a cool, colonial spa town. Masoala, in the northeast, is a vast and remote rainforest peninsula.

The west and south

The Avenue of the Baobabs near Morondava is the country's most photographed sight, and Isalo National Park offers sandstone canyons and natural pools. Fort Dauphin, in the far southeast, is a remote seaside town.

When to go

The dry season, from April to November, is best for most of the island. The wet season, from December to March, brings cyclones to the east coast.