Madagascar

Despite being the fourth largest island in the world and a mere 400km off the coast of mainland Africa, Madagascar remains a largely undiscovered corner of the continent and as far as we’re concerned, that’s all the more reason to love it.

There’s no denying that Madagascar is unique. An astonishing 80% of the country’s flora and fauna is endemic to the island and a fascinating mélange of African, Asian, Arabic and European cultures is evident wherever you are, from the rice paddy fields in the valleys to the Arab style pirogues on the river and the clapped out Renaults which rule the streets of Tana.

Even the name of the capital, Antananarivo (or just Tana to those in the know), is exotic and the rest of the country certainly lives up to that reputation. The terrain varies from tropical rainforest and paradise beaches to central highland plateaux and the dry desert-like south. Dancing lemurs, avenues of gigantic baobabs, spectacular birds, luxurious beach retreats and an incredibly hospital population are just some of the things you can expect to come across on your trip to Madagascar.

Everything starts and ends in Tana, which is conveniently located bang in the middle of the island. From this central hub, you can head off exploring the country, but it is well worth spending a few days in the city at the beginning or the end of your trip to sample some of the fabulous local cuisine which the French colonizers thankfully left behind and to stock up on some excellent textiles for which the country is famed.

If you’re more at home under the sea, fear not - you’ll find an unparalleled quality of diving around some of the most unspoilt reefs in the world, where dive operators and local fishermen work together to protect the environment while encouraging sustainable tourism and protecting one of the few corals whose biodiversity has not yet been drastically changed by the effects of global warming.