Meeres-Tsingys – Ocean Tsingy

Les Trois Baies, Madagascar/Madagaskar

La Montagne des français

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Between Antsiranana and the Indian ocean lies the “mountain of the French”, a 340-meter-high rock massif officially protected as a reserve since 2013. Even though it is not a big mountain range and despite its proximity to the city, the reserve is home to five species of lemur, 50 bird species, 40 species of reptile, frogs, chameleons and more than 240 different plants, among them some endemic ones. The reserve is home to some of the most famous specimen of the extremely rare and endangered Baobabs of the Adansonia suarezensis species growing right beside their relatives of the Adansonia madagascariensis species.

Zwischen Antsiranana und dem Indischen Ozean liegt der „Berg der Franzosen“, ein 340 Meter hohes Felsmassiv, das seit 2013 ein offizielles Schutzgebiet ist. Obwohl klein und in unmittelbarer Umgebung der Stadt gelegen, beherbergt das Reservat fünf Lemuren-Arten, 50 Vogelarten, 40 Reptilien-Arten, Frösche, Chamäleons und mehr als 240 Pflanzen, darunter einige endemische Arten. So ist das Reservat auch Heimat der berühmtesten Exemplare der extrem seltenen und stark bedrohten Baobabs der Spezies Adansonia suarezensis, die dort neben Exemplaren von Adansonia madagascariensis zu finden sind.

Les Trois Baies

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Östlich von Antsiranana rahmen die Montagne des français die Bucht ein und schützen die Stadt und den Hafen vor der schlimmsten Wucht der von Osten kommenden jährlichen Zyklone. Direkt am Zugang zur Bucht liegt Ramena, der Badeort Antsirananas mit schönen Stränden und erstaunlich ruhigem Wasser. Jenseits der Berge locken schließlich drei besonders malerische Buchten Besucher auch an den Indischen Ozean. Alle sind sie durch Riffs und kleine vorgelagerte Inseln vor den heranrollenden Wellenbergen (und den Bullenhaien) geschützt. Die südlichste davon, die Sakalava-Bucht, ist ein Hotspot für Kite-Surfer aus aller Welt, die dort ideale Bedingungen für ihren Sport vorfinden. Immerhin verzeichnet die Region während der Hauptsaison zwischen April und November konstant starken Wind zwischen 20 und 40 Knoten. Nördlich schließt die zumeist völlig verlassene Tauben-Bucht an sowie als letztes die Dünen-Bucht, wo es kleinere Tsingy-Formationen gibt, die sich bis ins Meer erstrecken.

East of Antsiranana, the Montagne des français rim the bay, protecting the city from the sheer brute force of the annual cyclones approaching the island from the east. Ramena, Antsirananas “seaside resort” with beautiful beaches and astonishingly calm water, is situated right at the entrance to the bay. Beyond Ramena and the mountains, three strikingly picturesque bays attract visitors to the area at the Indian Ocean. All of them are protected from the big waves and the bull sharks by reefs as well as several tiny islands off the coast. The southernmost is Sakalava bay, a hotspot for kite-surfers from all around the world who benefit from the ideal conditions with strong steady winds of 20 to 40 knots throughout the main season between April and November. To the north lies remote Pigeon bay, followed by the Bay of Dunes where one can find small Tsingy rock formations extending right to the ocean.

Seychelles fruit bats – Seychellen-Flughunde

Mahé, Seychelles/Seychellen

Humpback whales in Mozambique Channel – Buckelwale in der Straße von Mosambik

Humpback whales in Mozambique Channel – Buckelwale in der Straße von Mosambik

Besides sharks, huge rays and African skates as well as Orcas there are many Humpback whales in surrounding seas of Madagascar. In southern winter they move from the Antarctic sea into the warmer water of subtropics to give birth to their calves. They need the warmer water to prevent a shock of hypothermia that could kill the newborn. Especially the bays in the north – like Baie d´Antongil, northeastern Madagascar – are perfect birthplaces because of shallow murky water and a lot of reefs, all of which help keeping the calves safe from predators like bull sharks.

The Manakara Suicide Bridge

The Manakara Suicide Bridge

Manakara is a drowsy postcolonial town on the southeastern coast of Madagascar, sleeping a ruinous sleep after once having been an important port and trading centre since it had been connected to central highland city of Fianarantsoa by railway tracks in 1936. Nowadays Manakara is suffering from Toamasina (Tamatave) being the major port on the eastcoast because of it´s proximity to the capital Antananarivo and the island of Nosy Boraha (pronounced noosh boor; also: Ste. Marie) which is a major tourist hotspot. There is still a lot of business going on with Fianarantsoa because twice a week the train reaches Manakara after an eleven to 36 hours tour through the rainforest and bleak, treeless hillscapes bringing goods and some tourists, who will have an overnight stay before leaving town again.