A country · 99 places · 18 regions

Madagascar, all of it.

99 curated places across 18 regions — photographed, mapped, and noted with the season each is best in.

Avenue of the Baobabs · via Wikimedia Commons

The 4 biggest regions — Analamanga, Haute Matsiatra, Antsiranana Province and Atsimo-Andrefana — read below as chapters, with 14 more waiting past them.

Chapter I · Analamanga · 10 places

Analamanga

This pink stone palace in the upper town of Antananarivo was built in the 1870s as the residence of Rainilaiarivony, the prime minister who governed the Merina kingdom for three decades. Perched near the royal Rova, it now houses a museum of artefacts rescued from the neighbouring palace after a 1995 fire, including royal regalia and portraits. Visitors climb steep cobbled lanes to reach it, rewarded with wide views over the terracotta rooftops of the capital below.

Andafiavaratra Palace

Analamanga, Madagascar

✦ April–October · $

Andohalo Cathedral

Analamanga, Madagascar

✦ April–October · $

Lake Anosy

Analamanga, Madagascar

✦ September–November · $

All 10 places in Analamanga →

via Wikimedia Commons

Chapter II · Haute Matsiatra · 8 places

Haute Matsiatra

Established in 1991 following the discovery of the golden bamboo lemur, this mid-altitude rainforest park in southeastern Madagascar protects one of the island's most biodiverse habitats. Steep valleys carved by the Namorona River support over a dozen lemur species alongside colourful frogs, chameleons, and rare endemic birds. Night walks reveal nocturnal species seldom seen elsewhere.

✦ October to December · $$

Meet Ranomafana National Park All 8 places in Haute Matsiatra →

Chapter III · Antsiranana Province · 6 places

Antsiranana Province

Rising above the dry northern tip of Madagascar, Montagne d'Ambre is a humid volcanic massif whose crater lakes and waterfalls support lush rainforest starkly different from the surrounding arid landscape. The park's wildlife includes crowned lemurs, Sanford's brown lemurs, and a remarkable diversity of chameleons and frogs. A waterfall accessible by a short trail from the main gate offers an immediate introduction to the park's ecosystems.

Amber Mountain National Park

Antsiranana Province, Madagascar

✦ May to November · $$

Nosy Komba

Antsiranana Province, Madagascar

✦ April to November · $$

Lokobe National Park

Antsiranana Province, Madagascar

✦ April to November · $$

All 6 places in Antsiranana Province →

via Wikimedia Commons

Chapter IV · Atsimo-Andrefana · 5 places

Atsimo-Andrefana

A low sandy island off Anakao in southwest Madagascar, sacred to local Vezo fishermen and home to a breeding colony of red-tailed tropicbirds. The surrounding reef offers easy snorkelling in shallow turquoise water. Pirogue crossings from Anakao take under an hour.

✦ April to November · $

Meet Nosy Ve All 5 places in Atsimo-Andrefana →