Difference between revisions of "Anakao"

Revision as of 05:15, 8 April 2011

Anakao is a small beautiful fishing village stretching over a long beach located about 40 kilometres south of Tulear. With the exception of a fairly small number of visiting tourist, the relative isolation of the village has helped preserve a traditional Vezo lifestyle amongst its estimated 3,000 inhabitants; one of the highest concentrations of Vezo people found anywhere around the coastline of Madagascar.

Communal water well at Anakao village

Due to poor road conditions, the village is best reached by boat from Tulear, which usually takes about one hour. During low tide, the transfer begins with a short oxcart ride onto the shallow water seabed to reach a pirogue or motorboat. Various hotels in Anakao provide transfers that can be booked in Tulear harbour directly from where the boats depart.

There are a few basic hotels strewn along the coastline of Anakao and past both ends of the village. These are typically simple beach huts, providing a life on the beach experience for visiting tourists. In the early morning hours countless pirogues can be seen sailing onto the open ocean for fishing trips and return with their catch during the afternoon in clusters of small sailing regattas.

Anakao villagers

Anakao town centre

Unidentified chameleon

Some very large and ancient tombs can be found behind the village and depending on the profession of the buried they are usually decorated with either oars or zebu horns. South of the village fragments of eggshells from the world's largest bird, the now extinct Aepyornis or elephant bird, can be found scattered along the beach. It is illegal to bring these shell fragments out of the country.

Oxcart ride to boat transfer	Young Vezo guitarist	Traditional make up
Vezo child at Anakao beach	Trano Mena beach hut	Communal water well

Two small nature protected islands, Nosy Ve and Nosy Satrana, are located close to the coast of Anakao. Both islands are uninhabited and offer no accommodation and can only be visited by day. Boat trips can be arranged usually by fisherman pirogue leaving from the village or via one of the hotels.

Transfer to Anakao

Anakao Transfert is a speed boat transfer service between Tulear and the various hotels along the beach of Anakao and its surrounding area. Anakao Transfert offers a more convenient alternative to the traditional wooden pirouges which are sometimes offered by local fishermen in the harbour area.

Anakao Transfert
Tel: +261 (0)34 6007261 (Mr. Olivier)
Email: anakaotransfert@moov.mg

Note: Transfer by car to Anakao is not practical. Depending on the car and road condition a car ride to Anakao can take up to 10 hours.

Hotels and beach huts in Anakao

Prince Anakao (27 bungalows)
Tel: +261 94 43957
Email: anakao@simicro.mg
Website: www.prince-anakao.com

Bivouac Lalandaka/Chez Olivier (6 bungalows)
Tel: +260 (0)32 0434142 or +261 (0)32 0227520
Email: N/A

Safari Vezo (23 bungalows)
Tel: +261 (0)20 9441381 (Tulear) or +261 (0)20 9491930 (Anakao)
Email: safarivezo@moov.mg
Website: www.safarivezo.com

Anakao Ocean Lodge & Spa (18 bungalows)
Tel: +261 (0)20 9491957 (Tulear) or +261 (0)20 9492176 (Anakao)
Email: anakaooceanlodge@gmail.com
Website: www.anakaooceanlodge.com

Chez Solange & Christophe (3 rooms)
Tel: +261 (0)32 0418093
Email: lacombe-christian@voila.fr

Longo Vezo (7 bungalows)
Tel: +261 (0)94 43764 or +261 (0)32 02631
Email: N/A

Lalandaka
Tel: +261 (0)20 9491435
Email: lalandaka@moov.mg

Trano Mena / Chez Stoick (6 bungalows)
Tel: +261 (0)32 0213426 or +261 (0)32 0265900 or +261 (0)32 4072000
Email: lalbatros_8@yahoo.fr

Chez Emile (6 bungalows)
Tel: +261 (0)32 0402376
Email: emile@compagniedusud.com

Further information

• Images of Anakao
• Anakao map illustration info at madagascar-library.com
  • Direct link to the madagascar-library.com map graphic itself
• Anakao on Lonely Planet
• panda.org article 2007