Anakao

Anakao, about one hour south of Toliara by speedboat, has gradually become one of the better known beach destinations in Madagascar. Even so, the place still feels more like a Vezo fishing village than a polished seaside resort. Fishing boats remain pulled directly onto the sand in front of the village and most mornings start with fishermen untangling nets, sorting octopus or repairing engines beside piles of coral rubble and driftwood.

The crossing from Toliara already sets the tone. Boats leave straight from the water about 50 meters offshore, often loaded with bags of rice, fish crates, coolers and travelers trying to keep cameras dry from salt spray. On calm mornings the sea looks flat and metallic. When wind picks up, different story entirely.

What really defines Anakao is the lagoon. Offshore coral reefs protect the coast from stronger swell and keep the water relatively calm close to shore for most of the year. During low tide, huge sandbanks appear and the sea retreats far from the beach, leaving shallow turquoise channels between coral patches. Around midday the light reflecting off the water and white sand becomes intense enough to make your eyes hurt after a while.

The beaches south of the village feel almost endless. Sand dunes, dry grass, scattered pirogues and very little construction once you move away from the main hotels. You can walk for kilometers without seeing much more than abandoned fishing camps or someone collecting shellfish near the lagoon. Wind usually becomes stronger in the afternoon and pushes fine sand everywhere — tables, bags, camera lenses, food.

Some travelers arrive here exhausted after long drives through southern Madagascar. Dust from laterita roads still covering backpacks. Shirts stiff with salt after days of heat. So people slow down quickly in Anakao.

Nosy Ve remains the classic excursion for snorkeling, seabirds and coral reef. Scuba diving offshore can be excellent during the dry season with reef fish, sea turtles and occasional dolphins passing near deeper channels beyond the reef. Between June and September, humpback whales migrate along this coastline and are regularly seen from boats leaving the village. Some mornings the sea around Anakao suddenly fills with blows and tail fins only a few hundred meters offshore.

Farther north, Saint Augustin Bay offers something completely different: mangroves, estuary landscapes, caves and small Vezo villages spread along the river mouth. Inland, the road toward Tsimanampetsotsa National Park crosses dry thorn forest and dusty terrain where groups of flamingos feed in the saline lake surrounded by baobabs and white alkaline flats.

Infrastructure in Anakao remains relatively simple despite tourism growth. Internet can be unreliable. Electricity cuts still happen in some places. Nobody seems especially surprised when they do.