Ifaty and Anakao

The Reef And Lagoon Coast Of The South West, With Vezo Fishing Villages, Spiny Forest, Baobabs And The Whale Season; Ifaty Is Quick From Toliara And Anakao Faces Nosy Ve · Toliara, Atsimo-Andrefana

Ifaty and Anakao are two stretches of the south-west coast near Toliara, linked by the Vezo people who fish, sail and live on the sea. Ifaty, a 27 km sand track north of town, has beach hotels behind a lagoon, a reef offshore for snorkelling and diving, and the nearby Reniala reserve of spiny forest and baobabs. Anakao lies south across the Onilahy and is reached by boat; it faces Nosy Ve, a small sacred island of the Vezo where red-tailed tropicbirds nest, and entry rules there should be confirmed with local guides. Both places are slow, simple and sun-baked. The coral is damaged in places by fishing and warming, so snorkelling can be patchy, and the water is not as clear as in the Indian Ocean brochures. Humpback whales pass roughly July to September, but sightings are never guaranteed. Both are far more relaxed than the main tourist coast. Come for sandy villages, sea light and local boats, not luxury resorts or crowded beaches.

Coast north and south of Toliara; Ifaty is a 27 km sand track north, Anakao is by boat south across the Onilahy, Toliara, Atsimo-Andrefana, Madagascar

Beaches and villages are open all day and free to walk; there is no fixed closing. Hotels, dive centres and boat operators set their own hours, mostly mornings. Boat trips depend on wind and tide, and the sea can be too rough from time to time. Whale watching is seasonal, roughly July to September. Nosy Ve and reserve visits have fees and guide rules that need confirming.

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