Page 153 - Africa Collection Online Brochure for Travel Agents and Travellers

MADAGASCAR AND MAYOTTE
TREASURE ISLAND
Madagascar
Madagascar is the 4th largest island in the world (nearly 3 times the size of Great Britain), 400km off the coast of East Africa. Separation from the super-continent of Gondwanaland nearly 100 million years ago has resulted in a totally unique flora and fauna, a biodiversity anomaly, with 90% of the wildlife unique to the island. It is almost 'the land that time forgot'. In addition there are stunning beaches and islands, an incredibly distinct culture, spectacular mountain and forest scenery -
diversity was a word coined just for Madagasacar.
Travel here isn't always easy, schedules are guidelines rather that strict timetables, but if you visit with an open mind
it's a very rewarding experience.
Key Facts
The time zone is GMT +3 hours
Malagasy (related to Indonesian)
& French are the official
languages. Other dialects are spoken; English is not widely spoken.
Madagascar has a diverse subtropical climate, with temperatures 25-30 oC year round. It is a very large island, so the weather varies from coast to coast, and coast to inland. The wet season is December to March, with storms and cyclones prevalent January to March.
The currency is the Malagasy Ariary (MGA).
Time + Tide Miavana
LITTLE MADAGASCAR
Mayotte
Located between Africa and Madagascar, and an overseas department of France, Mayotte has an abundance of endemic and diverse flora and fauna. For example the Maki, a type of lemur, is found only on Mayotte. There’s also the roussette (flying fox - a large bat), and the island is home to giant Baobabs and magnificent wild orchids, of which there are nearly
50 species. To discover this rich wildlife, a 100 km hiking trail runs around the island. Mayotte is surrounded by a typical tropical coral reef, enclosing one of the world's largest and deepest lagoons, all forming a National Marine Park. Swim in the lagoon with giant turtles
and see the humpback whales and dolphins.
Culturally divergent Mayotte has a mosaic of influences - African, Persian, Asian, Madagascan, European and Arabic, forging a rich and varied culture. Lodges and hotels are small and simple; flights are from East Africa, Madagascar, Réunion and Mozambique. But it's all worth it, if you want to go somewhere totally different - we pretty much guarantee you will have bragging rights!
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