Anakao
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 isolation of this village has preserved the traditional way of life amongst its estimated 3,000 inhabitants; one of the highest concentrations of Vezo people along the coast of Madagascar.
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 seabed to reach a pirogue or motorboat. The various hotels in Anakao provide transfers which can be booked in Tulear harbour from where the boats repart.
A few basic hotels are strewn across the coastline of the village. These are mostly beach huts, providing a life on the beach experience to visiting tourists. In the early morning hours countless pirogues can be seen leaving in the direction open ocean on their fishing journeys until they return with their catch like small sailing regattas in the afternoon.
Behind the village are some tombs, decorated with oars/rudders or zebu horns in memory of the dead. South of the village fragments of eggshells of the world's largest bird, the now extinct Aepyornis or elephant bird, can be found (it is illegal to bring them out of the country).
Two small nature protected islands, Nosy Ve and Nosy Satrana, are located just outside Anakao and can be visited only by day, since both islands are uninhabited and offer no accommodation. These islands can reached via a short pirogue ride from the mainland.
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)32 0263887 (Anakao)
Email: safarivezo@netclub.mg
Anakao Club Resort (6 bungalows)
Tel: +261 (0)20 9491957 (Tulear) or +261 (0)32 0760257 (Anakao)
Email: mda@wanadoo.mg
Website: www.anakaoclubresort.com
Hotel La Reserve (6 bungalows)
Tel: +261 (0)32 0214155
Email: quad@dts.mg
Chez Solange & Christophe (3 rooms)
Tel: +261 (0)32 0418093
Email: lacombe-christian@voila.fr
Longo Veza (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
Email: N/A
Chez Emile (6 bungalows)
Tel: +261 (0)32 0402376
Email: emile@compagniedusud.com
