Travel inspiration 2014: Madagascar

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If you dream of a Robinson Crusoe-style island, deserted beaches, walks through landscapes unchanged for thousands of years and close encounters with rare wildlife then Madagascar should be top of your wish list this year.

Off the well-worn tourist trail, Madagascar remains a relatively untouched paradise with rich cultural traditions and landscapes teeming with unique biodiversity.

Madagascan landscapes

Spend time on the mainland and go trekking in the breathtaking national parks (including the dramatic UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bermaraha with its startling landscape of limestone needles) and visiting the country’s many vibrant bustling markets before heading to the beach for a little R&R.

Culinary traditions of Madagascar

In Madagascar even relaxation can feel like a cultural adventure with meals of fresh seafood still caught in the traditional way and prepared with the warm spices of the island in the same way it has been for hundreds of years.

At Constance Tsarabanjina guests will see local fishermen turning up on the beach to sell their catch to the hotel’s restaurant. Our chefs create delicious Madagascan dishes with an elegant twist.

Guests who want to immerse themselves in the island’s fishing heritage further can even take a trip on a pirogue (a traditional wooden fishing boat) and try Madagascan net fishing for themselves.

Bring home your catch and the chefs at the resort will prepare and cook it for you to enjoy in the evening.

Unique biodiversity of Madagascar

Of course, one of the main reasons people visit Madagascar is to encounter the unique biodiversity, more than 80 per cent of the flora and fauna here is not found anywhere else on Earth.

Landscapes range from tropical rainforest to spiny deserts, reefs, sea grass beds and mangrove forests. Species include the unique lemurs, endangered serpent eagle as well as rare chameleons and geckos.

4 Deserts race, Madagascar

This year Madagascar has been selected to host the Roving Race section of the 4 Deserts race, the world’s leading endurance footrace. In August around 250 runners from more than 40 countries will take on the island’s varied terrain racing over 250km in seven days.

Scuba diving in Madagascar

Once you’ve seen the sights on land dive in to the warm waters of the Indian Ocean and discover a submarine world still largely unexplored. The relatively recent growth of tourism in the region means that much of the ocean around the island has not been dived extensively before.

Off the coast of Tsarabanjina you can be among the first to discover vibrant coral reefs, stunning sponge gardens and a plethora of colourful marine life. The many dive sites include exciting tunnels, caves, overhangs, cliff-faces and beautiful reefs, providing something for divers of all levels.

Find out more

• Read more about Constance Tsarabanjina on our website
• Find out why Madagascar should be on your bucket list
• Discover more about the food of Madagascar
• Read travel writer and blogger Nellie Huang’s impression of Madagascar
• See Peter Browne’s beautiful photographs and read his account of his travels around Madagasar on cntraveller.com.