Tulear

Tulear, also known as Toliara or Toliary, is a town with a seaport on the southwest coast of Madagascar with approximately 60,000 inhabitants of mixed tribal origins, such as Vezo, Masikoro, Mahafaly, Antandroy and Karana.

Tulear's colonial style buildings, grand lanes and innumerable multi-coloured rickshaws (pousse pousse) make a lasting impression on its visitors. Here locals prefer rickshaw transport over cars. The result is an unusually unpolluted city for its size and population, which makes the town well worth exploring for at least a couple of days.

While Tulear itself is missing a perfect swimming beach, Playa de la Batterie can be reached by an approximately 4-kilometre rickshaw ride north of the town centre. Thereafter continue by foot across some salt-production fields in the direction of the light tower to find some large and beautiful sand dunes. Other out-of-town attractions suitable for day-excursions include the botanical park of Antsokay Arboretum (l'Arboretum d'Antsokay) as well as the viewpoint from the table mountain 12km south east of Tulear. Also well-worth a visit is Reniala Nature Reserve, a 45 hectare nature reserve 27km north of Tulear. Many beautiful beaches can be found either further north of Tulear, at Ifaty, Madiorano, Salary and Andavadoaka, or south of Tulear at St. Augustin Bay, Sarodrano, Beheloka, Itampolo and Anakao. Tulear usually serves as a gateway to these destinations.

Tulear is the final city along RN7 (National Road 7), which is a tarred road in very good condition starting in Antananarivo. Drivers choosing this route will see many of Madagascar's attractions along the way, such as Fianarantsoa, Isalo National Park and the sapphire mining town of Ilakaka. A local airport connects Tulear with Antananarivo, Morondava and Fort Dauphin with daily scheduled Air Madagascar flights.

Accommodation

Serena Hotel (8 rooms)
Boulevard Philibert Tsiranana
Tel: +261 (0)20 94 411 73 / +261 (0)32 05 600 39
Email: serenatulear@gmail.com
Website www.serenatulear.com

Hôtel Le Palétuvier
Boulevard Lyautey
Tel: +261 (0)20 94 440 39 / +261 (0)32 02 542 83
Email: hotelpaletuviertul@yahoo.fr
Website: www.madadecouverte.com/le-paletuvier

Central Hotel
Bazary be (centre of town)
Tel: +261 (0)20 94 428 84 / +261 (0)32 02 553 25 / +261 (0)34 01 410 80

Restaurants

Le Sisal'
Sans Fils (two blocks northeast of taxi-brousse station).
High quality Malagasy menu at low prices (4,000 - 7,000 Ariary p/meal).

Le Jardin
A popular Italian-run restaurant and bar with a an ice cream and pastry stall.
Tel: +261 (0)32 40 604 82