Highlights:

– Lodge at Andasabe was STUNNING, loved it all and all the treks.

– Lodge at Palarium – was an experience, and the adventure of a lifetime, the children’s favourite. All the staff were great.

– Both hotels in Tana are amazing, it was great to go straight to the one near the airport night 1 and swim/chill. The service wasn’t great there but great place. Then at the next hotel the service was INCREDIBLE! And it was fun driving through Tana and exploring the handcraft market.

– Ile Saint Marie, possibly the most beautiful place on earth? Stunning hotel and beach and so much fun whale watching. It was also lovely to have part 2 with lots of beach and snorkelling time, following a big adventure with the young kids.

Thanks again for the best holiday of our lives, never thought could have an adventure like that with our young children and can’t wait for our next adventure with you guys.

Our experiences have left an indelible impression on me and I am so grateful to all of you at Stubborn Mule for being brave enough to organise holidays in a country that is somewhat less accessible and less developed than some of the other, more popular tourist destinations, but one that provides you with experiences that are all the more rewarding and enriching, for that very reason!

Our guide Ando was absolutely fantastic – so knowledgeable and passionate about his country and heritage, and so enthusiastic to share it all with us. I am sure you will agree Liddy when I say that he is such an impressive young man – people like him are the future of Madagascar and will hopefully pave the way for a sustainable tourist industry in this incredible country.

The homestay was probably our favourite experience of all! The facilities were basic but that was part of the charm. The food was exceptional, probably the best I had in the whole of Madagascar. The hiking opportunities were spectacular. And the hospitality of the young proprietress, Valisoa, was humbling – she was such a charming and gracious hostess, and staggeringly capable. I could not believe that she was managing the Gite all by herself (and very successfully too), at such a young age.

During our stay, we did a wonderful hike in the Ibity area, to the highest peak in the region, and then finished off the day with a dip in a waterfall. That evening we had a visit from a local group of musicians and 15 schoolchildren from the nearby village of Mananduna. Whenever a “vaza” (or “white skin”) stays at Bakobako, they have an “animation” that entails the children dancing around the campfire and showing the visitors the different types of Malagasy dances. The vaza are invited to join in, and everyone gets involved. We danced around the campfire with the locals, to their amusement and general merriment, and were touched and humbled by the children’s gratitude when we gave them notebooks and pens.

Another emotional experience during our stay at Bakobako was a visit to a silk workshop in the village, where we were shown how they make the most beautiful silk scarves using very basic tools and natural materials. The workshop is run by a villagers’ association and all the proceeds go towards helping the schoolchildren in the village to attend school. Another very emotional moment, and a reminder for my son that (much as he whines about school on an everyday basis) education is a privilege that not everyone is lucky enough to have.

After Bakobako, we moved on to the rainforest, and then to Ambalavao, Isalo and Ifaty. We absolutely relished the diversity of landscapes that Madagascar has to offer, and, as you said Liddy, the long drives were no trouble at all as we were continuously captivated by what we saw unfolding out the window, whether it was the spectacular scenery or the everyday lives of the Malagasy.

It was fascinating to learn about the customs of the different Malagasy tribes and to hear Ando’s stories about the distinct cultures, dances, and cuisines in different regions. The accommodation (which was I believe handpicked by you Liddy) was absolutely wonderful in every location – the view from the lodge near Ambalavao was jaw-dropping, as were the views from the Isalo lodge. We loved the little bungalows here, with the combination of canvas and concrete, and the pool was just incredible! Really beautiful places, wonderfully chosen Liddy!

The wildlife spotting was a major highlight for us and we were amazed by how close you can get to the lemurs – we loved being able to observe them at such close quarters. We also really enjoyed all of the workshops – we were fascinated to see how these incredibly gifted and talented people make such beautiful, exquisite handcrafts using the most basic, primitive tools.

Everywhere we went, there was music and dancing and the opportunity to get involved and join in the festivities. In other places I have travelled to, this can sometimes feel a bit gimmicky, but Madagascar hasn’t yet been tainted by the tourist trade, and all of our interactions with the locals felt really meaningful and authentic. It felt like they were genuinely so keen to embrace us and share their culture with us.

In Ifaty we were not able to do whale watching because of the windy weather and so Ando took us to a beautiful natural pool in a cave where we spent the morning swimming with the fish. In the afternoon we visited the spiny forest which was a wonderful opportunity to see lots of species of baobab trees.

We finished off our stay in Tana – you will remember that due to the flight cancellation by Air Mauritius, we had to stay for an additional 2 days. That was the only downside but aside from that, we had the most incredible, enriching and unforgettable holiday!

Thank you again so much for enabling us to have this incredible experience – I continue to be Stubborn Mule’s biggest fan!!

Sending you my best regards and wishes for a lovely summer.

Palmerian was beautiful (the boys’ favourite place despite no wifi in rooms just the lounge). The boat trip from here to Tamatove was stunning. Just an amazing and comfortable way to see how people were living their lives and felt an easier way of life than the villages seen from the roads (not saying it would be easy of course!)

Best bits were lemurs in Andasibe National Park and the village tour of Andasibe (we sat and watched a football match there and chatted with local kids). The boys stayed at the pool for that – they felt quite self-conscious about poverty which is fine and we are much more used to that. 

The Lemur Island trip at Andasibe was good – these are 3rd/4th generation lemurs that have been rescued as pets and breeding there. They do release some younger ones back to the wild after they are moved onto other islands and steadily reduce contact with humans. Hard as lots of lemurs at Palmerian too who are habituated to humans, but there is clearly not enough primary forest outside national parks to sustain them. So as soon as you have to supplement their diet with fruit, they stick to these areas, but they are at least living in family groups amiably and as wild as can be.

Really recommend the hotel on Ile St Marie. The manager was great and really helpful. Food fantastic! Swimming from the pontoon great. Explored on our own by tuk-tuk and walked to other side of the island to a deserted, amazing beach.

(Ile St Marie) capital really buzzing and bought most of our souvenirs here – lovely shop called Co’cool recommended by hotel but lots of stalls too. Good tour to the pirate cemetery organised at tourist office. Hotel owned by a French/Malagasy couple and their son took us on Ile aux Nattes trip (beach was stunning, snorkelling good, and lunch fantastic!), and a walk through the village.  He was lovely and well informed and again open about culture. 

We did the whale trip from Princess Bora and had lunch there one day.  

The boys would have missed their stay in central Tana. The Western standard French-style hotel was probably needed at this stage! They found the poverty hard but I think important to see and put in context, so no regrets! Slightly long winded tour of the Palace with a local guide and by the time we had done this didn’t have time for the photo museum which I would have liked. However had a laugh with the guide and took him for lunch and more insight into politics and culture so that was great! 

As you can tell I could go on for a long time!  Best holiday in so many respects and many thanks for putting it all together for us!

Two book suggestions: The Sloth Lemurs Song by Alison Richard (brilliant book) and harder read but fascinating about Malagasy traditions, Lost People Magic and Legacy of Slavery in Madagascar by David Graeber.